(Disclaimer: If we disagree, we must do so well. We must not be ugly about it. My confidence is in Christ and Scripture and that is where I stand. I hope my spirit is communicated as one of only concern and grief for what I see, not anger or judgement. My desire is for Christ to be glorified and the Gospel to go forth.)
Here's the scene: these uneducated but spirit filled men were were simply living in light of all that they had seen and heard from Jesus. It wasn't long ago He was crucified, buried, and rose again, appearing to them all and then ascended before their eyes. It was then He told them about this very power - His power that they would receive. He said "You will be my witnesses" and that is what they are doing. Now they because of that witness they find themselves being threatened and commanded not to speak these things anymore. They know the penalty for disobedience here. We know the rest of the story. All of these men will die badly. This scene will repeat over and over for these followers of Christ. But here in Acts chapter 4 this saga begins. The command to be silent about the truth of the Gospel and their response: "we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."
_________________________________________________
The issue was the Gospel. The truth of who Jesus is. This was always the issue and it remains the issue today. The book of Acts for example is a transitional book and you can watch the progress of the church as it grows and expands. As churches are established, leadership is set in place, servants are given, missionaries are sent, and all the while there is an ongoing effort to preserve and maintain the focus of the church - the Gospel. As God opens the door of the Gospel, the church meets to confirm that the message of the Gospel isn't lost in tradition and the rites of religion and effort. Those who were the poster boys for religious piety of the day like Peter and James, and even that once Hebrew of Hebrew, now the champion for salvation through faith alone, the Apostle Paul give their life to ensure this message is preached everywhere.
Then the epistles are given to strengthen and establish this very message in the practice and doctrine of the church. It is the theme of every book and every verse. Every application is threaded with the Gospel. It is the sum total of scripture. Jesus told the Pharisees who lived and died by the letter of the law, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life, and it is they (the Scriptures) that bear witness about me" (Jhn. 5:39). He is the theme of the Bible. His work is the message of the Bible. From the beginning in Genesis we see our creator God revealing Himself as the source of all things, including our hope. In Genesis 3:15, this Gospel is preached for the first time as the hope for the already fallen man. It's not a Plan B but determined by the foreknowledge of God, our lamb slain before the foundation of the world, our acceptable sacrifice for sin. He is the hope of every man. He is the only hope for this world. If we miss this message and this truth, we have missed God and the point of everything. We've missed the Biblical Jesus and all that God has for us in Him.
That is what is at stake.
_________________________________________________
The Fallout & The Falling Away Today
Imagine with me that tonight I come home to find my family gathered together on the couch watching Andy Griffith together on the couch. As I walk in, I am the only one who notices a rattlesnake crawling out of the window above their heads, coming right towards them. Now imagine that I walk right by them, sit in the chair next to them and begin watching the show and never say a word about the deadly viper in their midst.
What would you say about me? Would you say I was a coward? Would you say I was heartless? What if my excuse to you was I didn't want to offend the snake? What if I said, it wasn't my place to tell them about the snake? What if I said they have eyes, they should have seen the snake? What if I said that maybe this snake was in fact a nice kind of rattlesnake? The truth is, none of these excuses are sufficient for me not to warn my family. There is nothing worth the risk of my loved ones being in harms way when their life is on the line.
Scripture views the matters of eternity and matters of the Gospel in the same light. Paul writes to the Elders in Ephesus in Acts 20: "Guard yourselves and the flock...I know that savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock." Christ loves His church and gave Himself for her and as our Good Shepherd He lays down His life to protect her. He commissions us to do the same.
Identify The Dangers: A Biblical Command
Over and over again in scripture we (all believers, as well as overseers) to identify and call out those who by teaching anything other than the truth of Scripture, oppose God. By the way, that is what going against the Gospel and scripture is - opposition of God. Anyone who calls themselves a "Teacher" or "Preacher" (or any variation or title) and relays a message that is contrary to the full council of what God has said in His word regarding Christ and His Gospel, is a False Teacher. We are commanded to expose them.
- "I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive." Rom. 16:17-18
- "As we have said before, so now I say again: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed." Gal. 1:9
- "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching (the teaching of the Gospel of Christ), do not receive Him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works." 2 Jhn. 1:10-11
In the last several years God has broken my heart over my own subtle disobedience to His word in my devotion and ministry in it. If the message of all scripture is Christ and His Gospel there have been so many times that I have missed Him in my preaching. This understanding of the Gospel and message of Christ being my only hope, and the only hope for the world motivates all preaching and ministry. This conviction began to burn in my soul. I began to despise my own failure to connect the dots in my sermons back to Christ and the Gospel. If I preached a message and never came to the hope of Jesus I knew I had not preached a Bible message. That reality was crushing me.
Every sermon is a Gospel sermon, no matter the subject. Marriage is a Gospel subject. Parenting is a Gospel subject. Tithing is a Gospel subject. Work ethic is a Gospel subject. When we understand the Gospel everything else changes. As Christians we are to view everything through the lens of the Gospel.
It became this Isaiah chapter 6 moment for me. "I am undone, I am a man of unclean lips..." I saw it in me. I knew I had missed it. "...and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips..." Then I began to see it around me. This was harder than I thought.
Confronting My Demons & My New Enemy
The most glaring error was flooding my timeline every day in the form of clips from prominent "pastors" and posts with "motivational quotes" that were just not biblical. These were from friends - brothers and sisters! This was killing me! People who grew up in church, who I felt like knew scripture and should know better!
It was in the form of the Word of Faith and Prosperity Gospel movement. Prosperity Gospel is probably better known in most circles because of names like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen, Paula White (who by the way is the reason I've finally decided to no longer remain silent about these things) among many others.
Word of Faith and Prosperity Gospel teaches (in short) that health and wealth are divine rights of all believers. These rights are procreated by faith - the more faith you have and exhibit, the more of these benefits you will receive. The "gospel" aspect for them is that all of this is what Jesus purchased for you on the cross along with the forgiveness of sins. So the more you give, and the more faith you have, the more God will bless you.
Along with the more obvious poster-children for the movement who make no bones about their desire for wealth and health, the movement has some other figures who have a more subtle approach. This is where my fear and anxiety for my brethren really took hold. There are many but among them are two that dominate: Bill Johnson from Bethel Church, Steven Furtick from Elevation Church (I will get to him in a minute).
I want to start will Bill Johnson from Bethel as an example. The clues here are more subtle, but the perversions are the same. These men are unapologetic in their association with the Father's of the Prosperity Gospel movement like Kenneth Copeland and others and their teachings aren't far off if we just pay attention.
They are all part of what they call the New Apostolic Reformation or NAR. Some of their shared beliefs and teachings include things like:
- Man is a little "god" or as much as Jesus
- Jesus put off His deity to become a human
- God is not sovereign
- God cannot act without our power and authority
- Christ's death was the promise for all physical healing
- Jesus had to be born again at the resurrection
(I should note that their teaching also states that any such calling out of false teachers that involves naming them as false would be calling damnation down on myself. For the record, if I am proved to be wrong in this by the authority of God's word, I will repent. I am quite capable of being wrong, and will repent if found to be.)
We could go on and on. These heresies seep into everything they do. They even have a school, the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry where they teach students the art of this type of ministry. Their type of ministry, focused on signs and wonders and teaching that clearly and consistently contradicts the word of God, is taught to students to replicate it. There have been those who God has been gracious to bring to awaken even in all this confusion. I recommend the podcast Cultish and their episodes Defecting From Bethel about former student, Lindsay Davis. God used the documentary The American Gospel to open her eyes to the truth about the false teachers and teaching that was there.
This idea that there is something beyond the Gospel - something more, is at the core of this teaching. In the case of the NAR, this is at the heart of all of their teaching and practice. They cloak it in spirituality and call it an anointing or perhaps a filling. In this spirituality they will devalue the authority of Scripture. This is necessary for them because God has placed all authority here, and given us clear instruction to follow His word. It is the power of God unto Salvation. Here is an example of how it sounds from Bill Johnson:
"It's difficult to expect the same fruit of the early church when we value a book they didn't have more than the Holy Spirit they did have. It's not Father, Son and Holy Bible." - Bill Johnson
The Spirit indwells us to give us understanding in the word and reveal who God is and what He has said. It's here that we have life and being. It changes us and shapes us. It is power and life. It is here that we come to know and believe. The Holy Spirit confirms truth and transforms us by this truth. He comforts us by the word and brings to remembrance all that Jesus has said. He seals us and is making us into the image of Christ, and is doing this by the work of God and by the word of God.
There is no substitution for this truth. It is this kind of false teaching we are command to be on guard for. It breaks my heart when I hear it. Bethel's music ministry has reached the ends of the earth and is sung in churches all over the world. There was a time that I sung many of their songs. When I discovered who Bethel was I determined I would not sing their music. It wasn't a matter of fellowship or even difference in theology, although those differences are massive. It's a matter of the Gospel. It's not the same. Jesus' death was not about my physical healing and financial prosperity. Brothers and Sisters, its the Gospel that is at stake.
My timeline is, to this day filled with those clips and images. I still remember the one that I saw that started my internal warfare. It was clip that many people on my timeline were sharing in which the mega-church pastor declared that there was "one thing God could not do". What was the one thing God could not do? According to Pastor Steven Furtick, God cannot overcome your unbelief.
The very thing that God must do (draw people to Himself by His Spirit, revealing Himself as savior and Lord) for anyone to be saved, God cannot do that. People were sharing that bad-boy like crazy. You just have to have faith and God will send you that blessing and turn it all around. Every week it seems there's a new clip from the pulpit of Elevation Church that has taken the theme of scripture and made it about us. That is the consistent message from Furtick - literally. In a recent video Pastor Furtick said, quote: "it's not how God sees me, but how I think God sees me that determines where I end up."
This is not only asinine theology that perverts all theology, but it has in effect robbed the Gospel of the Gospel. This is what is at stake. If it is about us and not about Jesus, there is no Gospel message. Does the Gospel offer us a message that includes us? YES! Is that great news? YES! Does the Gospel now change our destiny, offering us hope and promise? YES! But does that destiny guarantee that our lives will contain no suffering, loss, pain, trauma, disease, discomfort, cost, sacrifice, or death? NO! But we are confident, that in all these things that "nothing will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus." THAT IS THE GOSPEL! Brothers and Sisters, this is what is at stake.
But I was also confronted by my own ingrained struggles. As a matter of fact, there was a whole other side to my timeline. It was the exact opposite of the WOF and NAR crowd. I doubt anyone has read this far in the blog, but if any of them have, they've applauded my calling out of these heretics, stopped to check what version of scripture I quoted, and probably stopped reading.
For years I struggled with following Christ and serving Him in my own strength, much out of obligation. I loved Him, but I in truth I was ignorant to the things of God. I knew much of religious piety and order. I knew how I should operate within the fundamentals of Baptist doctrine and the things I should and should not do. Fact is, I could do all of those things pretty well. In those circles, if you did those things, checked those boxes, and lined up sharply, you were set. If you strayed you were in danger of being included in a blog somewhere like this, or worse.
My posture today is always one of seeking, and hopefully of humility because of where I have been. I am emboldened by what I see and of what I am convinced is of the utmost importance. But I remember a time in my life that I would have fought anyone that said I was not a Bible man. But I look back at the content of what I preached, and the message of what I preached, and I missed it.
It wasn't just that I failed to connect the dots and mention the Gospel. It wasn't just that I didn't draw every text back to Jesus. That is the aim - to find His shadow in every passage and point to Him. But it what was I preached. I preached a Gospel that was dependent on what we did. It didn't say that outright but that was the message. I would never preach a salvation by works message but that is what I preached. That is what my Gospel was.
In many ways that's what I hear from so many that I love dearly. They will deny it but it's the same. It's our ability to clean ourselves up and how well we live this Christian life. In reality, it was the same song all these other false teachers were singing, it was just being played by a Southern Gospel band - you know, the kind Jesus likes.
Then there was the content of the sermons themselves. We harp on the sufficiency of the word - Breathed out by God, profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, training in righteousness, so that we might be complete, equipped for every good work - but then we would use it like a baseball bat instead of a sword. A bat is useful if the goal is to beat someone into submission with tradition and orthodoxy. But a sword will cut to the heart and take away what doesn't belong, allowing God to shape what needs to be remade.
Men find a title and then a text that fits, flipping through hoping something will pop up. I hear scripture used like a topical ointment to fill in the gaps of discourse for gripes and complaints about church issues and political complaints. I hear sermon after sermon that is nothing more than stories and illustrations that have been told and retold, filler meant to stir emotions and generate response. I hear pastors jump from text to text, Sunday after Sunday like sermon roulette, never exposing what's there, just utilizing the verses to fit their agenda. God has given us His word to breath life into His people. Yet in so many places people are starving and have no knowledge of truth. Is it any wonder they are so easily pulled away and believe the lies of the enemy? Is it any wonder they are so easily entertained by nonsense and whims of empty religious performance?
We need to be reminded, the "other Gospel" Paul was talking about in Galatians was the same kind of foolishness that is placed on the necks of people week after week in many places. That "yoke of slavery" he told them not submit to again, was their religious efforts. I know men who will preach an entire message on the translation of their Bible and have no idea where it came from, condemning versions that were translated using older documents (from original authors, closer to the original dates or authorship), and that have more supporting documents for translation, but never speak about the truth contained within the verses in their own Bible. Have we not missed the point? Is this the battlefield we wish to die on, brothers? I know men who can read things into the verses that God never intended to be their to fit their agendas and prove their point to a congregation. They will do this to call men to salvation, shredding the context and the warn those that add or take away from the book. Woe be unto all of us that preach not the Gospel!
Its the Gospel that is at stake. This is what we need. Verse by verse, day by day, week after week. We need to seek Christ and we need to remind ourselves of the Gospel. To be reminded of what He has done for us, and what it means to be in Him. Brothers and Sisters, we must contend for the Gospel's sake.
Why Break The Silence? Why Now?
When it comes to matters of faith, I believe that if you are a believer you are to be a witness. You've heard the old quote used "Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words", well that's hogwash. Christians preach the Gospel at all times and always use words. Matters such as these (false teachers, politics, snakes, etc.) I am generally content to keep to either myself, or to those I keep in close friendships. But for me this came down to a few things.
1. My wife wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote about these things.
For months she has been telling me to get some of these things off my chest, and perhaps be a help to others. I love her and I am totally aware of the fact that she is smarter than me.
2. I have a genuine burden and grief in my soul.
I have been affected and grieved by my own deception and by that of others. I have wasted so much time in my life being distracted and deceived by lies and the wrong things.
3. I see a Biblical responsibility to do something.
I don't have much of a platform, but if a brother or sister with a great platform or influence is somehow affected by a false teacher, I should say something, even if it's just to warn those in my circle of influence. I believe we should avoid them when we can, but there comes a time to do something.
4. I am a debtor to Christ and the Gospel.
This is the most important reason, and the motivation behind everything I do.
_________________________________________________
The Gospel is at stake. I am nobody, but I have an obligation to the Gospel and to my brothers and sisters who God has given me in my life. So to you, I want to call out those who would seek to deceive you and pervert the Gospel so that you aren't led astray. So I will use this puny platform that I have to do that.
Again, it is my conclusion that what matters above all else is the Gospel. That has been the opinion and shared consensus of every major Evangelical for centuries. This is what makes us Evangelicals - those who hold to the teachings of Christianity. This term can be loosely defined in our culture, but there are some names who stand out as uniquely Christian. Unfortunately, its nothing new to see names of great men be swept up in association with ill-repute or even the crazy. While I am no great man, I know what it means to fall. Again, another argument for the power and importance of the Gospel message.
But the slide that we have seen in the last several years has been one that troubles me for other reasons. Its tragic to see a brother walk away from the faith or to fall into sin. There is something that leaves us void when a minister battling depression takes their own life leaving a family and congregation behind. These are hard things to fathom and understand. But what are we to do with what we are seeing in recent days?
Here is the headline that broke my silence:
"LEADING EVANGELICALS ENDORSE
PROSPERITY PREACHER PAULA WHITE'S NEW BOOK"
In case you don't know who Paula White is, you should read the post from the Gospel Coalition entitled "9 Things You Should Know About Paula White." I first discovered Paula White while battling insomnia about 3 am and channel surfing. I ran across her broadcast on BET. I stopped just as she said "You are watching and you are searching for something." I thought to myself, "Indeed, something to watch." She proceeded to tell me and whoever else was watching that by sowing my seed of faith that God would reveal what it was I was searching for. I found it for free three channels up. American Gladiator reruns. It was awesome.
Paula White is one of the many Prosperity Preachers found on the channels of American Religious television. She's been at this for many years and has become very popular in last several years since delivering the invocation at President Trumps inauguration and claims to be the "convener and de facto head" of the Presidents Evangelical Advisory Board.
She has made a name for herself in the religious community over the years establishing churches and ministries, partnering with the some of the biggest names in the Word of Faith and Prosperity Gospel Movement. Adhering to the common teachings of biblical heresy such as the death of Christ for health and financial gain, the deity of man, the forfeit of the deity of Christ, and on numerous occasions she has taught and affirmed her belief that Jesus is not the only begotten Son of God, but that He is only the first.
Why does any of this matter to me? Why should it matter to you? Again, the issue for me (and should be for any believer) is that when a brother or sister is in danger of being deceived, we ought to be concerned enough to warn them. If that brother or sister has the ear and attention of the nation, we ought to all be concerned.
So who were these Evangelicals who endorsed Paula White's new book?
(Quick Definition Break:)
- Evangelical: From the word Gospel, to be of Christ or Christian
- Endorse: declare ones public approval or support of
- Heresy: belief contrary to Christian doctrine or truth
Jack Graham, Pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano Texas
Prestonwood has around 17,000 members in attendance on Sundays under Pastor Graham's teaching. Pastor Graham also has a thriving television, radio, and internet ministry through PowerPoint Ministries. The church also has an enormous reach through their incredible music ministry to choirs across the country.
Robert Jeffress, Pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas Texas
First Baptist Dallas has around 14,000 members and pastor Jeffress also has television and radio ministries, as well as teaches as Dallas Theological Seminary.
Jerry Falwell, Jr., President of Liberty University
Everyone by now knows good Ol' Jerry. He is vocal in his support of everything he supports. This isn't his first time in the spotlight.
Franklin Graham, Head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
and Samaritans Purse
My heart stopped as I read the names and considered what this meant . I did what many probably did. I tried to rationalize why they might do it. But there is no rational explanation for this when the Gospel is what is at stake. An endorsement of someone who teaches something so opposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not an option.
It is the Gospel that is at stake. We are called to oppose darkness and to fight back the darkness. We do not do that with violence or hatred. We do not tear down or brothers or even our opponents. We correct and we show truth. We loving reprove and endorse what is right. We stand firmly on what God has said and resist what is false.
When God grants a platform and realm of influence to an individual, such as he has these men, it cannot be taken lightly. These men have stood for the Gospel and identified themselves faithfully with the Gospel. They have done work for the Kingdom of Christ and rescued souls for the glory of God. They have stood week after week preaching this very message that Christ came into the world to seek and to save that which is lost. That we are saved by faith alone, through grace alone, by Christ alone, and that this is done the preaching of scripture alone for the glory of God alone.
But in a single moment, in one endorsement they have approved something that testifies to something else all together. It will forever be tied to this book, this false teacher, her ministry, her teachings, and to the false Gospel she proclaims. What do we do with this? We denounce it. I am not saying we denounce our brotherhood of believers. We pray for them and for the work of the Gospel. More than ever we pray that God will guard the work of these shepherds and most importantly the true Gospel. The enemy would love to sift and work against the Gospel in this way.
But for me, I cannot be silent. I will not be silent. It is the Gospel that is at stake. It is souls that are at stake. The Gospel cannot be sacrificed on the alter of politics or popularity. To my friends who find some sort of nourishment in the self motivation of false teachers: Turn to the Gospel. It is the answer. No you can't help yourself. You are not enough. But Jesus is. You may never be healed, but Jesus is better. You may never be rich, but Jesus is better.
To my friends struggling to be good enough and battling the your religious insufficiency, stop! Jesus is better! Believe the Gospel! Your traditions will not sustain you. Your fundamentalism will choke you. It's the Gospel. I don't care how many times you take the devil to the time and the place, you need the Gospel today! He is enough! He will change you and sustain you. He is better than your religion.
As for my politics, its none of your business who I support. As a Christian, I believe in the sanctity of marriage and of life, all life. Even my enemies. I also have a hard time finding any pride in a person of vulgarity. I get sick to my stomach over hate and bigotry. I understand the position Christians find themselves in: the lesser of two evils. When given the choice of two evils, I choose neither. My allegiance is to Christ and His Gospel. That is what is at stake. That is what matters. That is why my heart aches over what I see happening and why we must all make a choice somewhere. The Gospel matters.
May God guard our hearts, and make the Gospel great in our hearts again. In short, Brothers and Sisters, I don't care who recommends this book, I plead with you don't buy it. Read your Bible, learn of Christ.
"Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, but we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."
Acts 4:19-20
****UPDATE***
Two Points Of Update:
Franklin Graham has since deleted his tweet endorsing Paula White's book. There were many, many people praying and asking for this and I am sure the Holy Spirit did much of that work as well.
Also, I failed to mention the initial endorsement the heretics book from Pastor and Author Greg Laurie from Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California. He has also since removed his tweet endorsing the book.
Comments
Post a Comment