THE EMERGENTS’ OWN DEFINITION of their movement is: “A growing, generative friendship among missional Christians seeking to love OUR WORLD in the Spirit of Jesus Christ” (from the banner of the movement’s flagship website; emph. added). But Jesus never tells us to “LOVE the WORLD”; neither do the N.T. writers. If they mean “the lost,” then yes: we’re to love them enough to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them-but also tell them that they must repent of their sins, turn “from” the ungodly world and turn “to” Jesus Christ the Lord, the world’s ONLY SAVIOR!!
Nowhere are we told to “love the world” (i.e., the environment, the false religions, the ideologies and corrupt systems of men, etc.), for “God so loved the world (lost MANKIND), that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish [-that dreadful reality of ETERNAL PUNISHMENT that the Emergent Church (EC) REFUSES to believe or teach!], but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). That “eternal life” is a gift God bestows on anyone who is born again. The Greek word “eternal” expresses not only perpetuity but also the quality of life-a divine life, a life that frees us from the power of satan/sin/self and removes us from what is merely earthly (the environment!) in order that we may know God (see Jn 8:34-36; 17:3; et al.).
Love! – Love! – Love!
WE HEAR lots about “love” from the Emergent Church. Funny, they deride Jesus who IS LOVE! and God who IS LOVE! The Father and Son “loved” the world, the lost souls, captive souls of satan-enough to DO SOMETHING about it. The Atonement (which the EC says “doesn’t work today”!) proceeds from the “LOVING” heart of both the Father and Son; it was not something forced upon the Son (Rom 8:32; 1 Jn 4:10), but Jesus willingly laid down His earthly life in order for the believer to receive eternal life… yet the EC scoffs this Biblical Truth. (Read Matthew 7:15-20.)
Fruits of Destruction!
THESE FRUITS of the EC (Matt 7:15-20) include: “deconstruction of (a) the Holy Bible, (b) grace, (c) faith, (d) salvation, and (e) the true Body of Christ.” They also specifically TEAR DOWN and DECONSTRUCT the Person and work of Jesus Christ, openly and blasphemously. What we have is a “grandiose narcissistic movement,” full of LIARS and BLASPHEMERS. (I’m being kind here.)
As pointed out by orthodox Bible scholars, the EC leaders have invented an “Orwellian newspeak that employs terms such as ‘orthoparadoxy’ (‘correct paradox’), and ‘paradoxology’ (the ‘glory of paradox’) to describe their approach to all things.”
Tickled Pink!
PHILLIS TICKLE is “tickled pink” about Brian McLaren’s A Generous Orthodoxy book (2004). She likens this blasphemer to Martin Luther of the 16th century, “so Brian McLaren holds it here for us in the 21st…” She was referring to Brian’s “95 Thesis” that he has “posted” (copying Martin Luther’s 95 Thesis that he posted, protesting the Church of Rome).
Shadow-Substance
BASICALLY WHAT the EC has done is go backwards into the pursuit of the “shadow,” leaving behind the “substance.” This is not new, however. Throughout the ages, the “mysteries” have stood at “the threshold of reality” (they say)-“that hypothetical spot between noumenon and phenomenon, the substance and the shadow.” This is explained in Biblical terms in Colossians 2:17 (the shadow vs. substance/reality), Hebrews 8:5 and 10:1. Jesus became The Substance in the N.T. of what the O.T. predicted and projected (the shadow).
What the EC teaches is the worship of “shadow,” the worship of “SELF” and its realizations, not “Christ”…thus “godhood is born within the one who ‘sees,’ ‘realizes.’ From the concerns of men, he/she rises to the concerns of gods/goddesses and ‘THE ENVIRONMENT.’”
The EC-ites scoff at holiness while they “ponder with befuddled minds the phantasmagoria of humanness.” They have turned aside from the path which leads to eternal life (the straight/narrow) and have gone like rampaging swine onto the broadway that leads to eternal ruin (i.e., DAMNATION).
Jesus, who gave the world a chance for eternal life, gave it better ideas and higher meanings for culture, has indeed departed from the sight of reprobates. Is it any wonder that these people wander?…not having a clue on the “whats,” “wheres,” “whys” and “hows” of life?
Still, Biblical virtue, love, and the pursuit of excellence (in Christ) are yet the “regenerators” of humanity. God continues to love despite the hard hearts and reprobate minds… He continues to guide the lost to safety. Although some want to remain as “beasts,” there are those who will soar as the eagle. There are those who see their utter need of Jesus the Savior, the One who will release the souls of men from the bondages of corruption.
Hope in His Word
PSALM 119:81 reads, “My soul languishes and grows faint for Your salvation, but I hope in Your Word.” Psalm 42:5 reads, “Why are you cast down, O my inner self (soul)? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope you in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my help and my God.” First Timothy 1:1 reads, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by appointment and command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus, the Messiah, our hope.” Romans 15:4 reads, “For whatever was thus written in former days was written for our instruction, that by endurance and the encouragement from the Scriptures we might hold fast and cherish hope.” – All from the Holy Bible.
“Emergent Manifesto of Hope”
THIS BOOK named above, written by more than 25 authors, is a book about viewpoints (mere HUMAN OPINIONS!), not absolute Biblical Truths. Many are fooled by these knavish authors. One poor soul writes, “These are good leaders with a solid sense of what God would have for this part of the world” (Guatemala, CA). HA!! If these poor souls knew all what these authors believe their blasphemies, their distortions, their leftist thoughts, etc.-they would BURN THAT BOOK! “I feel that the book does a unique job of capturing and compelling hope,” writes another deceived soul.
To Know God?
RECREANT BRIAN McLaren, the darling of the EC movement, claims that the Bible is not inspired, infallible, inerrant, propositional, revelatory, absolute, objective, or the Word of God! Thanks, buddy. Just what are we suppose to believe in? You? In Adventures in Missing the Point, our “all-wise” buddy asserts that “not even one-hundredth of one percent of the Bible ‘presents’ objective information about God” (p. 262). Those are some pretty ABSOLUTE and CERTAIN statements from a guy who claims that little, if anything, is ABSOLUTE or CERTAIN! So, just how does our “all-wise” buddy know that he knows God?
McLaren really turns red at the idea that the Bible contains universal laws-like those found in Leviticus 18 and 20, Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6 and 1 Timothy 1 (pertaining to UNLAWFUL SEX-SINS). He gets even redder as he CONDEMNS the mass production of the Bible! He exclaims that Christians can interpret it for themselves (pp. 76-77). Hold on just a minute. Isn’t he being a hypocrite here? Isn’t he interpreting the Bible for all of us, AND DEFINITELY LETTING US KNOW WHAT HE THINKS IT MEANS?!!! And how does he know that the Bible is wrong, God is wrong, Jesus is wrong, the Holy Spirit is wrong, the N.T. authors are wrong, all the true Christians throughout the centuries are wrong…but Brian McLaren is RIGHT?
It is fair for him to interpret the Scriptures (what little remain after baby-boy’s tearing out page after page!), but a BLACK SIN for the rest of us to do so. In actuality, this guy is put to shame by real Bible scholars’ exegesis.
With Open Arms
USING THE Genesis 1-3 account, EC-ites try to convince us that “Since God placed man-Adam and Eve-in the Garden of Eden, in a majestic display of cosmic hospitality He extends the invitation for man to dwell with Him. Such is the epic of Eden: He creates humanity, places them in an environment in which they can thrive, and then commands them to be fruitful and multiply. So, from the hand of Divine hospitality, human culture is born.” So goes their view of God, man, and Paradise.
Now comes their serious LACK of Bible understanding: “Believers are now called upon to return to the beginnings to discern God’s design for diversity [-the acceptance of homosexuality is what they mean!].” Race is also a great concern with them, as it should be. But homosexuality and race can’t be compared. Homosexuality is a learned SIN; race is a genetic makeup. I can’t be held responsible for being born white, but I certainly can be held responsible for being a fornicator (which I was in my pre-Christian years).
The tear-jerking story goes like this: “Regardless of our social, ethnic, national, cultural or sexual identity, we are each a spiritual image-bearer of God.”
This is not entirely accurate. While it is true that in the beginning… God created man in His own image/likeness (male and female-NOT A WORD ABOUT A TRANSGENDER, A GAY MALE OR GAY FEMALE, A 3rd PERSON…NOT EVEN A HINT!) and it is true that God blessed them and commanded them to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth…this all is true…BUT, my dear readers, read the whole story. man and woman, male and female (who were married personally by their Creator-one man to one woman, not even a hint of same-sex marriage!) FELL from eternal glory and were EXPELLED from Eden by God Himself: “Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden….So God drove out the man (Adam/Eve); and He placed…a flaming sword…to keep and guard the tree of life” (Gen 3:23-24).
Somehow our Emergent Church folks kinda miss this. Instead these recreants point the finger at us and tell us not to demean a person on account of their cultural roots or sexual orientation. Hey, God did this very thing-He DROVE OUT the SINNER from His presence, from Eden, from their “cultural roots,” even though they bore His image and likeness.
Very strange (QUEER!) philosophy and theology those EC-ers hold, indeed.
Trace the Thread
THEY TELL us that if we trace the thread from Genesis, where God endows humanity with His likeness, all the way thru time to this final vision of saints, we would see a vibrant, many-colored cord. This is true, BUT those that made up that cord would be “washed clean (purified by a complete atonement for sin and made free from the guilt of sin), consecrated (set apart, holy), and justified (pronounced righteous) by trusting in the name of this Lord Jesus Christ and in the (Holy) Spirit of our God” (see 1 Cor 6:11, AMP). Now this is true Christian philosophy/theology. NOWHERE do we find the unclean/unsaved making up the Body of Christ, NOWHERE!!
They Ask…
“WHY DO we sever the family ties that should bind the Church together?” Jesus wasn’t as interested in “family” as they expect, for He states, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to part asunder a man from his father, and a daughter from her mother, and a newly married wife from her mother-in-law-and a man’s foes will be they of his own household. He who loves [and takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me” (Matt 10:34-38, AMP).
The Word never states that the saved and the unsaved will be ONE. Never does the Word tell us to be joined to homosexuals and harlots, liars, thieves, adulterers, idol worshippers, etc. Haven’t you ever read 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 10? Better read that VICE LIST that mentions things that keep people OUT of the Kingdom. Paul explains it all on down to verse 15; read that too. And for the record, read verses 18-20. You tell me how the EC can excuse those verses! But they do. In fact, they tell us that God is not interested in all that small stuff. “Small stuff”? Those SINS will keep one out of God’s future Eden and out of the present Kingdom.
Masonic Philosophy
AMONG THE recreants we find masons who have their own philosophy about Jesus and the Gospels. Among them, some hold to “profound doctrines of the pagan philosophers.” One doctrine concerns the “Universal Savior-God who lifted the souls of regenerated men to heaven thru His own nature.” They say this concept was unquestionably the inspiration for the words attributed to Jesus Christ: “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” So, they claim, “in an effort to make a single person out of Jesus and His Christos, Christian writers have patched together a doctrine which must be resolved back into its original constituents if the true meaning of Christianity is to be rediscovered.” It is further “pointed out” that in the Gospel narratives, the Christos represents the perfect man who, having passed thru the various stages of the “World Mystery” symbolized by the 33 years (Jesus died at 33), ascends to the heavenly sphere where He is reunited with His Eternal Father (from Masonic story of Hiram Abiff-part of a secret initiatory ritualism belonging to pagan Mysteries).
We all know that Mason’s god is the “Generic” god, “The Great Architect of the Universe.” And we all know how the number 33 is used: “33 Grand Sovereign Inspector General” (Order of Knights Templar). So, according to them, Jesus was a 33rd-degree Mason (A pretty good book on Masons is Masonry Beyond The Light, by William Schnoebelen).
Besides Masonic philosophies, you’ll also find Hermetic, Qabalistic, Rosicrucian, and Roman Catholic philosophies in the EC…all having their own interpretations of the Bible and secret teachings concealed within the rituals, allegories and “mysteries of all ages.” They all claim special revelation, insight, and assume to be “custodians of the ‘highest’ cultural concepts.” They venerate “divine mysteries.” These “spiritual brotherhoods/sisterhoods” of “scholars,” “sages,” “mystics” and “authors” champion “enlightenment”-not the Biblical kind, but the “mystery” kind.
One trait common among these people is their INTOLERANCE towards Bible believers. They actually “pity” us. I pity them. Let them have their metaphysical, philosophical, esoteric, intellectual, sexual (the “PINK” kind!), mythological, theological insanities-all their hypotheses of living wholly beyond the Holy Bible. God will let them choke on what they think they want.
Paul and Philosophers
THERE WERE many idioms Paul held in common with the philosophers of his day, as well as many differences in speech and thought. Paul had in common with Platonists the conception of God as an immaterial being, but he did not see God as remote from the material world. God certainly oversees everything. Paul also had similarities with the Stoic view of God as immanent, though he never identified God with nature nor projected the universe as the Stoics did. Paul wrote, “all things are from Him and through Him and for Him”-a very Stoic-sounding phrase (see Rom 11:36; Col 1:16). Yet God remains transcendent over the world He has created (see 1 Cor 8:6; Col 1:15-19; Eph 4:6).
Then there were the Hellenistic philosophers who believed God to be the Shaper of the universe, but they didn’t see Him crafting/creating from nothing. So this only partially matches what Paul taught. Paul regards Jesus as co-Creator, and as having preceded the physical universe: “He is before all things,” Paul wrote in Col. 1:17.
Major Differences
A MAJOR difference between Paul and the philosophers of his day was their reproach to the knowledge of God. Philosophy asserted that reasoning from certain first principles was the proper manner to attain knowledge of God and the world, but for Paul, this knowledge could only be received as revelation from God, mediated thru the Holy Spirit and proclaimed in preaching (see 1 Corinthians 1:17-18; 2:6-16).
The only place in the N.T. where the term “philosophy” occurs is at our main text, Colossians 2:8. In part one, we explored this text. What the Apostle had in view was not the “standard” philosophies but the “speculative mixture’ of ideas from Judaism, Hellenistic religion, and philosophy that were apparently current at Colossae.” He contrasts this “philosophy” with an assertion of the tradition “in line with Christ” (kata Christon)-“it is a tradition both about Christ and one which befits His Person” (Philosophy, T. Paige, p. 717-718).
Paul’s Encounter
THE APOSTLE Paul encountered the Epicureans and Stoics in Athenian Agora (Acts 17:16-34). There he was accused of introducing “new gods” (kaina daimonia; see Plato, Apol., 24 b-c) and was rejected by many. He preached that his God is the source of all human life, making all people (humans, not Christians!) of one family. Now there was, in Greek philosophy, something to that effect. Paul quoted the Greek phrase (see Acts 17:28) “For in Him we live and move and exist” (Epimenides), and, “for we are also (members) of His family” (from the Stoic Aratus Phaen., 5).
Notice in verses 30 and 31 (the AMP Bible is good here) that Paul spoke, “He charges all people for their past sins.” Can you imagine some of the EC-ites telling “their” people to REPENT? McLaren would pipe up, “Repent of what?”
With Paul here, the theme goes from repentance to judgment (v. 31): “Because He has fixed a day when He will judge the world.” Paul finished with the resurrection from the dead. Wouldn’t you say that verses 30-31 are a good example of early Church preaching, to the sinners, to a Hellenistic Gentile audience? But if that was McLaren and gang, they would tell the philosophers that “their” way to God was just as good as Christianity,…and we “need to be open-minded, open-armed, ‘tolerant,’ not bigoted or narrow-minded, but loving them in their cultural setting,” blah, blah, BLAH! In fact, the EC-ites are ASHAMED of the Gospel of Christ.
Professor T. Paige, PhD, makes note that many scholars maintain that our text (Acts 17) is incompatible with the Paul who wrote Romans 1-3, excluding natural theology. But there is nothing, Paige points out, in Acts 17, which assumes a “saving knowledge of God”; and besides, the two audiences (Roman believers vs. Athenian pagans) demand a definitely different address. So, in effect, there is nothing incompatible here.
Paige also points out that we must assume that in speaking to Gentiles, Paul would have taken a different point of departure than the OT, and the speech of Acts 17 can be seen to incorporate several common Pauline themes, including the typical apocalyptic elements of resurrection and coming judgment associated with Jesus (see 1 Thes 1:9-10).
Well, we’ll let the scholars settle that. My point is that the early Church did not go along with every Tom, Dick, Harry and Marry in order to build the Church of Christ, or to have “unity in diversity.” Neither did Jesus or the NT authors present a “Political Correctness” “seeker-friendly,” “seeker-sensitive” gospel. GET SERIOUS! These “water-down-the-Gospel” folks of today are just COWARDS-they are afraid of people’s reactions; they are ashamed of the Gospel. Not Paul! He makes it known that he is “not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…” (Rom 1:16).
Let me present here, for my readers, what salvation truly is:
(The following was adapted from The Full Life Study Bible, pp. 314-315.)
BIBLICAL WORDS FOR SALVATION
Rom. 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
GOD FREELY OFFERS US eternal life in Jesus Christ. But understanding the exact process used to make that available to us is sometimes difficult for us to grasp. Therefore, God presents various pictures in the Bible for salvation, each one with its own unique emphasis. This article examines three of those pictures: Salvation, Redemption, and Justification.
SALVATION. Salvation (Gk. soteria) means “deliverance,” “bringing safely through,” “keeping from harm”; it is described in the Bible as “the way” or road that leads through life to eternal fellowship with God in heaven (Mat. 7:14; Mark 12:14; John 14:16; Acts 16:17; cf. Acts 9:2; 22:4; Heb. 10:20; 2 Pet. 2:2, 21). This road of salvation must be walked to the very end. We can describe salvation as one way with two sides and three stages:
(1) The one way of salvation. Christ is the way to the Father (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Salvation is provided for us by God’s grace which He gives in Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:24), based on His death (3:25; 5:8), resurrection (5:10), and continued intercession for believers (Heb. 7:25).
(2) The two sides of salvation. Salvation is received by grace, through faith in Christ (Rom. 3:22, 24-25, 28). That is, it comes as a result of God’s grace (John 1:16) and the human response of faith (Acts 16:31; Rom. 1:17; Eph. 1:15; 2:8).
(3) The three stages of salvation. (a) The past stage of salvation includes the personal experience by which we as believers receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43; Rom. 4:6-8) and pass from spiritual death to spiritual life (1 John 3:14), from the power of sin to the power of the Lord (Rom. 6:17-23), from the dominion of Satan to the dominion of God (Acts 26:18). It brings us into a new personal relationship with God (John 1:12) and rescues us from the penalty of sin (Rom. 1:16; 6:23; 1 Cor. 1:18).
(b) The present stage of salvation saves us from the practice and dominion of sin, filling us with the Holy Spirit. It includes: (1) the privilege of a person-to-person relationship with God as our Father and Jesus as our Lord and Savior (Mat. 6:9; John 14:18-23; see Gal. 4:6); (ii) the call to reckon ourselves dead to sin (Rom. 6:1-14) and to submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:1-16) and the Word of God (John 8:31; 14:21; 2 Tim. 3:15-16); (iii) the invitation to be filled with the Holy Spirit and the command to keep being filled (see Acts 2:33-39; Eph. 5:18); (iv) the DEMAND to separate ourselves from sin (Rom. 6:1-14) and the present perverse generation (Acts 2:40; 2 Cor. 6:17); and (v) the call to wage constant battle for God’s kingdom against Satan and his demonic host (2 Cor. 10:4-5; Eph. 6:11,16; 1 Pet. 5:8).
(c) The future stage of salvation (Rom. 13:11-12; 1 Thes. 5:8-9; 1 Pet. 1:5) includes: (1) our deliverance from the coming wrath of God (Rom. 5:9; 1 Cor. 3:15; 5:5; 1 Thes. 1:10; 5:9); (ii) our sharing the divine glory (Rom. 8:29; 2 Thes. 2:13-14) and receiving a resurrected or transformed body (1 Cor. 15:49-52); and (iii) our receiving rewards as faithful overcomers (see Rev. 2:7). This future salvation is the goal toward which all Christians strive (1 Cor. 9:24-27; Phil. 3:8-14). All present warnings, discipline, and punishment have as their purpose that believers should not forfeit this future salvation (1 Cor. 5:1-13; 9:24-27; Phil. 2:12, 16; 2 Pet. 1:5-11; see Heb. 12:1).
REDEMPTION. The root meaning of “redemption” (Gk. apolutrosis) is to ransom by the payment of a price. The expression denotes the means by which salvation is procured, namely by the payment of a ransom. The doctrine of redemption can be summarized as follows:
(1) The state of sin out of which we must be redeemed: The N.T. represents humans as alienated from God (Rom. 3:10-18), under the dominion of satanic powers (Acts 10:38; 26:18), slaves to sin (Rom. 6:6; 7:14), and in need of deliverance from its guilt, punishment, and power (Acts 26:18; Rom. 1:18; 6:1-18, 23; Eph. 5:8; Col. 1:13; 1 Pet. 2:9).
(2) The price paid to free us from this bondage: Christ secured the ransom by shedding His blood and giving His life (Mat. 20:28; Mark 10:45; 1 Cor. 6:20; Eph. 1:7; Tit. 2:14; Heb. 9:12; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
(3) The resultant state of the redeemed: Believers redeemed by Christ are now free from Satan’s dominion and from the guilt and power of sin (Acts 26:18; Rom. 6:7, 12, 14, 18; Col. 1:13). This freedom from sin, however, does not leave us free to do as we wish, for we become the property of God. Freedom from sin makes us willing slaves of God (Acts 26:18; Rom. 6:18, 22; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; 7:22-23).
JUSTIFICATION. The word “justify” (Gk. dikaioo) means “to be just (or righteous) before God” (Rom. 2:13), “to be made righteous” (Rom. 5:18-19), “to establish as right,” or “to set or put right.” It denotes being in a right relationship with God rather than receiving a mere legal, judicial declaration. God forgives the repentant sinner, whom He had pronounced guilty through the law and condemned to eternal death, restores him to divine favor, and sets him in a right relationship (fellowship) with Himself and His will. The apostle Paul reveals several truths about justification and how it is accomplished:
(1) Being put right with God is a gift (Rom. 3:24; Eph. 2:8). No one can put himself right with God by keeping the law perfectly or by performing good works (Rom. 4:2-6; Eph. 2:8-9), “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).
(2) Being put right with God happens “through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). No one is justified who has not been redeemed by Christ from sin and its power.
(3) Being put right with God comes “by his grace” and is appropriated through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Rom. 3:22-24; cf. 4:3-5).
(4) Being put right with God is related to the forgiveness of our sins (Rom. 4:7). Sinners are declared guilty (Rom. 3:9-18, 23), but are forgiven because of Christ’s atoning death and resurrection (see Rom. 3:25; 4:5; 4:25; 5:6-9).
(5) When we are put right with God by faith in Christ, we are crucified with Christ and Christ comes to live in us (Gal. 2:16-21). Through this experience, we actually become righteous and begin living unto God (2:19-21). This transforming work of Christ in us through the Spirit (cf. 2 Thes. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2) cannot be separated from the redemptive work of Christ for us. The work of Christ and the Spirit are interdependent.
You won’t read anything like that in any of the Emergents’ books, nor will you ever hear a sermon or lecture using the above-NO WAY!
What Can We Say?
WHILE THE Apostle Paul may have used philosophical vocabulary during his apologetic/didactic debates and purposes, “he was NOT constrained by the content of method of the philosophies in vogue.” Not so with the men and women of today. The Emergent Church uses such language and methods above the Scriptures.
It is well said that even though Jesus and the NT authors were living in an era of “intellectualism, traditions, philosophies and occult currents,” they were not concerned to “reconcile their messages with philosophy” as, say, Philo was. (One might want to check out Philo, Migr. Abr. 16:92; 24.134-38). Some scholars recently proposed that the Corinthians had drawn on Philo or a Philonic-type conception of spiritual perfection thru a philosophic use of the Law (see 1 Cor.; R. Horsley, J. Davis; see also 2 Cor.; Philo Vit. Moses 2.69-70; Ralph Martin, mentioned below, 63-64).
Ralph Martin, PhD, professor at the University of Sheffield, England, wrote about Paul’s Theology, Early Catholicism and Worship. We can thank God for Paul who held the Gospel to be THE ONLY MEANS to divine wisdom (see 1 Cor 1:21; 2:6-16; Eph 1:15-18). I would hate to submit to these recreants that make up the Emergence / Emergent Church today!
Religious Charlatans
IF ONE reads 1 Thessalonians 2 carefully, Paul explains to his readers/listeners how he had already suffered and been outrageously treated at Philippi…yet in the strength of God “he summoned courage to proclaim unfalteringly the Gospel with earnest contention, much conflict and great opposition.” He goes on to state that his appeal, in preaching, “did not originate from delusion or error or impure purpose or motive, nor in fraud or deceit.” And continuing even more, he tells the Thessalonians that he has been approved by God, not man, so he spoke to please God, not man.
I think all of the EC-ites could learn something from Paul-they DO NOT speak for God nor please Him; they speak to be approved and applauded by man!
Paul goes on to state that he used neither flattery nor a cloak to conceal greedy motives or pretexts for gain (“Buy my books!”, “Pay to hear my lectures!”, etc.).
That’s not all. Paul went on to say that “he did not seek to extract praise and honor and glory from men, but he behaved gently, was tender (although he might have ruffled some of the Church’s feathers), affectionate, sharing his life with those whom he loved.” Neither did he MOOCH off of nor COLLECT $$ as do these recreants today. Read 1 Thessalonians 2:1-20 in the Amplified Bible. It puts the money grabbers, cynics, charlatans, misfits and devils to shame. I’m sure if Paul or Jesus was here today, their lives and preaching would repel the perverts called “Christians.” Their lives and preachings would be the Gospel, not “natural law,” asceticism, “Political Correctness,” Marxism, humanistic Socialism or any other kind of nonsense. = WOKEISM!
If anything, Paul and the N.T. writers consciously reworked popular philosophies in light of Christian Theology; they certainly did not TRASH the inspired Word for human concepts as do these folks today.
The Stoics used words such as “self-sufficiency” (Gk., autarkeia; see 2 Cor 9:8) and “self-sufficient” (Gk., autarkes; see Phil 4:11), technical terms in Cynic and Stoic dogma “to express the contentment of the ‘wise’ person with a ‘life in accord with nature’ which is achieved by long training and severing any dependence on human society or material goods.” But the Apostle Paul posited for the Christian an autarkeia which is paradoxically a dependent existence flowing from the grace of God. Bible scholar T. Paige points out that “self-sufficiency” / “self-sufficient” (which represented “independence” from material wealth, etc.) as used by the Cynic or Stoic, was represented by Paul as taking its strength “not from resolution of human will but from the assurance of the favor and presence of God alone” (our will submitted to His will = OVERCOMING POWER).
Struggle
PAUL WRITES in 1 Timothy 6:3-12, “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”
Where are those who adhere to Paul’s teaching on this matter? Where are the men/women of God who will “flee from all these things” (referring to the “things” previously mentioned)? And what can the EC-ites say about verse 12- “Fight the good fight of faith”? They are actually struggling AGAINST God and His inspired Word…and seeking to bring others into their sorry camp of rebellion.
Paul’s practice of deliberately using Stoic themes in redefined (Christian) ways was his attempt at-if I can use an overused phrase here “cross-cultural communication.” But Paul was not trying to make Christianity compatible with the world or turn it “modern.” We must be aware not to trash Christianity for modernism. Take music for an example. The Church has taken the “worldly” and “demonic” spirit of today’s music into their “worship” services-Rock-N-Roll, RÁP CRAP!, etc….-calling it all “God’s anointed music.” HA! It is still rooted and grounded in the demonic. “Christian” words do not sanitize those demonic forms of music (NOISE!). Now the EC has taken in just about every demonized kind of philosophy known to man-calling it all “multicultural.”
Philosophers Borrowing?
IT IS debated whether or not the philosophers borrowed from Moses and the prophets. Justin Martyr thinks maybe they did (see JM, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, p. 77). Tatian wrote, “But now it seems proper for me to demonstrate that our philosophy is older than the systems of the Greeks” (Ibid., vol. 2, p. 77; pp. 80-81). Clement of Alexandria wrote, “We may show that the Hebrew philosophy was older by many generations” (Ibid., p. 315; see also pp. 320, 324, 332, 334, 335, 365, 446, 465, 466, 486).
Tertullian writes, “Nor do we need to wonder if the speculations of philosophers have perverted the older Scriptures. Some of their brood, with their opinions, have adulterated our new-given Christian revelation, and corrupted it into a system of philosophic doctrines” (Ibid., vol. 3, p. 52.). Tertullian would faint if he were to read McLaren’s books-which HAVE adulterated God’s Holy Word!
Listen to what Tertullian says here: “In their inquisitive disposition to search into all kinds of learning, the philosophers seem to have investigated the sacred Scriptures themselves because of the antiquity of the Scriptures. And they seem to have derived from them some other opinions. Yet, because they have interpolated these deductions, they prove that they have either despised them [the Scriptures] wholly or have not fully believed them” (Ibid., p. 130).
HELLO EMERGENT CHURCHITES!!