From One We Can Judge The Rest

(This guy seriously needs a dictionary.)

• I find nothing suspicious about Jews and Israel; however, I can't stand the Pro-Israel lobby in Washington. But, I have a good reason for that, I don't like ANY lobbyists in Washington-PERIOD! I see their lobby and the NEA lobby as equally repulsive.

• If Israel originally purchased a desolate strip of desert from the Arabs one piece at a time and turned it into a glittering oasis then God bless them, for what they've done is a good thing. They radically improved life in the region from what it was.

• There are approximately 7,184,000 people living in this narrow strip of land, and out of that number there is 1,375,600 native Arabs living within its borders. Out of those native Arabs 1,142,000 are Muslim comprising 15.9% of Israel's religious population. If these Muslims can find a way to live peacefully with their Israeli neighbors, within the borders of Israel and vice-versa, then why can't the Palestinians do the same. I maybe oversimplifying the issue, and I'm sure I am, but why isn't anybody asking this, or looking to the Israeli Muslims for help with some kind of truce? (source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_of_Israel#Population)
  

The Unannounced Reason Behind American Fundamentalism's Support for the State of Israel

by Gary North

With the President meeting this week with Prime Minister Barak of Israel and Yassir Arafat, it may be time to review a topic that is baffling for Jews, annoying to Arabs, and unavoidable for American Congressmen: the unswerving political support for the State of Israel by American fundamentalists.

Vocal support of a pro-Israel American foreign policy is basic for the leaders of American Protestant fundamentalism. This has been true ever since 1948. Pat Robertson and Rev. Jerry Falwell have been pro-Israel throughout their careers, beginning two decades before the arrival of the New Christian Right in the late 1970's. These men are not aberrations. The Trinity Broadcasting Network is equally supportive. So are the best-selling authors who speak for, and influence heavily, Protestant fundamentalism, most notably Hal Lindsey, author of The Late Great Planet Earth (1970), and Tim LaHaye, the husband of Beverly LaHaye of Concerned Women for America, which says on its Web site that it is "the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization." Rev. LaHaye and his co-author have each earned some $10 million in royalties for their multi-volume futuristic novel, Left Behind. They have a very large audience.

People may ask themselves, "Why this support?" Fundamentalists earlier in this century were sometimes associated with anti-Semitism. James M. Gray of the Moody Bible Institute in 1927 wrote an editorial favorable to Henry Ford’s Dearborn Independent series on Jews. Gray’s editorial appeared in the Moody Bible Institute Monthly. Arno C. Gabelein, a prominent fundamentalist leader, believed that the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion was a legitimate document. Gabelein’s 1933 book, The Conflict of the Ages, would today be regarded as anti-Semitic.

Other fundamentalist leaders of the pre-War era, while not anti-Semitic, attempted to maintain neutrality on the issue of Hitler’s persecution of Jews. In his 1977 book, Armageddon Now!, Christian historian Dwight Wilson cites numerous examples of fundamentalist theologians in the late 1930’s who regarded Hitler’s discriminatory policies against Jews as part of God’s judgment on the Jews. He writes: "Pleas from Europe for assistance for Jewish refugees fell on deaf ears, and ‘Hands Off’ meant no helping hand. So in spite of being theologically more pro-Jewish than any other Christian group, the premillennarians also were apathetic. . . ." [pp. 96-97]. What was it that persuaded almost the entire fundamentalist movement to move from either hostility or neutrality to vocal support of Israel? No single answer will fit every case, but there is a common motivation, one not taken seriously by most people in history: getting out of life alive.

The Not-Quite Last Things

The Christian doctrine of eschatology deals with the last things. Sometimes eschatology deals with the personal: the death of the individual. Usually, however, it has to do with God’s final judgment of mankind.

There have been three main views of eschatology in the history of the church, which theologians classify as premillennialism, postmillennialism, and amillennialism. The pre- and post- designations refer to the expected timing of the bodily return of Jesus in the company of angels: before (pre-) the establishment of an earthly kingdom of God, or after (post-) this kingdom has extended its rule across the earth.

The amillennial view is that the kingdom of God is mainly spiritual. This became the dominant view of Christianity for over a millennium after Augustine’s City of God, with its distinction between the city of God, the church (spiritual and permanent) and the political cities of man (rising and falling). Luther held this eschatological view. Most of the Continental Protestant Reformers of the sixteenth century held it. But seventeenth-century Scottish Presbyterians were more likely to hold the postmillennial view, and they carried it with them when they emigrated to America. Their postmillennialism rested in part on their belief that God will convert the Jews to Christianity as a prelude to the kingdom’s period of greatest expansion, an idea derived from Paul’s Epistle to the church at Rome, chapter 11. Presbyterians are officially commanded to pray for the conversion of the Jews. [Westminster Larger Catechism (1647), Answer 191.] The first generation of Puritan Congregationalists in New England also held similar postmillennial opinions.

The premillennial view was commonly held in the pre-Augustinian church, although the other views did have defenders. After 1660, premillennialism became increasingly common within American Puritanism. Cotton Mather was a premillennialist. But Jonathan Edwards was postmillennial. In nineteenth-century America, both views were common prior to the Civil War. After the War, premillennialism steadily replaced postmillennialism among fundamentalists. A secularized postmillennialism was adopted by the Social Gospel movement. Non-fundamentalist Protestants from Continental Europe, like the Catholics, remained amillennial. Postmillennialism faded after World War I until the late 1970's, when it experienced a limited revival.

Basic to the view of both premillennialism and amillennialism is pessimism regarding the efforts of Christians to build a culture-wide kingdom of God on earth. Both positions hold that only by Jesus’ bodily presence among the saints can Christians create an cultural alternative to the competing kingdoms of man. The premillennialist believes that this international kingdom construction task will begin in earnest a thousand years before the final judgment, with Jesus ruling from a literal throne, probably located in Jerusalem. The amillennialist views this universal extension of the kingdom of God into culture as possible only after the resurrection of all humanity at the final judgment, i.e., in a sin-free, death-free, Christians-only world.

Tribulation and Rapture

Just prior to Jesus’ return to set up an earthly kingdom, argue most amillennialists and all premillennialists, there will be a time of persecution, called the Great Tribulation. It is here that the great debate over the Jews begins. Amillennialists believe that Christians will be persecuted by their enemies. A handful of premillennialists, referred to as "historic premillennialists," also identify Christians as the targets. This version of premillennialism has been insignificant institutionally since the 1870’s. The dominant premillennial view says that Jews will suffer the Great Tribulation. Born-again Christians will have flown the coop – literally. This is the doctrine of the pre-tribulation Rapture.

According to pre-tribulation premillennialists, who are known as dispensationalists, Jesus will come secretly in the clouds and raise deceased Christians – and only Christians – from the dead. Immediately thereafter, every true Christian will be transported bodily into the sky, and from there to heaven: the Rapture event. The passage cited to defend this view is found in Paul’s first letter to the church at Thessolonica: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [harpazo] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (I Thes. 4:16-17). Throughout most of church history, this passage was associated with the final judgment, but beginning sometime around 1830 in England, it was linked to the premillennial, pretribulational Rapture – a word that is not found in the Greek text or in any English translation of the New Testament. Its Latin root word is in Jerome’s Vulgate, a translation of the Greek "harpazo" – seize, catch, or pluck.

This outlook on the earthly future became increasingly popular among fundamentalists, beginning in the 1870's. It was formalized in the footnotes of the Scofield Reference Bible (1909; revised, 1917). In 1930, it became the first Oxford University Press book to reach sales of one million. It has now sold over five million copies. C. I. Scofield’s system has defined fundamentalism for nine decades.

The Rapture-based escape from history is now universally believed by fundamentalists to be imminent. Generations of fundamentalists have believed that they will escape bodily death. They will be transported into the sky, like Elijah, though without benefit of chariots.

But when? That has been the great question. The answer: "Soon." But why soon? Why not a millennium from now? The psychological answer: Because men do not live that long in this millennium. The main selling point for fundamentalism’s Bible prophecies is to get insight into what is coming soon. In this case, the issue of mortality is central. As the slogan says, "Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die." The doctrine of the imminent Rapture allows Christians to believe seriously that they can go to heaven without dying. Millions of Americans believe this today, just as their fathers and grandfathers believe this today.

But how can they be so sure? Because of the events of 1948. In that year, the crucial missing piece of the prophetic puzzle – the restoration of the nation of Israel – seemed to come true. Critics of the dispensational system could no longer say, "But where is Israel in all this?" The answer, at long last: "In Palestine, just in time for the Great Tribulation."

The Grim Fate of Israel

The source of the idea of the Great Tribulation is found in Jesus’ last words regarding Israel, which are recorded in Matthew 24 and Luke 21.

And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled (Luke 21:20-24).

Throughout most of church history, this prophecy was interpreted as having been fulfilled by the Roman siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. With the rise of dispensationalism, however, the fulfillment of passage was moved into the future.

Dispensationalism’s critics had long asked: "Where is the nation of Israel? Where are the Jews?" Not in Palestine, surely. So, dispensationalists tended to apply this prophecy of near-destruction to Jews in general – only symbolically residing in Israel – until 1948. This was one reason for their silence on Hitler’s persecution. Hitler was just another rung in the ladder of persecution leading to the inevitable Great Tribulation.

The prophesied agency of the great persecution has shifted over the years. As Wilson shows in Armageddon Now!, from 1917 until 1977, Russia was a prime candidate. But, after 1991, this has become difficult to defend, for obvious reasons. The collapse of the Soviet Union has created a major problem for dispensationalism’s theologians and its popular authors. But there have been no comparable doubts about the intensity of the coming persecution. Here is the opinion of John F. Walvoord, one of dispensationalism’s leading theologians, who served for three decades as the president of Dallas Theological Seminary (founded, 1924), the movement’s main seminary.

The purge of Israel in their time of trouble is described by Zechariah in these words: "And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith Jehovah, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried" (Zechariah 13:8, 9). According to Zechariah’s prophecy, two thirds of the children of Israel in the land will perish, but the one third that are left will be refined and be awaiting the deliverance of God at the second coming of Christ which is described in the next chapter of Zechariah. [John F. Walvoord, Israel in Prophecy (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, [1962] 1988), p. 108.

Nothing can or will be done by Christians to save Israel’s Jews from this disaster, for all of the Christians will have been removed from this world three and a half years prior to the beginning of this 42-month period of tribulation. (The total period of seven years is interpreted as the fulfillment of the seventieth week of Daniel [Dan. 9:27].)

In order for most of today’s Christians to escape physical death, two-thirds of the Jews in Israel must perish, soon. This is the grim prophetic trade-off that fundamentalists rarely discuss publicly, but which is the central motivation in the movement’s support for Israel. It should be clear why they believe that Israel must be defended at all costs by the West. If Israel were militarily removed from history prior to the Rapture, then the strongest case for Christians’ imminent escape from death would have to be abandoned. This would mean the indefinite delay of the Rapture. The fundamentalist movement thrives on the doctrine of the imminent Rapture, not the indefinitely postponed Rapture.

Every time you hear the phrase, "Jesus is coming back soon," you should mentally add, "and two-thirds of the Jews of Israel will be dead in ‘soon plus 84 months.’" Fundamentalists really do believe that they probably will not die physically, but to secure this faith prophetically, they must defend the doctrine of an inevitable holocaust.

This specific motivation for the support of Israel is never preached from any fundamentalist pulpit. The faithful hear sermons – many, many sermons – on the pretribulation Rapture. On other occasions, they hear sermons on the Great Tribulation. But they do not hear the two themes put together: "We can avoid death, but only because two-thirds of the Jews of Israel will inevitably die in a future holocaust. America must therefore support the nation of Israel in order to keep the Israelis alive until after the Rapture." Fundamentalist ministers expect their congregations to put two and two together on their own. It would be politically incorrect to add up these figures in public.

The fundamentalists I have known generally say they appreciate Jews. They think Israel is far superior to Arab nations. They believe in a pro-Israel foreign policy as supportive of democracy and America’s interests. They do not dwell upon the prophetic fate of Israel’s Jews except insofar as they want to transfer the threat of the Great Tribulation away from themselves and their families. Nevertheless, this is the bottom line: the prophetic scapegoating of Israel. This scapegoat, not Christians, must be sent into the post-Rapture wilderness.

Evangelism in Israel

Their eschatology has produced a kind of Catch-22 for fundamentalists. What if, as a result of evangelism, the Jews of Israel were converted en masse to Christianity? They would then be Raptured, along with their Gentile brethren, leaving only Arabs behind. This scenario would make the immediate fulfillment of prophecy impossible: no post-Rapture Israelis to persecute. So, fundamentalists have concluded that the vast majority of the Jews of Israel cannot, will not, and must not be converted to Christianity.

This raises an obvious question: Why spend money on evangelizing Israelis? It would be a waste of resources. This is why there are so few active fundamentalist ministries in Israel that target Jews. They target Arabs instead. Eschatologically speaking, the body of an Israeli must be preserved, for he may live long enough go through the Great Tribulation. But his soul is expendable. This is why fundamentalists vocally support the nation of Israel, but then do very little to preach to Israelis the traditional Protestant doctrine of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. Fundamentalists have a prophetic agenda for Israelis that does not involve at least two-thirds of the Israelis’ souls. Israelis are members of the only group on earth that has an unofficial yet operational King’s X against evangelism by fundamentalists, specifically so that God may preserve Israelis for the sake of the destruction of modern Israel in the Great Tribulation. The presence of Israel validates the hope of fundamentalists that Christians, and Christians alone, will get out of life alive.

July 19, 2000

Gary North is the author of Conspiracy: A Biblical View, which discusses the 20th century's Anglo-American alliance. Download a free copy at www.freebooks.com.

The school district's risk-management department has threatened to boot New Hope Church out of Sherwood Elementary, its new home for Sunday services.

Why? A worship series titled "Great Sex for You."

Last week, church leaders mailed 25,000 colorful fliers to Melbourne households, asking residents "Is Your Sex Life A Bore?" and inviting them to go to the school to "learn how to have the Great Sex that God created you to enjoy!"

The three-week program kicked off Sunday morning inside the school auditorium. Seated on stage in black jeans and an untucked collared shirt, Bible in hand, Pastor Bruce Cadle said the Christian church has been "shamefully silent" on the typically taboo topic.

"Sex between married believers is a holy activity. It's not a dirty activity. It's not a shameful activity," Cadle preached. "It's a holy activity. And the Bible is so clear about this. But it's still hard for us to get it."

But Mark Langdorf, the school district's director of risk management, said the "Great Sex for You" mailers generated complaints. He described the controversy as "obnoxious and inimical to the best interests of the school board."

"We believe the type of advertising used is not appropriate for students to read in any elementary school," Langdorf said. "If it is inappropriate for the students, then it should not be used to advertise any event held at an elementary school in Brevard County."

Cadle said Langdorf threatened to terminate the church's lease agreement. The church rents the auditorium and one classroom for $606 each Sunday, records show.

However, Langdorf said the contract remains under review.

"At present, no decision has been made as to the church's future use of Sherwood Elementary School," Langdorf said. "The question as to the revocation of use is presently under consideration."

Facing a capacity crunch, the ministry conducted its first Sunday service at Sherwood Elementary on March 29. Two weeks later, an Easter service drew 426 worshippers.

Last week, church leaders mailed the "Great Sex for You" fliers to residents within a 3-mile radius. These fliers also were distributed in FLORIDA TODAY as advertising inserts.

Sherwood Elementary personnel received six complaints, Langdorf said -- including a church member who apologized. The district office received one complaint.

Cadle said his church received one phone complaint, one in-person complaint and three online complaints.

But 23 newcomers attended Sunday's service, he wrote on his blog.

"Having grown up with a Christian mother and a Christian father and going to church every Sunday of my life as a kid, I grew up with the wrong perspective. I thought sex was dirty. I thought it was something you hid. I thought it was something you didn't talk about," Cadle preached Sunday.

"If we could be really honest, I think each and every one of us would say, 'I want a rich and satisfying life. I want a great sex life.' But it doesn't come from following Cosmo magazine. It comes from following the word of God. God is not against sex. It doesn't have to be boring. It doesn't have to be a chore. It doesn't have to be a drag -- if we do it God's way," he said.

New Hope Church also is offering "Exposed! The Naked Truth About Sex," a teaching series for middle and high school students. These Sunday evening sermons take place on church property, not the elementary school.

(*Update*)

Here the InternetMonk blog posts that started this whole thing.

In addition, Todd Wilken of Issues Etc., has done an interview with the author of "The Coming Evangelical Collapse", Michael Spencer. Give it a listen!

Wow! Here is some "glass-is-half-full" positive news about American Evangelicalism from Michael Spencer, columnist for the Christian Science Monitor, he says:

"We are on the verge – within 10 years – of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity. This breakdown will follow the deterioration of the mainline Protestant world and it will fundamentally alter the religious and cultural environment in the West."

"This collapse will herald the arrival of an anti-Christian chapter of the post-Christian West. Intolerance of Christianity will rise to levels many of us have not believed possible in our lifetimes, and public policy will become hostile toward evangelical Christianity, seeing it as the opponent of the common good."

Ah, there's nothing like callin'em as you see'em!

"1. Evangelicals have identified their movement with the culture war and with political conservatism."

"3. There are three kinds of evangelical churches today: consumer-driven megachurches, dying churches, and new churches whose future is fragile."

"5. The confrontation between cultural secularism and the faith at the core of evangelical efforts to "do good" is rapidly approaching."

"•Expect evangelicalism to look more like the pragmatic, therapeutic, church-growth oriented megachurches that have defined success."

"•A small band will work hard to rescue the movement from its demise through theological renewal."

"•Aggressively evangelistic fundamentalist churches will begin to disappear."

"•Evangelicalism needs a "rescue mission" from the world Christian community."

This partly jives with an (AFP) report regarding the rise of secularism, and other reports regarding declining Church membership across the board.

"Secularism is gaining ground in the United States, eating away at the percentage of Americans who identify with the Protestant Christianity of the founding fathers, a poll published Monday showed."

"When the survey was conducted in 2001, 14.1 percent of respondents said they were not religious."

First he says, "Evangelicals have identified their movement with the culture war and with political conservatism."

Oddly enough, much of the "culture war" phenomena was started by the family values oriented LDS Church. Only since the late sixties, following the social and political upheaval of the times did the fundamentalists jump on board and try to "take back culture", as if they had owned it at one time or another, or that it's theirs by right or something. Now we have organizations like Focus on the Family, and Campus Crusades for Christ, etc., who follow more of a "deeds not creeds" mentality, which believes nothing more than civil righteousness as God pleasing acts. That's when you hear guys such as Hagee, or Robertson, et. al, claim that when any calamity which befalls the United States is a just punishment from God because of the immoral republic. These guys are classic theologians of glory, God rewards good behavior and punishes evil behavior, therefore when anything bad happens to the nation, it's because of the immorality of its people. Yet, these guys fail to see that everything, even the good things man does is nothing but evil. and for a better explanation on this point see thesis 6, and proof from the Heidelberg disputation.

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Please take a look at these articles regarding the errors of modern Evangelicalism as espoused by Pr. Stuart Wood, and emphatically endorsed by yours truly.

If you look in the left-hand column these links will be a permanent part of this blog and a keystone piece of the web-site I'm constructing.

As you will see, these errors take issue with American Evangelicalism (and everything which falls under that broad umbrella), Calvinism, and Roman Catholicism, et al., head-on, so as to challenge the reader to question if their beliefs meet up with God's Word and historic Christianity.

This blog also encourages debate on these issues, so if anyone finds need to dispute with any article, the author of these articles and the moderator of this blog will gladly defend them, as should be expected.*

I'd ask that if anyone who has a friend, family member, or someone in their life who falls under the persuasion of any of these errors, and wishes to point them in the right direction, please send them this way for help.

(*This blog entry will be the comment page for ALL the articles of this series. If you want to leave a comment, please reference what number article(s) you wish to address. Thank you!)

25 Errors of the Modern Evangelicals

by: Pr. Stuart Wood

Dear Reader, below are listed 25 errors of the modern Evangelicals. There are other errors that I do not include, but this is enough for you to see just how far astray the modern Evangelical church is from historical, Biblical Christianity. And these are serious errors. They have a bearing upon the most important doctrines of the Christian faith. I write these things out of love for those who know and love the truth. I don’t expect that many will agree with me, but to simply disagree means nothing. What matters is why do you disagree. If I have spoken in error, then show me my error from the Word of God. I do not assert these things lightly nor have I learned them quickly. What you are about to read has taken me 30 years of Bible study to learn. I know these points to be true to the Word of God and to historical, Biblical Christianity. Thank you for taking the time to consider these points, and I pray that this reading will prove to be a great blessing for you.

1. Relationship of faith and reason

This is truly the foundation of all the errors of the modern Evangelicals. Because the Scriptures contain truths that are infinitely above and beyond human reason, we are called to take God at His Word. But the modern Evangelicals do not do this. Rather, they measure God by their own ruler, and cannot and will not receive anything that appears foreign or contradictory to their natural thoughts. In truth, they do not really believe in the total depravity of man, which necessarily includes his depraved mind. Thus, where the Scriptures often leave the mind in paradox, the modern Evangelicals will commonly cling to and argue for one side of a Biblical truth and deny and condemn another seemingly opposite Biblical truth. This priority of human reason lies at the root of many controversies between the Calvinists and Arminians. Both camps are guided by their fallen nature, and not by child-like Christian faith.

Some Verses to Consider: Isa. 8:20; 55:7-9; 65:2; 2 Cor. 10:4,5; Rom. 5:20-6:1; 10:17

2. Bondage of man’s will

Most modern Evangelicals do not believe that man’s will is completely in bondage to sin. In relation to the law of God, man is incapable of performing even one thought or act that is pleasing to God. He is truly dead in his trespasses and sins. His will is like a lifeless log lying on the ground in the forest. Left to itself, where the tree fell, there it will ever remain. It is only by the work of Another that that log can ascend upwards. It is only by the grace of God that man can think or work any good thing in the sight of God. Thus, whoever leans upon his own thoughts or asserts the freedom of man’s will to choose both good or evil stands in denial of this important Scriptural doctrine. He thereby loses his dependence upon Christ and the necessary light that He alone provides via His Word.

Some Verses to Consider: Eph. 2:1; Rom. 3:10-18; 8:7,8; Jer. 13:23; Isa. 64:6; John 15:5

3. The Kingdom of God

Most modern Evangelicals know little or nothing about the very important doctrine of the kingdom of God. Some go so far as to make distinctions between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven. Rather the kingdom of God is one. The kingdom of God is that kingdom of truth that we apprehend by faith through the trustworthy eye-glasses of the Word of God. It stands in contrast to the kingdom of this world, the kingdom of darkness, ruled by the prince of darkness, although over-ruled by our Saviour. The kingdom of God manifests itself in the Church as a kingdom of grace, in the world as a kingdom of power, and in heaven as a kingdom of glory. How few tragically know anything of this. If they did, how quickly they would see the utter futility of being led by human reason.

Some Verses to Consider: John 18:37; Heb. 2:7,8; Matt. 16:18; 28:18-20; 25:31

4. Confusion of Law and Gospel

The modern Evangelical commonly confuses the Law and the Gospel. This is another necessary product of being guided by reason and not faith. The Law should be preached in all of its severity, sparing no sinner from the dreadful consequences of his sins. This is rarely done in modern Evangelical circles. Also, the Gospel should be preached in all of its sweetness as that which avails before God completely apart from one’s own works. This also is rarely proclaimed. I have always been amazed how few modern Evangelicals can define for you what the Gospel even is, how that “Christ died for our sins”. For many of them, Christianity is nothing more than a self-help tool for the concerns of this life.

Some Verses to Consider: Nahum 1:6,7; Ezek. 18,20; Num. 32:23; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; John 8:24

5. Confusion of Repentance and Faith

The modern Evangelicals commonly err on the issue of repentance. As with so many issues, they tend to fall off of either side of the path of faith. Most do not talk much about repentance at all. For them God requires nothing of them but a head knowledge about the historical facts of the Gospel. Others, seeing the bad fruit of such lip-service, make repentance another work of the law which God requires for salvation. Faith is relegated to the background, and what really matters is whether you have repented of your sins. What is not seen here is the necessary Biblical distinction between repentance in its narrow sense and repentance in its wider, saving sense. Repentance in its narrow sense is a product of the law and results in the regretting of one’s sins. This in and of itself does not and cannot save a person. Repentance in its wider sense is a product of the law and the Gospel. It includes both the sincere regretting of one’s sins and the looking to Christ’s cross for forgiveness of those sins. This repentance saves, not because of its relation to the law, but because of its relation to the Gospel. We are saved not for the sake of our imperfect regrets and sorrows, but for the sake of our faith in the atoning work of Christ at the cross.

Some Verses to Consider: Mark 1:15; Acts 16:30,31; Jer. 3:12-14; Pro. 24:16

6. The Means of Grace

Contrary to historic Biblical Christianity, the modern Evangelicals have no place in their theology for the means of grace, that is, the Scripturally-sanctioned means by which God applies the atoning work of Christ to the believer. God has provided three means of grace: the naked Word of God, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are means of grace only because they contain the Word of God. As St. Augustine said, “they are visible words of God”. That is, God wraps his invisible Word in visible elements (water, bread, wine) in order that the one who receives the visible element may know with certainty that he also receives the invisible grace, that is the forgiveness of sins proclaimed by the Word of God which cannot lie. The closest thing that the modern Evangelical has to the means of grace is “the sinner’s prayer”, but this has no such sanction from the Word of God, and thus brings no certain comfort.

Some Verses to Consider: Rom. 10:17; 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:18; Acts 2:38,39; 22:16; 1 Thess. 2:13

7. Lord’s Supper

Most modern Evangelicals do not believe nor teach the clear words of Christ, “This is My body.. this is My blood”. Instead they flatly reject the Word of God and assert that the bread and wine are merely symbols of Christ’s body and blood. This is an accommodation to their reason which cannot fathom these words as being true. Thus, through unbelief, they make void to themselves the promises of God that “as many as touched Him were healed,” and “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us of all sin”. They do not realize that the Lord’s Supper is not a re-sacrificing of Christ, as the Roman Catholics falsely teach, but rather an ongoing distribution of the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Christ’s body and blood to all believers throughout the world via the Word of God which cannot lie.

Some Verses to Consider: Matt. 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 10:16; 11:29; Mark 6:56; 1 John 1:7

8. Baptism

Most modern Evangelicals do not believe nor teach the clear words of Christ, “that you be baptized for the remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost shall be given unto you”. Instead they directly contradict God and assert that baptism is not for the remission of sins, and that the Holy Ghost is not granted via the waters of baptism. Baptism, however, is the Scripturally ordained means by which God applies the atoning blood of Christ to us. As Martin Luther said, “If we look at baptism with the eye of faith, we see that its waters are not clear, but crimson, joined as they are with the blood of Christ”. Baptism is the Scripturally sanctioned means by which a person becomes a Christian. The historical Christian church has always regarded baptism as the doorway into the kingdom of God. In place of Christian baptism, the modern Evangelicals have substituted “the sinner’s prayer”. It, and not baptism, supposedly works the forgiveness of sins and grants the Holy Ghost.

Some Verses to Consider: Acts 22:16; 2:38,39; Gal. 3:27; 2 Kings 5:9-14

9. Objective and subjective justification

The modern Evangelical makes no distinction between objective and subjective justification. Objective justification refers to the objective fact that all people are forgiven all sins because of the universal atoning work of Christ. It is an objective fact that Christ died for a man’s sins whether he believes it or not. His believing or not believing cannot change this fact. God will be proven true though every man a liar. Subjective justification refers to whether a person has received this forgiveness through faith in Christ’s atoning work. It has reference to the application and possession of the forgiveness of sins. Even though Christ has objectively wrought this forgiveness for all, it does not come into the possession of those who refuse it. They aren’t forced to take the gift, even though the gift is extended to them.

Some Verses to Consider: 2 Cor. 5:18-20; 1 Tim. 4:9,10

10. Hidden and revealed will of God

Many errors are made among modern Evangelicals because there is not a distinction made between the hidden and revealed will of God. The revealed will of God is that which God has declared for us in His Word. And everything that He has revealed is profitable for instruction and correction that the man of God might be adequately equipped for every good work. The hidden will of God is that which He has not chosen to reveal in His Word. These things which have not been revealed are not our concern and should not be investigated lest one be justly consumed in his mind by the unveiled majesty of God. This is why the universality of Christ’s atonement is so important because it is a declaration that includes us all. However, if a person seeks out his acceptance and election in some other personal way, he is proceeding without the Word and thus cannot but err severely.

Some Verses to Consider: Deut. 29:29; 2 Tim. 3:16,17

11. Toleration of Limited Atonement

This one’s for the smug and secure Calvinists who arrogate to themselves Christ’s blessed atonement and exclude others who don’t embrace their error. Rather than locking arms with the lowest of the world and glorying in Christ’s universal provision plainly declared in His Word, they climb up over the wall by means of their own experience and make themselves chiefs in the Lord’s vineyard. There is no question that the Lord’s atonement is universal, plainly stated in both Scripture and Church history, and anyone who denies it is led not of faith but his own depraved reason.

Some Verses to Consider: John 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:3-6; Heb. 2:9; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 John 2:2; Gen. 3:15

12. Autonomy of the local congregation

Most modern Evangelicals do not understand the autonomy of the local congregation. The local congregation is by divine command and is a divine institution. It is not optional for a Christian to belong to a local congregation. It is commanded. The power of the Keys, that is the administration of the Word and sacraments, is to be exercised within the local congregation. Denominations and federations may exist for the purpose of mutual support but may not exercise authority over the local congregation.

Some Verses to Consider: Heb. 10:24,25; Acts 14:23; 20:28; Tit. 1:5; 1 Pet. 5:2,3

13. Use of the Keys

The use of the Keys refers to the wonderful gift that Christ has given to His Church to remit and retain sins. This gift is to be exercised within the local congregation through the administration of the Word and sacraments. The forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed as the voice of God to those who repent of their sins and believe the Gospel, “how that Christ died for our sins”. The retention of sins is to be proclaimed to those who refuse to repent of their sins and/or refuse to believe the Gospel. The practice of church discipline is a divinely commanded exercise of the Keys, both for the sake of the impenitent and the reputation of the Church. Few modern Evangelical churches understand the use of the Keys nor practice church discipline. In the case of those who do practice it, there often is little or no follow-up or coordination with other churches with whom they are in fellowship.

Some Verses to Consider: Matt. 16:19; 18:15-18; John 20:21-23; 1 Chron. 15:13

14. Absolution

This is really another exercise of the office of the Keys, specifically having reference to the remission of sins. Absolution may be defined as the announcement of the forgiveness of sins by a pastor or any other believer standing in the stead of Christ. Thus a pastor may declare to a congregation that “in the name and stead of Christ, I forgive you all of your sins”. He is speaking not in and from his own person, but his mouth is at this point the very mouth of God. This brings great comfort and assurance for the guilty sinner. I think it is fair to say that the modern Evangelical knows nothing of this.

Some Verses to Consider: 2 Cor. 2:10; 5:20; Matt. 9:2; 2 Sam. 12:13

15. Confusion of the new man and old man

Once again because of the guide of reason over faith, the modern Evangelical muddles and confuses the new man and old man, that is, the Christian according to the Spirit and according to the flesh. There is little teaching or apprehension as to who we are in Christ versus who we are in Adam, who we are as those born from above versus who we are as those born from below, who we are as righteous men versus who we are as sinners. Rather than being guided by the Word of God into these wonderful truths, the modern Evangelical perceives himself according to experience and according to nature. Thus, he is denied the joy and spiritual strength of knowing his precious Christian birthright.

Some Verses to Consider: Eph. 4:20-24; John 3:3-6; 1 John 3:1-3; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15,16

16. The danger of losing faith

The more Calvinistic modern Evangelicals deny the danger of losing faith, despite the many passages and Scriptural examples warning of this. They have every possible interpretation explaining away these troublesome verses, but to any honest onlooker their efforts are forced and contrived. The problem here is the old nemesis human reason, which cannot receive the Word of God as stated but must try to square it with the doctrine of election. The truth is that the elect are the very ones who take heed to the warnings and thus prove themselves to be the elect. But in place of this sincerity and godly fear, the modern Evangelical has established their presumptuous “once saved, always saved”, which forces one to look back to a decision in the past rather than to look up to the Saviour who truly can preserve and save them.

Some Verses to Consider: Rom. 11:18-22; Heb. 4:1; Gal. 5:3,4; 2 Pet. 2:20-22; 1 Tim. 1:18-20

17. The security of the Christian

The more Arminian modern Evangelicals deny the security of the Christian, despite the many passages and Scriptural examples asserting this. They have every possible interpretation explaining away these comforting verses, but to any honest onlooker their efforts are forced and contrived. The problem here is the old nemesis human reason, which cannot receive the Word of God as stated but must try to square it with human responsibility. The truth is that God’s elect are eternally secure being chosen unto salvation before the world was. They were not chosen in view of their faith, but they have faith because they were chosen. And they are kept, not by their own strength, but by the power of God.

Some Verses to Consider: John 10:27-30; Phil 1:6; Rom. 8:28-30; 38,39; Jude 1:24

18. Unionism

Unionism is the idea that Christians “agree to disagree agreeably” on what they would call “non-fundamentals” and continue to maintain a pretense of unity despite their differences. While this looks charitable on the surface, it is truly a betrayal of the Word of God. It makes the truth of the Word of God of no great significance. It says to God, “thank you very much for your Word, but as to it’s true meaning, we don’t really care if one affirms it or not. We will gladly join arms with those who deny it.” Unionism also arrogates to itself the right and ability to carve up the Word of God into its own categories, not realizing that all the doctrines are intricately connected to one another and a denial of one has implications about another. The Scriptures rightly condemn unionism, and command us to “speak the same thing” and “avoid those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which we have learned”. The modern Evangelical church is thoroughly unionistic by definition.

Some Verses to Consider: Rom. 16:17,18; Rom. 15:5,6; 1 Cor. 1:10; 5:6; 1 Tim. 5:22

19. Toleration of the Charismatic movement

The Charismatic movement is truly inspired of the devil, having wrought great damage to the reputation of the visible church and the cause of truth. Both Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 14 show clearly that Biblical tongues were known languages. If this be true, which is not hard to prove, then what is this modern day tongues which everyone admits are not known languages? These tongues are clearly fraudulent, being manifestations of the flesh or the devil himself. Most modern Evangelicals are quite content to allow this fraud to co-exist in their midst, and would rather “agree to disagree agreeably” than defend the Word of God and the reputation of God’s church.

Some Verses to Consider: Acts 2:6-11; 1 Cor. 14:27,28; 13:8; Jer. 23:25-28

20. Toleration of worldliness (modern dancing, gambling, lottery, etc.)

The Word of God tells us to “be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds”. Yet it is often hard to distinguish between the modern Evangelical and the world in their everyday lives. Modern dancing, with its sensual and seductive gyrations, is clearly a form of lasciviousness, but how few voices do we hear against it. The lottery, office-sponsored sporting pools, and even certain kinds of speculative investing are forms of gambling, and yet the modern Evangelical commonly partakes of these alongside the world. It is not that you will not find sin and worldliness in every congregation, as you will also always find tares among the wheat, but what marks the modern Evangelical churches is their toleration of and indifference towards such worldliness.

Some Verses to Consider: 1 Thess. 4:3-5; Eph. 4:28; 5:3-5; 1 Cor. 5:6-8

21. Identification of Israel

The modern Evangelicals do not understand the relationship between natural Israel, that is the physical descendants of Abraham, and spiritual Israel, that is the holy Christian Church. Thus, modern Evangelicals tend to regard natural Israel as a sort of spiritual ally, who at least believe in the Old Testament, etc. But this is not true. The Jewish religion today does not believe in the Old Testament and is every bit as false a religion as Islam or Buddhism. In fact, the names “Jewish” and “Israel” should not even be associated with this religion, as it is really nothing more than Talmudism or Rabiism, denying and blaspheming the blessed work of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Yet the modern Evangelicals hold up such ones as “the people of God”. Not only can these “people of God” not be identified as such by their religion, but even their physical lineage cannot be established. In Bible times, Jewish lineage was established through the Jewish fathers. Today’s Jews reckon their heritage from their Jewish mothers. After centuries of inter-marriage and Gentile conversions, who can say for certain who is truly a “descendant of Abraham”?

Some Verses to Consider: Rom. 4:13-16; 9:6-8; Gal. 6:16, Phi. 3:2,3; 1 Thess. 2:14-16

22. Identification of the Millennium

Once again the modern Evangelicals make literal that which is spiritual and make spiritual that which is literal. The idea of a literal thousand year reign of the Messiah here on this physical earth to be followed by further rebellion and wars has commonly been rejected by historical orthodox Christianity as a Jewish myth. Christ Himself clearly declared “My Kingdom is not of this world”. The millennial kingdom spoken of in Revelation 20 is the spiritual reign of Christ in the midst of His enemies since the day of Pentecost. The number 1000, as all other numbers throughout the Book of Revelation, is spiritual, not literal. God “signified”, lit. “symbolized” to John the things that were to come.

Some Verses to Consider: Luke 17:20, 21; John 18:36; Rev. 1:1; 7:4

23. Identification of true antichrist

The modern Evangelicals have a myriad of theories as to the identification of the antichrist, but have no real Scriptural certainty for their opinions. Even though some have proposed it, few know with conviction that the antichrist has already been revealed in the office of the Pope. Had they understood the doctrine of justification clearly, they would see that this enemy from within has been the true believers’ biggest historic adversary. Also from Scripture it is plainly stated that the antichrist will take his seat in the temple of God (the Church) displaying himself as God. When the Pope speaks “ex cathedra”, “out of the chair”, from his office, so to speak, he speaks as infallible God. His words hold a higher place than Scripture. He exalts himself as Christ’s vicar (representative) on earth. And yet as obvious as the identification of antichrist is, how few modern Evangelicals recognize it. Rather, many embrace the Pope as a “brother in Christ”.

Some Verses to Consider: 2 Thes. 2:3,4; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; Rev. 13:18 (Pope’s crown); 17:1-9

24. Two natures of Christ

Here is a doctrine that only faith can approach, and reason on its own must err. We are told in the Word of God that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man. He is eternal and yet temporal, all-powerful and yet having weakness, all-knowing and yet not knowing some things. He has two natures, divine and human, and yet is one indivisible Person. All that can be said of Him according to either nature can be said of His Person. Thus, in Christ, we can and do say that God is born and God dies. It is in this sense that the ancient Church affirmed that Mary was the mother of God, not to exalt Mary, but to preserve the unity of Christ’s Person. How man modern Evangelicals today would confess Mary as “the mother of God”? This gives us some indication as to how very foreign such orthodox truths are to the ears of the modern Evangelicals.

Some Verses to Consider: Luke 1:35; 1 Cor. 2:8; Acts 3:15

25. Christ’s descent into hell

Even though this doctrine is clearly taught in the Word of God and even incorporated into the Apostle’s Creed, confessed by orthodox Christians for 2000 years, the modern Evangelical presumes a more enlightened knowledge by which he commonly denies this teaching. The doctrine, simply stated, is that following His blessed death on the Cross for our sins, Christ descended into hell and proclaimed His victory to the spirits now in prison. He did this so as to show Himself as both just and the justifier of those whose sins had been forgiven previously, and to show the justice of the condemnation of those who had rejected His promises since the beginning of the world. The descent of Christ into hell was not a part of His suffering for sins and His humiliation, but rather is the first rung of His exaltation above everything that is below, on, and above the earth.

Some Verses to Consider: 1 Pet. 3:18-20; Col. 2:15; Rom. 3:25,26

Thank you again for taking the time to consider the points above. I am happy to tell you that the doctrines that I have asserted are the precise doctrines of the orthodox Lutheran church. This is not to affirm modern-day Lutheranism, which has gone even further astray than modern Evangelicalism, but it is to affirm those doctrines and teachings preserved in the Lutheran Confessions. Martin Luther did nothing more than bring to light again the true and orthodox teachings of historical, Biblical Christianity which had been buried for centuries by the Roman church and Pope. Luther’s doctrines are indeed the true doctrines of the Word of God. May we, like him, value these precious truths enough to restore them again.

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