Media Sphere Promotes Another False Jesus

One of Proclaim 16’s “premiere supporters” has plans to release a new movie in the springtime. The story line depicts a “young messiah named Jesus” coming into his own, so to speak, performing miracles.

The Young Messiah (link)

“Discover the Savior when He was a child.”

When the mystery of Jesus’s divinity begins to unfold in His early years, He turns to His parents for answers. But Mary and Joseph, in an effort to protect their child, are afraid to reveal all they know. How do you explain the ways of the world to its Creator? How do you teach the Teacher? How do you help the Savior who came to save you?

The trailer begins with “Mary” speaking, “Listen well, for I am only going to tell the story once.” We see her sitting under a tree with a young boy, as she continues. “One morning my room filled with light and it spoke to me. It said from my womb would come a son, you, named ‘Jesus'”.

But is that the true context of the conversation according to the bible? Was Mary hearing only from a light that filled her room?

Luke 1:26And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Mary was talking to an angel, not to “it”, a light. So from the beginning the movie is playing down the important details of scripture. Jesus is the Son of God, born of a virgin, Mary who would conceive by the “overshadowing” of the Holy Spirit. A miracle in itself!

For with God nothing shall be impossible!

The truth is we don’t know much regarding the childhood of Jesus. The first time He comes on the scene after His birth and the mention of his circumcision, is told in Luke 2 when His parents, Joseph and Mary, lost track of him.

41Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. 42And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. 43And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. 44But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. 45And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 46And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? 50And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 51And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

In verse 50 it said they didn’t understand. Jesus knew things they did not, could not because it had not yet been revealed! Referring back to the quote questioning how they would explain…I don’t believe for a moment that they had to explain anything to Jesus. After all, He came to earth as a man, but He was still God. While I understand the concept is hard to grasp from a human mindset, we are called to believe. God will give us understanding. And on that note, it is apparent the writer does not know about the God he is supposedly revealing to the world. From the onset of the movie he denies the a great miracle, the one of the virgin birth of Christ and how it came to be!

We are living in a time where false signs and miracles are being sought after more and more. And we know the time is coming with the Antichrist will operate through them in ways we have not yet seen. They will be so astonishing that many will be blinded to the truth. I am added this blurb because we need to understand the difference between a wow factor and a real miracle. Jesus came moving in signs and wonders, performing miracles because He is God. For this movie to downplay the importance of the timing of His miracles and His ministry, and to imply they were happening during a time they were not is to deny who Christ truly is and why He came. We all know that God does things in His time and for His reasons. Jesus did not operate in miracles until His time. And it was during His first miracle, the wedding at Cana in John 2 when He reminded His mother of that very thing – the importance of timing!

Since at this point we only have a movie trailer and not a full movie to review, I found a link here  which details the movie story line.  The author does a very good job… contradicting himself. I have to say it is a very well written and emotional description of what is nothing more than a very dangerous practice – filling in where the bible is silent. I believe that our Lord in all of His wisdom had a reason for His silence. To speak in an area that He did not is another step into Gnosticism, or the need to understand things that we have no real way of knowing.

I’ll pull quotes. 🙂

Biopic of Jesus as a child becoming aware of his identity as the Son of God.

I saw an early screening of The Young Messiah that is set to release in March.
Written by Betsy and Cyrus Nowrasteh, and directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh.

I’m the guy who wrote the critique of the Noah script by Aronofsky that went viral and exposed its anti-Biblical agenda. I’m not a fundamentalist, but I represent and understand a significant huge proportion of the contemporary Christian viewing public who are totally okay with creative license when it comes to Bible movies, AS LONG AS YOU DON’T SUBVERT THE ORIGINAL MESSAGE. That’s what Noah did, and that’s what Exodus did. They subverted the Biblical narrative with their own paganism and atheism. And that is why they failed in terms of audience potential (along with just being plainly bad movies). Biblical fidelity is not about petty details, but about the meaning.

Remember his words – AS LONG AS YOU DON’T SUBVERT THE ORIGINAL MESSAGE

I looked up the word subvert just for kicks. It means to undermine power and authority of an established system. Oh.

I am here to say that the new film coming out in March, The Young Messiah, is NOT one of those films. The Young Messiah is a great movie, well told, and very faithful to the spirit of the Gospel of what it may have been like for the young seven-year old Jesus to come of age as the Son of God.

What it may have been like…may have been like…

It is adapted from Anne Rice’s Catholic novel, Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt

If you aren’t aware Anne Rice was once famous for her vampire novels, then supposedly came to Christ and wrote a book on his younger years. So, where did she get her ideas from?

Remember, we aren’t subverting…

And while there are obviously some fictional miracle scenes, they are entirely within the parameters of possibility and don’t contradict Scripture. This is doctrinally safe imagination.

Fictional miracle scenes, fictional, meaning untrue..

Exactly what is doctrinally safe imagination?

Its’ subverting.

You see why I am shaking my head. I will let you read the rest of the article on your own.

Revelation 22:18 For I testify to every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add to these things, God shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book: 19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

I know many people believe that scripture applies to the book of Revelation only. But consider that Jesus Christ is referred to as the Word in John 1, how can we agree it doctrinally safe to proclaim events not written about Him?

No. I am not ok with this movie. It is not an avenue to gain biblical understanding even though there is some truth to it. But, without that mixture the lie wouldn’t be palatable.

Pray for the wisdom of others.

 

a way that seems right

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Even in laughter the heart may sorrow and the end of mirth may be grief. Proverbs 14:12-13

Ken Silva at Apprising Ministries brought his article to my attention several days ago because of the attention it gathered on facebook, trafficked to his blog and the opportunity it brings for us to proclaim the truth.

I took some time to go through it to consider his words and read the additional information linked throughout. Ken is bringing some important connections to the attention of all who will listen as we see the emergents coming out as, and endorsing the gay lifestyle and some admitting to universalism. (Some admit, some do not, but the truth is in their words.)

I have to say what struck me the hardest is the video of Randy Roberts Potts at the end of the article. He was hard to listen to at first, a little sheepish, unsure, and a little mocking. But I held in there and soon that off-putting sense turned to compassion. Here we see a man, once a little boy, under the heavy handed, drivenness of his grandfather, Oral Roberts. A boy who questioned and found his answer the day he opened the bible and applied truth to the first scripture he came to. Had someone told this 12 year old boy the importance of context and the danger of personalizing scripture maybe he would have arrived at a different conclusion regarding the calling of God upon his grandfather.

From personal experience I can understand how false teaching can affect us the rest of our lives, especially when it is done at a young age. False doctrine leads to various forms of sin and causes many to turn from the true faith. At the same time, many things that feel right to us are not, and separate us from the one true relationship we do need with Christ. As Christians we are called out of sin, out of the desire to go against the things God has commanded us to avoid. He is a God of love and that great love is what brought Him to the earth as a man and to die on the cross. But His love will not excuse our indulgence of the flesh.

1 Corinthians 9-11 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you . But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Let’s remember to pray for Randy and his family – wife and children- he has set aside for his gay lifestyle. Let’s pray that Randy comes to know the real Jesus, not the one who was packaged and sold in the great bible belt of America.

From Apprising Ministries  – Randy Roberts Potts and the Gay Son of Oral Roberts (the article)

Camping’s False Prophecy Results in Slaughter of Many

I found the following regarding Harold Camping on Tricia Tillan-Booth’s site. It is quite disturbing.

NOTE: This slaughter is confirmed by reports from International Christian Concern (‘persecution.org’) and other sources. Harold Camping’s false prophecy from earlier this year caused hundreds of Hmong people to be slaughtered. Below is a new report from Jacob Prasch in the actual region describing how it happened:

FALSE PROPHECY Causes HUNDREDS KILLED
-by Jacob Prasch.

As most of you are aware I am at this moment in North Vietnam helping the much persecuted Hmong people of the tribal mountain areas.

After listening to a translation of Camping’s prediction 7,000 of these people (known in The West as Montagnards) gathered on a mountain praising God – their suffering at the hands of the Communist regime was supposedly about to end because Jesus was returning that day in May to establish a new kingdom.

The police and military police slaughtered many of them at gunpoint beheading two pastors. Others were arrested. I am told by Hmong pastors that so many were shot dead that they were buried in mass graves bulldozed over in an episode that I read about in Britain but did not understand the magnitude of until I got here. I am now trying to clean up the mess at the request of local Hmong leaders.

I spoke to a secret convocation of Hmong pastors only yesterday who came to Hanoi, explaining to them about false prophets and false teachers.

Due to a combination of poverty, ignorance, and persecution these poor Christians don’t understand much so they believed Camping’s shortwave broadcast which is how most get their teaching in a certain village area with heavy persecution. Their families don’t know if their missing loved ones are among the many shot dead, among those arrested and imprisoned, or among those from the 7,000 hiding in the jungle.

I am not the nicest guy in the world let alone the best Christian and I can’t pretend to be. But anyone who had to deal with the confusion and devastation I am dealing with now due to Harold Camping would also blow their top. These people already suffering for their faith in Jesus had it bad enough. They are not like the undiscerning whackos in The West who should have known Camping was a crackpot and a proven false prophet & false teacher.
This is a persecuted church who just had no means to know any different. This is why I get angry at those who deceive the Body of Christ and why I warn so much about false teachers and false prophets. It may be an extreme case but these people, some of them children, were shot dead. Of course we can blame Satan and the communists but their blood is on the hands of Harold Camping and his Family radio. Women without husbands, children without parents, husbands without wives – thank you Family Radio; thank you Harold Camping.

Frankly, this has been a rough week for me. One of the worst I ever had. I am up to my eyeballs in muck trying to explain to tribal pastors how to explain to their people why their families were massacred needlessly and trying to advise them how to potect their flocks from such wolves in the future…

The anguish of the Hmong folk took my concentration off of my own problems… because their problems are so much greater after what they refer to as ‘the mountain massacre’ due to Harold Camping.

Please pray for these people and the work of Moriel Asia branch here among the Hmong. We are trying to get 5,000 outlawed Hmong Bibles printed or smuggled in via Laos.

Where does it end?  These people are suffering terribly while Camping is still in business in Oakland, California – as usual telling more lies…  Come Lord Jesus.

• Source: http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/
• Jacob’s website: http://www.moriel.org/

Clean Up Time

This article, written by Agony of Victory, helped me gain more perspective on my own bad attitude, which the bible refers to as “indulgences of the flesh”. Oftentimes we can become comfortable with the anger and sense of rejection and before we realize it, those emotions become who we are. That is the place where our freedom in Christ is lost, rendering us ineffective to the purpose of the gospel, the result of sin.

In Christ we are free, having been delivered from the sinful nature, delivered from that dark place kept by false doctrine and restored to rightful thinking in Him. It is only through the power of God this becomes possible as once again we see a great miracle through the grace and love of the Father in doing which we do not deserve.

We should rejoice every time we are offered the opportunity to expose that same dark place to others, praying that the Lord would grant them the same freedom, knowing well in advance to do so may come at our own painful and personal cost.  We should pray that we would be willing to sacrifice what we believe we have rights to, for the gain of the cross.

This great writing drove me to tears unto repentance, or as she put it, “clean up time”. See what you think.

I spilled coffee on the little rug in my sanctuary. A splotch of brown on ivory, right at my feet. The room is tiny and cramped, meant for prayer and Bible reading. Every day, I wrinkled my nose at the spot. I envisioned removing everything from the room, a serious chore, and turning the rug so that the spot would be hidden on the far outer edge.

In the basement, I found some Dollar Store carpet cleaner, probably 10 years old. It won’t work on a coffee stain, I thought. I should have tackled it right away, but I didn’t notice it, till the spill dried. And there it stayed.

A strawberry-rhubarb pie ran over in the oven making a gooey mess. I used a metal spatula to get the worst of it, before it hardened to glue. Days went by. “Don’t use the oven!” I told my husband.

Two weeks ago, I finally found some chat time with a friend from my old church—the one I left because I could not support their charismatic doctrines, because the cross was obscured. She said I’d be back, and I said I would not. Not while this person and that were there. I carried a grievance born of rejection. That’s silly when it is the Lord Himself who calls you out. But it’s human.

The conversation, and yet another with two Charismatic friends–one still thinks it would be grand to go to Toronto—rekindled the eye-rolling impatience I have with this movement’s frivolity. And, I came to see, that it also stirred up the hurt inside and brought the stain of bitterness to the surface.

You cannot suppress deep-seated emotions. They pop up in many ways. For me, it is in irritations at the smallest things (the coffee pot water ran all over the counter this morning) and in anger.

Today, I finally got down on my knees and took a Brillo pad to the oven. It cleaned up before the breakfast bacon finished cooking.

I took the Dollar Store carpet cleaner to the loft and soaked the coffee stain. With a few swipes of a wet rag, it vanished.

In the midst of wiping it away, Wisdom brought Truth into focus.

Our Bible study last night focused on Galatians 5 and verses 13-15: You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

Pausing before the Lord, I said: I don’t want this anger. I choose obedience. I am rejected, but so were You. I am misunderstood and ridiculed, thought misguided. Far worse was said and done to You.

Our Bible study teacher shared of being reviled by church brothers—his reputation shredded. The Lord told him: Don’t fight the nails.

I sat here thinking: I’m still fighting the nails, stewed in pride, tempted to anger.

How I wish my stains could vanish as quickly as that coffee spill. Then I realized: submitted to the Lord, they do.

Sorry Rob, God Wins.

Ken Silva at Apprising Ministries has spent a good amount of time exposing the goings on behind the growth of the Emergent Church, namely, Rob Bell, founding pastor of Mars Hill Church in Grand Rapids, MI.  Ken was one of my sources when I first started to read up on Richard Foster.

On his site is some very important information and videos revealing the true “faith” of Rob Bell as expressed in his new book, Love Wins. I know these vids are practically viral, but it is an important point to make.

Here’s one –

A few years ago, while my husband and I were still attending the local Vineyard church, Bell’s video series “Nooma“ was quite hot. We were urged to join the group the next time around because it was so good. And, ‘OH, M’Kayla, you are in leadership…’.

Nooma, is what I can only describe as the dumbed down word for what should be “Pnuema”.

Greek Lexicon

Pneuma-

The third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son

1. sometimes referred to in a way which emphasizes his personality and character (the \Holy\ Spirit)

2. sometimes referred to in a way which emphasizes his work and power (the Spirit of \Truth\)

3. never referred to as a depersonalised force

That name “Nooma” all by itself should have sent out warning signals all the way to the top dog. It didn’t. So, once a week we gathered together in a cozy living room with other members of the newly formed “life group”. We watched the vids and looked around at each other with stupefied looks on our faces. Rob has mastered the talent of “spin”. He is cool, he is intelligent, he is convincing. And in a teaching environment where there are no open bibles – well, you know where that leads. We knew something was off but we could not put even one of our malnourished spiritual fingers on exactly what it was. No wonder, we were starving for real bread, and no one was as much as even buying the flour.

So, with Bell’s revelation in that there is no hell – lately waxing universalism – in that we will all go to heaven one day, I am wondering what in the world the Vineyard people think of him now.

What is it that you have laid your eyes upon, lent your ears to that has sent off the same warning signals?

Heed the warning.

Proverbs 16:25

²⁵ There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

on not losing my mind

Like many of you I have been watching the things going on in the Middle East and here in America. We are certainly seeing events that we have not seen in the past, or at least what we are witnessing is in greater proportion than before. It reminds me of the coming of Christ, as we are seeing so many countries affected and in need of peace. Who will be their peacemaker?

It makes me think of the minds of people with a need to assemble, to rise up to speak against the evil brought against them, the unfairness of those who were set in place to protect them and to see to their own good. After all, isn’t that the makings of a true leader? To protect and lead those who put them in office? Isn’t that what we have been taught to do here in America, to speak against all that is wrong? To speak our minds, to vote?

This isn’t what we are seeing these days. We expect the evil from third world countries, those who are under the harsh rule of the dictator. We hate their treatment but we are certainly aware of it. We do not expect it from our leaders here in America. But, sadly this is exactly what is taking place as Obama’s heavy hand waves away so many rights of the people. Rights that have been enacted by law long before he was ever born, long before those who stood up for what was right ever expected to see a dictator rise from the loins of American soil. But, it is happening before our very eyes and we have been rendered powerless to stop the tirade against freedom. Ok. Breathe.

A few days ago I began to pull together some articles as I again see an uprising in the Evangelical realm. Hehe. If we dare to continue to call it “evangelical”. I like Apprising’s word – evanjellyfish much better. (Thanks Ken!) Why? Because so many who we once adhered to as great teachers of the word of God have lost their backbone to stand for the truth. Instead they gather in groups which they refer to as conferences, doing the good ol buddy routine, endorsing the plans of this one, the success of that one.

They bring in heretical doctrine, an oxymoron in its own terms. One claims, “this is the way, follow me”. They trade literally in the name of Jesus. They forget the church was born and still exists through the power of the Holy Spirit and not through do it my way programs and how to books. But they continue to write them. They need to teach us a method instead of teaching how to be Spirit-led which is what we are supposed to be. They bring in gurus from other religions under the guise of health and deeper spirituality. They teach meditation. They teach yoga. They teach breath prayers. They teach unity. They teach another jesus. Do not be fooled to think otherwise.

We have the technology. We have the documentation.

How many of us were offended at Obama’s remark that America is no longer a Christian nation? It is the one thing I agreed with him on. It is not. America has gone “New Age”.

Right there I am reminded of the return of the Lord when He questioned if He will find faith here. What have we as a Christian nation allowed ourselves to become?

Not only did I feel angry at these things taking place, but I felt ignored. Who is listening to this silly – once a false prophet and was wrong then squat of a middle-aged woman. A woman. It was the woman who held the apple after all. It is the woman who is weaker. The woman who must not be permitted to speak.

It was then I found myself in a silent scream and not for the first time  – – “IF I BE LIKENED TO EVE, WHERE IS ADAM WHO WAS GIVEN THE WORD??”

I am confessing I began to think “why bother” and from there I began to wonder if truly I was losing my mind, not for the first time either. Others don’t seem to concerned about this uprising of evanjellyfish. Maybe everything is ok and I only need to go get a job and trust the people who were put over me to do the right thing. After all we need to unite, right? In our numbers we are stronger. Clothe the naked, feed the poor, see to the needs of those less fortunate.

Hmmm…. and I Hmmm-ed for a few days. I fumed as I Hmmm-ed and slowly simmered in my silent anger.

That was when I stumbled on Ingrid’s blog. I didn’t even know she had a blog! There I saw some of the same articles posted as I had put into my “read it later” file for safe keeping. I realized I was not the only one, and in that one precious thought I realized I was not in the process of losing my mind. Thank God for Ingrid. And thank Him for the others who research and write who have a deeper understanding of things that I know so little of. Because of them I have learned to listen to that bugginess going off in my head – that thing that says this is not right, but won’t let me rest until I find why.

No, I am not crazy. Nor am I finished. Keep reading.

Weight Loss At All Costs

Matthew 16:25-27

²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

Lighthouse Trails has some important information regarding Rick Warren (Saddleback Church) and his newly formed  weight loss program.  (I think this story has gone viral!) Warren’s latest plan is another instance of those willing to follow a leader who has inadequate bible knowledge, yet esteemed as “America’s Pastor”. It says a lot for the church today; lazy and laid back, entertained, fat and happy. We want to know God but we don’t want to study the bible for ourselves. We want someone else to do the work and feed it to us. And when that teacher is found to be wrong what price are we willing to pay to keep him on top?

We want to lose weight but don’t want to work at it. It used to be “take this pill, or drink this liquid”. Now, according to Dr. Oz we are being told we can meditate those pounds away. Meditation is free. I wonder what the late Jack La Layne would have to say here. (On a personal note, I have recently lost 25 pounds and intend on losing more, and I did not do it by meditation. I did it the old-fashioned way, by exercise and saying no to the oreos!)

Jesus did not take the easy way out although He certainly could have. He went to the cross to bear our sins– and in the scripture above “MY SAKE” means for Him. What are we willing to give up to speak the truth so that others may be saved from destructive teachings as these?

From Lighthouse Trails –

In the video below, Dr. Oz, the new weight-loss mentor for thousands of Christians through Rick Warren’s new Daniel Plan, talks to New Ager Deepak Chopra about meditating to lose weight. What they don’t tell you in this video is that eastern-style meditation can put participants into contact with demonic spirits. The Bible warns against such harmful practices. Yet, Dr. Oz, also a Reiki advocate, is taking his spiritual “insights” to Rick Warren’s followers.

Go here to watch the video, please heed the warning and need for prayer

(Please note there are other good articles and information from LT on this and other topics. I’m only nailing some things together that I found out.)

Dr. Oz (made famous by Oprah) is Swedenborgian. This from their beliefs page.

Salvation

The requirements for salvation are simple: live well, believe rightly, and you will be saved. We believe that all people who live good lives, no matter what their religion, have a place in heaven. Heaven is limitless in its capacity for angels, in fact, the more angels there are, the more heaven thrives. Everyone born on this earth has been predestined for heaven. The only reason someone would go to hell is because they have chosen to go there of their own volition.

In determining whether or not we have lived well, God leads us to assess the whole of our lives — the highs and lows, causes and effects, the mistakes made and genuinely good things done. If there is any possible way He can lead us into heaven, He will. In other words, it’s pretty difficult to go to hell. God’s greatest wish for us is that we find our highest happiness within the angel body. Those who choose hell are people who put themselves above all else, repeatedly indulging in things which are hurtful to others. The only reason hell exists is to preserve the freedom of choice which God grants to all His people.

We play an active role in our salvation every day of our lives. When we look to the Divine and live according to what we believe is right, we move closer towards heaven. If we shun good, we move closer to hell. Thus, salvation and freedom of choice are inseparable from each other.

Salvation is not dependent on the doctrinal specifics of the religion you have followed on earth. As long as you have lived a life acknowledging God and refraining from evil because it is against Him, you will be saved. Acknowledging God does not necessarily mean recognizing Him by name. A person can be ignorant of religion and still acknowledge God by living a life of goodwill. This is because the choices that we make on a daily basis are what determine whether we end up in heaven or hell. Yes, worshipping God is essential for admittance into heaven, but we worship Him through the actions of our lives.

And the theology –

Emanuel Swedenborg

The New Church bases its doctrine on the Bible as illuminated by the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, an eighteenth century theologian and scientist (read the full biography). This theology is founded on the belief that God used Swedenborg as a vessel through which to spread His teachings to people on earth. During a process of divinely inspired revelations, Swedenborg wrote thirty-five volumes of theological books, referred to as the Writings or Heavenly Doctrines, addressing the mysteries of human life which had previously gone unexplained or been misunderstood.One of the prime purposes for his work was to reveal an inner meaning in the Bible, thus uncovering new relevance and hope for mankind. Within the Writings, Swedenborg describes the nature of the Divine, the function of creation, and the life which awaits us after death. He also provides practical guidelines for having a relationship with God and bringing religion into everyday life.

Above all, Swedenborgian theology seeks to make God accessible to humankind:

“Linking with an invisible God is like linking the sight of the eye with the expanse of the universe, the bounds of which are not to be seen. Or it is like looking out in the middle of the ocean, when the gaze falls on the air and sea and is frustrated. But linking with a visible God is like seeing a man in the air or the sea opening His arms and inviting you to come into His embrace.” (True Christian Religion 787)

The mission of the New Church is to carry out this purpose in the modern-day world.

Swedenborgian theology DOES NOT and CANNOT connect mankind to God. Jesus Christ did that for us when He went to the cross! John 3:16! It is only through our faith in him that we can be saved and hope to have a relationship with God!

How much like the false teachers and prophets of charismania, the NAR and Dominionism with their bizarre visitations, out-of-body experiences, dreams and visions of “God told me” directives and the new thing God is doing!

Yet Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us  that there is no new revelation!

¹ God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ² has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

³ who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

It only stands to reason there is a great possibility that many from Saddleback will be caught up in this “New Church”/Swedenborgian Theology, and/or the practices of eastern religious meditation. And it makes me wonder again what Rick Warren is really up to, and who this “jesus” is that he serves. Because it is not the Jesus written about in the bible. And the reason why we can say this with confidence is because Warren’s teachings do not line up with the word, nor does he heed it’s warnings.

From Christian Post here

Rick Warren pledges to lose 90 pounds during a 52-week church fitness plan, developed by Dr. Oz and two other medical experts, that will launch on Saturday at Saddleback Church.

(Photo: Saddleback Church via The Christian Post)

The Daniel Plan, based on the prophet Daniel who chose healthy eating instead of the king’s rich foods, is a yearlong, churchwide program to help the Saddleback parishoners get physically healthier.

“The Bible says that God wants you to be as healthy physically as you are spiritually,” said Warren in a video announcing the event. “The plan will help you feel better, look better, have more energy, get in shape, and use your body the way God wants you to.”

Does anyone know what scripture Warren is referring to that states God wants us to be as healthy physically as we are spiritually? Does God ever refer to “spiritual health”? And for that matter, the prophet Daniel was not fasting or refusing rich foods for weight loss or health reasons! Warren is twisting the words of the bible to say what he wants them to. But why?

1 Timothy 4:7-9

⁷ But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. ⁸ For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. ⁹ This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance.

An interesting connection between Swedenborg and AA’s 12 Steps from My Word Like Fire here

noting that Warren has his own version of 12 stepping in his famous Celebrate Recovery Program. MWLF has more articles on this topic. Again, I am only nailing some pieces together.

And how many of us were in awe of those Helen Keller stories??? A little detail was left out. Her religion spelled out here.

Colossians 2:6-10

⁶ As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ⁷ rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
⁸ Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; ¹⁰ and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

WOF Lie – Jesus Died Spiritually

For those who don’t know, the ‘Word Faith’ movement is a movement within the Pentecostal and Charismatic church which emphasizes miracles and money above the cross. There are many aspects to the Word Faith movement, but they seem to all agree on one false teaching. ‘Jesus died spiritually’.

Read this important article from Moriel

The ‘Jesus Died Spiritually’ Doctrine of the Word of Faith Teachers

Finding Freedom

I came across this testimony from Kevin Reeves from his book The Other Side of the River on The Word on the Word of Faith blog.

I know that many of us struggle with the programming in our minds from the false teaching we believed for the truth. Here’s a clip from his testimony that I felt hit home for us. Please pop over and read the work in its entirety as there is much written there, and some suggested steps to follow once it is found we are in a false teaching environment. The blurb below only includes suggestions after the exit.

Be encouraged that God our Father loves us deeply (John 3:16) and He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) . He definitely is not finished with us (Philippians 1:6), not till we leave this earth and stand face to face with Him. So, that is either death or the trumpet voice of God.

Until then, here’s to freedom. 🙂 And on a personal note, I can attest to the truth written below. It really does get better.

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Once exited, meet with like-minded believers as you are able. There is often a season of de-programming (it’s the most apt term I can think of). Years of false doctrine and man’s illusory teachings are not easily shaken off, and learned responses to situations have been carved into our minds. We really do need to be renewed in our thinking (Romans 12:2), and this is best done by immersing ourselves in His liberating Word. Jesus said that if we continue in His Word, then we would know the truth and the truth would make us free (John 8:31-32).

Know also that the anguish accompanying this dealing with heresy will eventually pass. As we keep our eyes on Christ and our heart turned to the simple Gospel of Jesus the light from on high will become more real than ever before, and our assurance before Him at His coming more certain. The Lord is calling His people out from the midst of the false. It is our choice whether to respond.

“Hence, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come” (Hebrews 13:13-14).

Strikes and Outs

The following is a very good article on why we expose false doctrine; written and sent to me by Kent Philpott, Earthen Vessel Journal

 

“Strikes and Outs”—baseball lingo–but this essay is not about baseball; it is about courage.

Strikes and outs are what umpires, those who officiate baseball games, are supposed to call.  A “call” means an umpire indicates that a pitched ball is either a ball or a strike. Batters do not want to hear a pitched ball called a strike, and the umpire knows this well. Strikes are booed, fans are unhappy, players are unhappy; it takes courage to call strikes.

Then consider a “play” as when a runner is coming into home plate and arrives at about the same time as a ball thrown by a fielder. A call of safe or out must be made and it is easier to make the safe call—any seasoned umpire will say amen to that.

How do I know this? I have umpired many a game, and most of them at San Quentin State Prison, and the strikes and outs are not good news to the convicts who are the objects of those calls. One contested call may mean an entire game being heckled by a disgruntled fan.

In the last game of our season at the prison we needed an umpire, since our usual ump had just paroled. I volunteered, and during the course of the game the subject for this essay came to mind.

As it is easier to make a ball or safe call, so it is easier to stand down and avoid confronting error. Courage is a rare and wonderful quality, one which may cost us dearly.

We see in the pages of the New Testament the price Jesus paid for His obedience to the Father. He was attacked by many, scorned and rejected, and ultimately went to the cross. His Passion was the express will of God, yet we see the tortuous process that goes with standing for the truth.

Paul would have understood my baseball analogy—he called strikes and outs, and paid the price for it. He took stands for the Gospel that earned him enemies and a stressful life.

John was opposed by the Roman authorities and was forced into exile, yet he never ceased to speak out against error.

The Church has had its heroes, men and women of faith and vision, who have been defenders of the Faith delivered once and for all to the Church. Christians in whatever era are called to do the same. And it takes courage to do so.

Currently I am in a struggle or two and am discovering again what it is to take a stand. It is even more difficult if the stand is against error within the broad Christian community. Many do not understand that spiritual warfare is waged more often inside the “visible” church than outside it. The secular world is one thing, but issues of biblical doctrine and practice impact us more directly and critically than the ongoing confusion in the world.

Fewer topics arouse my reaction these days, and for this I am thankful. One of my life goals is to avoid giving in to a cynical, complaining attitude, always looking for what is wrong rather than what is right. There are far too many issues abroad that can get me stirred up, so I must be selective and focus only on those things that go to the heart of the biblical and evangelical Gospel. I cannot be afraid to call strikes and outs.

Here are passages I look to in order to remind myself that certain error must be opposed regardless of the discomfort in doing so.

Matthew 24:4-5. “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ.’ And they will lead many astray.”

Jesus’ words to His apostles were meant for something more than information, I would think. Perhaps they were to be actively opposing those who announced they were the Messiah. Such pretenders may or may not have come from the Christian community, but from wherever the false claim originated, there would be an evil harvest.

Acts 20:28-31a. “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made your overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert…”

Paul delivered the warning to the elders of the Church at Ephesus, and it is reasonable to expect that the current elders of God’s Flock must heed the same warning. Notice the emphasis here: the trouble will come from within, not without, the church. This is so often the case. Over four decades of ministry, my experience has been that opposition from without the church is less common; it is nearly always from within the visible church that the confusion arises.

Galatians 1:6-9. “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 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.”

“Accursed”—precisely what Paul had in mind in using such a word is unknown, but at minimum accursed is not a good thing. Paul is courageous in his concern for the Galatian churches and speaks his mind. Though he might anticipate that his direct warning will stir up trouble, he writes because he is aware of the greater problems that would result if a false gospel were to make its way into those churches. Paul again warns that the platform for the presentation of the strange gospel would be from within the Christian community.

Paul may not be going to an extreme when he mentions a gospel coming from an angel. More than once persons have claimed angelic revelation. One only has to think of Islam and Mormonism for illustrations. As crazy as it seems, angels or what present themselves as angels, are up to the same old tricks right now. Fallen angels–demons–are spiritual and powerful (“angels of light” Paul called them–see 2 Corinthians 11:14), and it is very hard to resist that which seems to come from God.

1 Timothy 4:1. “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.”

Whether these days are last days or not is unknown, but they may be, and so the warning of Paul could easily be applicable. Those who will be devoting themselves to the demons have departed from “the faith.” Again the trouble arises from within the visible church. And it is not mentioned if the devotees are genuine Christians or are unbelievers supposing themselves to be born again but are merely Christianized.[1]

Could it be that we have been living in the “later times” for some long time, perhaps even from the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry? (see 1 John 2:18). A survey of the history of our Church might lend support to the concept.

1 John 4:1. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

Upsetting indeed—“many false prophets”—out into the world, too, so the Apostle John sounds the warning. Would the same be true for today?

Jude 3-4. “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Jude would rather have written a celebratory letter focused on the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus but of necessity had to urge the readers to “contend for the faith.” And it has always been so.

Once again, the trouble comes from within the Christian churches. Here the problem might have been easy to spot due to the blatant sinfulness of those who would pervert the Gospel. How it was that these were “designated for this condemnation” is not apparent. However, the message is simple: strange and false doctrine will be proclaimed and it must be withstood. 

Be strong and courageous

Before long I will be sixty-nine years old, but I was once a young lion ready to take on any foe. It is more taxing for me now and more stressful to listen to the heckling when strikes and outs are called. Quickly it becomes apparent that I need my community of faith, the congregation I pastor, to stand alongside me.

A passage I memorized some decades ago gives me fresh strength to stand and deliver. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

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[1] By Christianized I mean someone who has all the appearances of being a Christian, yet are not actually born again. False conversion may be fairly common when it is thought that by repeating a prayer, making an altar call, engaging in what are thought to be spiritual gifts, submitting to an organization’s requirements for membership, confessing and adhering to doctrinal positions, all of which are within the human capacity, are routinely practiced.

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Kent Philpott lives in California, where he has been pastor of Miller Avenue Church, Mill Valley, since 1985. Ordained in 1966, he was awarded the degree of Masters of Divinity by Golden Gate Baptist Seminary, Mill Valley, and Doctor of Ministry by  San Francisco Theological Seminary.

He is a regular visitor to  the prisoners of San Quentin prison and a coach of the San Quentin Pirates baseball team. He is the author of Are You Really Born Again?, Why I Am a Christian published by Evangelical Press. Also, For Pastors of Small Churches published by Earthen Vessel Publishing. And Are You Being Duped? publishing jointly by Evangelical Press and Earthen Vessel Publishing.