Chalk Is Cheese

A new religion has been initiated, which is no more Christianity than chalk is cheese; and this religion, being destitute of moral honesty, palms itself off as the old faith with slight improvements, and on this plea usurps pulpits which were erected for gospel preaching.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote these words in 1887, describing the declining state of ‘Christianity’ in England in his day.  They are very apt today, and more eloquent than I could ever come up with.   For example, a couple of U.S. polls since we are the most polled society in the history of the world and the easiest to find info on, 89% believe in heaven, and almost 75% think they are going there.  Simply contrast that with the well-known statements of Jesus …

Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to lie, and only a few find it.(Matthew 7:13-14)

75% of course, does not qualify as few.  Most of that number say they are Christians(77% of Americans identify themselves that way).  The level of ignorance of the true gospel among professing believers in Jesus Christ is staggering.  More than half of evangelical protestants do not believe Christianity is the only way to heaven among many other disastrous beliefs.

There are a number of false gospels out there.  There is the whole faith healing movement, which overtly speaks of the Bible as something which needs to be added to.  There is the self-help/prosperity gospel, which is involved in extreme twisting of the Bible and often describes itself not as preaching but as ‘life coaching’.  But what I’m going to focus on for the time being here is a couple of other areas that are I think the most dangerous and deceptive.  I think one of the best ways to explain the truth is to contrast it with what is being taught.  I’ll be starting a couple series of posts deconstructing one of the better examples of each of these groups, for the purpose of contrasting it with my understanding of what the Bible teaches.  I also have a bit of a connection with each of these writings, bordering on the tragic. 

The first group are what I call the ‘airbrushers’.  These are those who, while not trying to overtly deny biblical doctrine, simply decide not to talk about or at least not to emphasize those things they view as ‘negative’.   Because of this things like sin, repentance, and hell are rarely discussed, and if they are there is not nearly the emphasis or seriousness about them that you find in the Word of God.  This leads to a grossly defective and out-of-balance gospel, although there is often very strong teaching on the extremely important and valuable matters of God’s grace, mercy, love, patience, peace, etc., or what are falsely called the ‘positive’ character aspects of God(what would a God who was loving but not holy really be worth?  Or a loving God without power?). 

This path is well-typified by The Purpose-Driven Life.  Written in 2002, it is or at least was according to the numbers I checked the highest-selling non-fiction hardcover book in history.  22 million copies.  When God changed my life almost a year and a half ago, the particular assembly I started to worship with began a study on the ’40 Days of Purpose’.  I saw a few problems with it, but not that many.  As I have learned to think more and more biblically, that picture has gotten worse and worse.  Even among ‘fundamental’, ‘bible-believing’ churches, so much of it has been swallowed.  So many churches use the purpose-driven model of ministry.  Nothing wrong with using a good model.  But this one is sadly deficient. 

The second is gaining more and more influence.  This group is known commonly as the ‘Emergent’ or ‘Emerging’ church.  The opinion is generally presented that the church has classically misunderstood the Bible.  It’s not an overt rejection of the Bible, just a statement that it’s really hard to understand what it means on even the most basic matters, and we’ve all missed the boat, so here’s a better explanation.  A lot of symbolism, allegory, this is connected to that, everything represents something else … leaving the ‘literalist’ as a dinosaur who really has just badly misunderstood what the gospel is and what the Bible teaches in general.  There is also a good deal of discussion from this particular brand about making the Bible ‘relevant’ … as though ultimate truth isn’t relevant by it’s very nature inherently. 

By far the most responsible, articulate presentation of this particular thematic brand of teaching is in my opinion Velvet Elvis.  And this one hits even closer to home for me personally.  Last year our class played a tape by the man who wrote Velvet Elvis, and while I did dispute one of his key points I thought nothing more of it.  But lately I’ve been hearing more and more about him.  One of the reasons for that is geographic.  The group he pastors meets, as the crow flies, less than 16 miles from where I live and sit typing this.  Many of the youth in our church have been influenced by the teaching of this gifted, charismatic, insightful, and I truly believe genuine(in the sense of a real passionate belief in what he says) teacher. 

Before I get into any details on what these men teach, I want to make a couple things clear.  This is not personal.  I make no judgement at all on the private lives or character, and if I were in a position to do so I most certainly would not air it publicly.  I have no reason to think they are anything other than extremely decent leaders who most people would look up to and admire.  What I object to is only what they teach.  I expect that I will have more to commend them on than to criticize — this is actually part of the problem of course.  A counterfeit is more effective the more it resembles the truth.  I will also not be criticizing superfluous matters on a regular basis.  That’s not what this blog is about, and secondary issues should not divide us as Christians.  But when it comes to the gospel, we have to be vigilant.  As I strive to do in all things, I base this need on what we are taught in the Word of God.

even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! — Galatians 1:8

He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. — Titus 1:9, referring to qualifications for elders

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him.  Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. — 2 John 10-11

Strong words.  But threats to the gospel require a strong response.  I am well aware that I am simply a layman, while by contrast both of these authors lead congregations in excess of 11,000.  That is an external judgement though, not a biblical one.  I ask this of all who read:  judge what I have said on the basis only of what the Holy Spirit enlightens you on the meaning of the Bible.  Don’t accept it, or reject it, because I have said it.  If I’m wrong, I would be excited and grateful to be shown the error of my thinking, so that I may retract it and correct how I present the gospel to those in the mission field God has granted me. 

The ‘hook’ on the back cover of Velvet Elvis is well worth considering here.  

We have to test everything.  I thank God for anybody anywhere who is pointing people to the mysteries of God.  But those people would all tell you to think long and hard about what they are saying and doing and creating.  Test it.  Probe it.  Do that to this book.  Don’t swallow it uncritically.  Think about it.  Wrestle with it.  Just because I’m a Christian and I’m trying to articulate a Christian worldview doesn’t mean I’ve got it nailed.  I’m contributing to the discussion.  God has spoken, and the rest is commentary, right?

Very well said, espescially the last sentence.  It is in that sense and spirit that I dive into the discussion here.

What is Truth?

Pilate’s immortal question is one which he apparently did not expect an answer to — he immediately left and didn’t wait for Jesus to answer it(John 18:38).  Perhaps he didn’t think there is such a thing, or that it can be known, much as many say today.  But when discussing the gospel, the question is important.  What is truth? 

A foundational question, and for the true Christian the answer is found in the words of God, primarily those in the Bible but also the day-to-day instruction of the Holy Spirit.  I’m not going to spend a lot of time defending this proposition, simply because it’s one of those things you can’t argue someone into.  It’s a matter of fundamental, foundational authority.  One who does not accept the Bible’s authority has no reason to believe what it says about the gospel.  For those of us who do, it is where we find the truth about the gospel.  It is a pointless and fruitless exercise to try to argue someone into believing it intellectually.  This is not to say that it isn’t defensible that way – it certainly is, as is all truth.   It is only that someone depending on their intellectual capacity, not God, cannot discover spiritual truth. 

because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so — Romans 8:7

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. — Luke 24:45

It is only by God opening our minds, removing the natural blinders of thinking which is twisted by sin, that we can even understand spiritual truth. 

It is interesting to look back at the various confessions of faith that various denominations have historically made.  Until recently, over the last few hundred years the Bible is either the first element or comes directly after some basic statements about their being one true God.  This is because everything a Christian knows about their faith has it’s foundation in the Bible.  It is the standard by which everything is tested.  One needs only to superficially peruse the recorded words of Jesus and the constant mention of things like ‘Do you not know’, or ‘Go and learn what this means’, followed by a direct quote of the Bible, to see the validity of this.  Go back to, say, the century directly following the reformation, and you don’t see this in the confessions of faith at all. It is simply assumed as something which does not need to be said, as the writings we find are filled with references to the Bible as the authoritative source. 

By saying that the Bible is our authoritative source of truth, we do not say that everything that is true is in the Bible.  Obviously it does not discuss basic math, but the fact that 2+2=4 is not in the Bible doesn’t mean it isn’t true.  Rather, we mean simply that it is the ultimate authority, God’s instruction to men.  There is nothing we need that is not revealed to us as Christians, either through the Bible or the daily communication with God:

His diving power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape teh corruption in the world caused by evil desires. — 2 Peter 1:3-4

Based then on the words of the Bible, we come to a definition of what it means to be a Christian, which will be adequate as an introduction.  One could study the gospel of Jesus Christ for thousands of thousands of lifetimes and not understand fully it’s truths and implications.  But the broad strokes of it our laid out clearly.  It is important to note that you don’t need to clearly understand all these facts to be a Christian, but the description of evidence of faith in the final paragraph is true of everyone who is a Christian.  If it is not, they are no Christian, regardless of what they may claim. 

The gospel is simply this:

Humankind by nature hates and rejects God’s created purpose for him, choosing what is evil instead of what is right.  Eternal punishment is the just penalty for the most insignificant evil, because God cannot approve of evil, ignore it, or excuse it, and remain holy.  The Son of God, Jesus Christ, came to earth as a man, lived a sinless life and died on the cross to satisfy the demands of a just and holy God for all humans who ever have lived or ever will, and rose from the dead. 

To be saved, to become a Christian, is a supernatural, sovereign act of God in which several things happen.  A person’s sin is completely forgiven:  God declares them not guilty.  A person’s fundamental disposition of life is changed:  instead of loving their evil ways of living and hating God’s instructions, the reverse becomes true.  A person is given, in terms of their position before God in a legal sense, the perfection of Jesus Christ — when God looks at them, they see not their evil nature, but the perfection of Jesus.  As a result, the person’s eternal destiny becomes secure; instead of eternal punishment in hell, eternal celebration and worship with God in heaven is their destination.  A person believes in Jesus Christ, and not anything in themselves, as the source of their salvation.

As far as being able to determine who is a Christian and who is not, the difference is in their life.  The desire to live for God and not for themselves is the evidence that a person has been changed by God’s power.  If this desire is absent, no change has taken place, even though behavior may change superficially for a while.  One who is truly changed will have this desire, and will confess Jesus Christ by their words and their lifestyle. 

Now by itself that’s just an opinion, no better than any other.  Let’s look at it step by step understanding what the Bible says about it. 

** ”Humankind by nature hates and rejects God’s created purpose for him, choosing what is evil instead of what is right.”(Romans 3:10-12, Romans 3:23, Genesis 6:5, Jeremiah 17:9, John 3:19)

** ”Eternal punishment is the just penalty for the most insignificant evil, because God cannot approve of evil, ignore it, or excuse it, and remain holy.”(Romans 6:23, Matthew 25:46, Revelation 20:14)

** ”The Son of God, Jesus Christ, came to earth as a man, lived a sinless life and died on the cross to satisfy the demands of a just and holy God for all humans who ever have lived or ever will, and rose from the dead.”(Titus 2:11, II Corinthians 5:8, John 1:14, John 1:29, Ephesians 1:7, etc.)

** ”To be saved, to become a Christian, is a supernatural, sovereign act of God in which several things happen.”(John 6:65, Matthew 11:27, Ephesians 2:8-9)

** ”A person’s sin is completely forgiven:  God declares them not guilty.”(Genesis 15:6, Luke 18:9-14, Romans 8:29-30)

** ”A person’s fundamental disposition of life is changed:  instead of loving their evil ways of living and hating God’s instructions, the reverse becomes true.”(I John 1:6-7, I John 2:15, John 3:20-21, John 14:15,23)

** ”A person is given, in terms of their position before God in a legal sense, the perfection of Jesus Christ — when God looks at them, they see not their evil nature, but the perfection of Jesus.”(Genesis 15:6, II Corinthians 5:21)

** ”As a result, the person’s eternal destiny becomes secure; instead of eternal punishment in hell, eternal celebration and worship with God in heaven is their destination.”(John 14:2-3, Matthew 25:46, Romans 8:18, Revelation 21:27)

** ”A person believes in Jesus Christ, and not anything in themselves, as the source of their salvation.”(Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, etc.)

Why Am I Here?

I don’t mean that in the grand, metaphysical or philosophical sense.  This is more of an introduction, in the mundane everyday sense of the question.  Who I am, what GospelWatch is about, and why I’ve decided to do this. 

I’m a slave of Jesus Christ by the mercy of God, first and foremost.  I’m 32, a bachelor making my home in Grand Rapids, MI, USA.  My vocation is delivering pizzas(Pizza Hut).    The short version of where I’m headed personally is that a year ago last July, God had mercy on me and gave me his precious gift of forgiveness, grace, and salvation, which has been followed by an increasing passion for sharing that love with others, in a myriad of different ways.  I am blessed with so many great friends, and also a great family — this is me with my niece Eliya this past Thanksgiving:

My greatest concern, passion, burden, etc. is that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been horribly distorted.  The power of a religious lie is incredible.  By the grace of God alone, my aim is to be a voice pointing back to the truth of what God has said, as I understand it.  I am blessed with many, many opportunities to do that in my personal life, and would like to continue it here.  There are so many voices naming the name of Christ these days.  For example, as one from a decidedly different perspective, Fred Clark:  http://slacktivist.typepad.com/

There are many important issues facing Christians today, but for the most part GospelWatch is not about them.   The role of women in the church, baptismal issues, politics, end times, etc. — these secondary issues I will not spend much time on, if any.  All truth is important, but my energy here will be devoted to defending/explaining the gospel, because it is under incredible attack and distortion.  Anyone with honest questions about any issue is welcome to participate in the dialogue, and espescially those who  name Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  My own exciting, ongoing spiritual journey may also play a minor role. 

You will not find personal attacks here.  My concerns with much of what calls itself Christianity is with what they teach.  Their souls are in God’s hands, as is mine.  I make no judgement on anyone’s spirituality or salvation.  Millions are following a road that I think God has clearly said leads to destruction, and clarification of that message is my only concern here. 

I look forward to the journey, and pray that God will be glorified by the effort to contend for his timeless truth.