Gospel

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Quotes (862)

Whenever a Church keeps back Christ crucified, or puts anything whatsoever in that foremost place which Christ crucified should always have, from that moment a Church ceases to be useful. Without Christ crucified in her pulpits, a Church is little better than a dead carcass, a well without water, a barren fig-tree, a sleeping watchman, a silent trumpet, a dumb witness, an ambassador without terms of peace, a messenger without tidings, a lighthouse without fire, a stumbling-block to weak believers, a comfort to unbelievers, a hot-bed for formalism, a joy to the devil, and an offense to God.

– J. C. Ryle

1816 – 1900

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Roman Catholicism’s competition in Mexico.

I recently read an article about cults in Mexico that I found absolutely fascinating. It seems that the Roman Catholic organization is experiencing some competition in one of their stronghold nations.

Here’s a quote from the article about the growing worship of fictional drug-trafficking saint, Jesús Malverde:

“The emotional pressures, the tensions of living in a time of crisis lead people to look for symbolic figures that can help them face danger,” says José Luis González, a professor at Mexico’s National School of Anthropology and History who specializes in popular religions. Among the helper figures are Afro-Cuban deities that have recently found their way to new shores and outlaws that have been transformed into miracle workers, like a mythical bandit from northern Mexico called Jesús Malverde. There are even saints from the New Testament repurposed for achieving not salvation but success. In this expanding spiritual universe, the worship of a skeleton dressed in long robes and carrying a scythe—La Santa Muerte—is possibly the fastest growing and, at first glance at least, the most extravagant of the new cults.

There’s a reason for God’s prohibition against graven images and the bowing down to them. Our hearts are truly idol factories and here’s an example of how one such idol was created:

Eligio had been working as a driver in 1976 when he was knifed and shot in a holdup and left for dead. He prayed to Malverde, whose only monument at the time was a pile of rocks where his grave was said to be, promising to erect a proper shrine in Malverde’s honor if the saintly bandit saved his life. When he survived, he kept his word. González appears to have understood that people would grasp Malverde’s real importance only if there were an image of him they could worship, but unfortunately no photograph of Malverde existed—and, in fact, no evidence at all that he’d ever lived. In the 1980s González asked an artisan in the neighborhood to create a plaster bust: “Make him sort of like Pedro Infante and sort of like Carlos Mariscal,” Infante being a famous movie star from Sinaloa and Mariscal a local politician.

And then there’s the skeletal idol of death known as La Santa Muerte reminiscent of the Grim Reaper:

Antonio explains what gives La Santa Muerte her powerful attraction: “La Muerte is always beside you—even if it’s just a little postage stamp that you put up above your cot, you know that she’s not going to move, that she’ll never leave.” . . . El Niño and Antonio say just that La Santa Muerte will grant your prayers—but only in exchange for payment, and that payment must be proportional to the size of the miracle requested, and the punishment for not meeting one’s debt to her is terrible.

I find it ironic that the official position of the Roman Catholic organization is in opposition to the worship of Jesús Malverde and La Santa Muerte when they are one of the worst offenders of idol worship around and seem to have no problem when the idol being worshiped is one that they’ve created.

Mexicans who retain a strong connection to the Roman Catholic faith might turn instead to St. Jude Thaddeus. At a time when no-win situations abound, he is experiencing a rise in popularity comparable only to that of La Santa Muerte, perhaps because he is known in the Catholic Church as the patron saint of desperate causes. . . . St. Jude’s official feast day is October 28, and thousands of his followers feel inspired to come and pray to him on that day every month. Sixteen Masses are celebrated in the parish from dawn to evening, and worshippers crawl to the statue of the saint on their knees, praying for help, protection, and survival.

But let me caution you, before we look down on these souls in Mexico who are steeped in idol worship, let us not forget that we in America are equally as guilty of this sin; our idols just come in different forms (cars, sports, money, status, possessions, self, etc.).

To read the entire National Geographic article (and to view more pictures) visit National Geographic online.

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Did God sin?

This video portrays why my heart grieves for these precious souls and why Mormonism and Christianity never has and never will be compatible.

Source: GodNeverSinned.com

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A biker, an Atheist, a Mormon, and a Muslim walk into a church . . .

Imagine if you will, that you’ve been witnessing to your next door neighbor for years. Let’s call him Bob. Bob is a big burly biker who swears that he’ll never step foot in a church as long as he’s alive.

Then one Saturday night he knocks on your door and tells you that he’s been thinking a lot about life lately and that he’d like to come with you to church the following morning. You try to hide your over-exuberance and tell him it would be your honor and you’d even offer to pick him up.

After Bob leaves, you receive another knock at the door. It’s Adam, one of your other neighbors you’ve been witnessing to. Adam is an Atheist and not only rejects the idea of the existence of God, but in your conversations with him he’s even mocked your faith calling Christianity a “crutch” and a mindless religion best suited for wimps and sissies. So imagine your surprise when he’s on your doorstep and tells you he’d like go to church with you in the morning. After you recover from your shock you tell him you’ll pick him up in the morning.

You go to your bedroom to pray about what has just happened and thank God. And as soon as you get done, you hear another knock on your door. This time it’s your neighbor Mike the Mormon.

In the years you’ve spent sharing the gospel with Mike he’s always objected to Christianity because of the foolishness he used to see in the churches before converting to Mormonism. He tells you that he’s been thinking a lot about your conversations over the years and would like to attend church with you in the morning. After you regain your composure you tell him you’ll pick him up in the morning.

As you’re getting ready for bed the phone rings. It’s Mohammed from work. The Muslim you’ve been witnessing to for years is on the phone asking if he can come to church with you in the morning. Once again, you try to contain your excitement as you tell Mohammed that you’ll pick him up in the morning.

The next morning you arrive at the church with Bob, Adam, Mike, and Mohammed. All of you make your way inside and find seats in the sanctuary.

The pastor gets up and announces that they have a very special guest today. A well-dressed man steps onto the platform and the next thing that you, Bob, Adam, Mike, and Mohammed see is this:

Ingrid Schlueter appropriately asks:

What happened? How did it come to this? What kind of teachings or lack thereof would allow evangelicals to view this as Christian worship? In short, why?

HT: Crosstalk Blog

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Quotes (856)

Let us often ask ourselves whether we are doing good or harm in the world. We cannot live to ourselves, if we are Christians. The eyes of many will always be upon us. Men will judge by what they see, far more than by what they hear. If they see the Christian contradicting by his practice what he professes to believe, they are justly stumbled and offended. For the world’s sake, as well as for our own, let us labor to be eminently holy. Let us endeavor to make our religion beautiful in the eyes of men, and to adorn the doctrine of Christ in all things.

– J. C. Ryle

1816 – 1900

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Get good books into the hands of African pastors.

Want to help get doctrinally sound theology books into the hands of pastors in Africa? Here are two ways:

1). There’s the Portuguese Adopt a Pastor program for Mozambique, Africa (along with video introduction) here.

2). You can also support indigenous pastors in Liberia, Africa with books and other resources and learn more about the work of Village Church Planters by visiting their website here.

Not only are they desperate for help in sound doctrinal teaching, and not only are they in a spiritual battle against native pagan religions and the spread of Islam, but they also have the proliferation of cults to tend with (for more on cults in Africa see the Africa Center for Apologetics Research). These pastors are poor and can’t afford to attend the conferences that pastors in the West attend, nor can they afford to purchase the theological books that line our bookshelves and that we take for granted.

Will you consider helping the saints today?

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Quotes (855)

John MacArthur The charismatic movement is largely the reason the church is in the mess it’s in today. In virtually every area where church life is unbiblical, you can attribute it to the charismatic movement. In virtually every area — bad theology, superficial worship, ego, prosperity gospel, personality elevation — all of that comes out of the charismatic movement.

– John MacArthur

HT: The Paper Thin Hymn

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The lie of LDS unity.

If I had a nickel for every time a Mormon cited Christendom’s presence of denominations as proof that Christianity is apostate while citing their Mormon unity as proof that they’re the one true church, I’d have . . . well, an awful lot of nickels.

Chances are, if you’ve ever engaged Mormons in a debate you too have experienced this erroneous LDS apologetics tactic. But do not feel at a loss on how to cut through this smokescreen, for below is a list posted by 4 Mormon.org citing the plethora of Mormon splits, divisions, and denominations.

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MORMON SPLINTER GROUPS

Sects that broke away from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Proponents of the Salt Lake City based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as LDS or Mormons) boast of the alleged “unity” of their 12 million membership. Pointing to multiple denominations of Christian churches, Mormons attribute their “unity” (i.e., uniform church structure and belief) to latter-day revelation and to additional books they regard as Scripture.

They challenge the potential convert to read and pray about the Book of Mormon in order to gain a “testimony” of the truthfulness of the book. This “testimony” (consisting of a “burning in the bosom” sensation) is alleged to be the main test for determining whether the potential convert should become a member of the LDS Church. Given the fact that over 100 splinter groups have developed on the foundation of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, we question the validity of the Mormon “testimony” in solidifying the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the sole possessor of the “restored gospel.” Since all of these movements base their authority on the Book of Mormon and the Prophet Joseph Smith, how can a “testimony” gained through praying about the Book of Mormon be sufficient to prove which church of all of these movements one should join? The following list of dissident groups is taken from the book Divergent Paths of Restoration:

FOUNDED BETWEEN 1830 AND 1844

  • Pure Church of Christ, Wycam Clark, 1831
  • The Independent Church, Hoton, 1832
  • Church of Christ, Ezra Booth, 1836
  • Church of Christ, Warren Parrish, 1837
  • The Church of Jesus Christ, the Bride, The Lamb’s Wife, George M. Hinkle, 1840
  • Church of Christ, Hyrum Page, 1842
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, F. Gladden Bishop
  • True Church of Jessu Christ of Latter Day Saints, Law, Foster, Higbee, 1844
  • Church of Christ, William Chubby

NON-EXTANT MOVEMENTS FOUNDED 1844-1860

  • Church of Christ / Church of Jesus Christ of the Children of Zion, Sidney Rigdon, 1844
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, James Emmett, 1844
  • Church of Christ, S. B. Stoddard, Leonard Rich, James Bump, 1845
  • Indian Mormon, 1846
  • Church of Christ, William McLellin, David Whitmer, 1847
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, William Smith, 1847
  • Congregation of Jehovah’s Presbytery of Zion, Charles B. Thompson, 1848
  • Church of Christ, James C. Brewster, 1848
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Lyman Wight, 1849
  • The Bride, The Lamb’s Wife or Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Jacob Syfritt, 1850
  • Church of Christ, Hazen Aldrich, 1851

EXTANT MOVEMENTS

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, James J. Strang, 1844

  • Church of Christ, Aaron Smith, 1846
  • Church of the Messiah, George J. Adams, 1861
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
  • Holy Church of Jesus Christ, Alexandre R. Caffiaux
  • House of Ephraim and House of Manasseh of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Jerry Sheppard
  • The True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, David L. Roberts
  • Marriage Counseling Group
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, John J. Hajicek
  • Strangite Believers in Pennsylvania

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brigham Young, 1847

  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or Church of the First Born, Joseph Morris, 1861
  • The Prophet Cainan or Church of Jesus Christ of the Saints of the Most High God, George Williams, 1862
  • Morrisite Group, John Livingston, 1864
  • Church of Zion, William S. Godbe, 1868
  • Church of the First Born, George S. Dove, 1874
  • Priesthood Groups (Fundamentalists), 1890
  • United Order of Equality, Ephraim Peterson, 1909
  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Israel, J. H. Sherwood
  • Order of Aaron, Maurice L. Glendenning
  • Church of Freedom of Latter Day Saints, 1950s
  • Zion’s Order of the Sons of Levi, Marl V. Kilgore, 1951
  • The Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times, Joel F. LeBaron
  • The Church of the Firstborn, Ross W. LeBaron, 1955
  • Perfected Church of Jesus Christ of Immaculate Latter Day Saints, William C. Conway, 1958
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, John Forsgren, 1960
  • Church of Jesus Christ, William Goldman, 1960
  • LDS Scripture Researchers/Believe God Society, Sherman Russell Lloyd, 1965
  • The Church of the Body and of the Spirit of Jessu Christ, Max Powers, 1965
  • United Order of the Saints of Guadeloupe, Michel Gamiette, 1966
  • United Order of the Family of Christ, David E. Desmond, 1966
  • Split from Zion’s Order of the Sons of Levi, Eldon Taylor, 1969
  • Homosexual Church of Jesus Christ, Denver, Colorado, 1972
  • Latter Day Saints Church, N.S. Park, 1972
  • The Church of the Lamb of God, Ervil M. LeBaron, 1972
  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Mikhail Krupenia, 1972
  • The New Jerusalem Group, Kathryn Carter, 1972
  • The Watchmen on the Towers of Latter Day Israel, Miltenberg, Braun, 1973
  • Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly, Alexnader Joseph, 1974
  • Evangelical Church of Christ, Church of the New Covenant in Christ, John W. Bryant, 1974
  • Split form Zion’s Order of the Sons of Levi, Barton Kilgore, 1975
  • Affirmation, 1975
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Robert Simons, 1975
  • Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times, Bruce Wakeham, 1975
  • Aaronic Order Break-off, 1977
  • Christ’s Church, Inc., Gerald Peterson, 1978
  • Church of Jesus Christ, Art Bulla, 1978
  • The Restorers or School of the Prophets, Robert C. Crossfield, 1979
  • Zion’s First International Church, LeeAnn Walker, 1980
  • The Free Will Mormon Church, Franklin Lee Coleman, 1980
  • Church of Jesus Christ, Jorge Mora, 1981
  • Sons Ahman Israel, Davied Israel, 1981
  • Samoan LDS Church, New Zealand, 1981
  • The Millennial Church of Jesus Christ, Leo P. Evoniuk, 1981
  • Peyote Way Church of God, Immanuel P. Trujillo, 1981
  • The Chruch of Jesus Christ of the Saints in Zion, Ken Asay, 1984
  • Break from the Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly, 1984
  • Church of Jesus Christ of All Latter-day Saints or Restoration Church of Jesus Christ, Antonio A. Feliz, 1985
  • Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints, Robert P. Madison, 1985
  • Church of Christ the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times, Siegfried J. Widmar, 1985
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Fundamentalists, Wight Family, 1985
  • Mormon Fundamentalists, England, Alan and Marian Munn, 1986
  • Churchof Jesus Christ Omnipotent, 1987
  • Community of Zion, Central Utah Division
  • Church of the First Born, General Assembly

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Church of Jesus Christ, Alpheus Cutler, 1853

  • Church of Jesus Christ, Clyde Fletcher, 1953
  • The Restored Church of Jesus Christ, Eugene O. Walton, 1979

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1851-1860

  • Church of the Christian Brotherhood, Richard C. Evans, 1917
  • The Church of Christ, the Order of Zion, John Zahnd, 1918
  • The Church of Jesus Christ, Thomas W. Williams, 1925
  • Church of Jesus Christ Restored, Stanley M. King, 1970
  • New Jerusalem Church of Jesus Christ, Barney Fuller, 1975
  • Church of Christ Restored, Paul Fishel, 1976
  • True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Forrest Toney, 1980
  • Church of the Restoration or Churches of Christ in Zion, Robert Chambers, 1981
  • Lamanite Ministries for Christ or New Covenant Ministries for Christ, 1984
  • Restoration Branches Movement, 1984
  • Church of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, A. Lee Abramson, 1985
  • Church of Jesus Christ, Zion’s Branch, John Cato, 1986
  • Church of Christ, David Clark, 1986
  • Independent Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Christopher C. Warren, 1986
  • Native Indian Church

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Church of Jesus Christ, William Bickerton, 1862

  • Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ, Allen Wright, 1907
  • Primitive Church of Jesus Christ, James Caldwell, 1914

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of Church of Christ (Temple Lot), Granville Hedrick, 1863

  • Church of Christ, Independent, Informal, Frank F. Wipper, 1927
  • The Church of Christ, Otto Fetting, 1929
  • Church of Christ, P.A. Ely, 1929
  • Church of Christ, C.W. Humphrey, 1929
  • Church of Christ, Samuel Wood, E.J. Trapp, 1930
  • Church of Christ (Restored), A.C. DeWolf, 1936
  • Church of Christ, E. E. Long, Thomas Nerren, 1936
  • Church of Christ, Paul Hilgendorf, 1942
  • The Church of Christ With the Elijah Message, W. A. D. Draves, 1943
  • Church of Christ, Pauline Hancock, 1946
  • Antarctica Development Interests or the New American’s Mount Zion, John Leabo, 1955
  • Church of Christ at Zion’s Retreat, Gerald Hall, 1973
  • The Church of Israel, Dan Gayman, 1973
  • Break from the Church of Christ (Hancock), Davison, Michigan, 1973
  • The Church of Christ, Restored Gospel 1929, 1985
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Seizing the crumbs hurled from the celebrity table.

Ingrid Schlueter hits the nail on the head with her article (reprinted in its entirety below) about pop sensation Justin Bieber and the Christian conservatives who now have a “legitimate” reason to fawn over him because of his announcement that he’s opposed to abortion.

I suppose that since Bieber has been Christianized merely because he’s pro-life and claims to be a Christian (even though he’s not opposed to sex outside of marriage) there’s no longer a need to come up with a Christian version of Biebler for Christian preteens to idolize as has been done in this video.

At the end of her piece Ingrid links to a Christianity Today article that asks:

Has your pastor caught Bieber fever? Your preteen daughter surely knows that Justin Bieber’s first feature film is opening this Friday, Feb. 11, in theaters everywhere. But does your pastor know? Or your church’s youth leaders?

Why? Why is the “church” so fascinated with all things worldly? Why is the “church” always found singing the same songs of the world, watching the same movies of the world, dressing in the same fashions of the world, placing the same level of interest in the celebrities of the world, and having the same worldview of the world? Aren’t we supposed to be separate? Aren’t we commanded to not love the world and the things in the world (James 4:4 and 1 John 2:15-16)?

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Bieber Fever Strikes Conservatives

by Ingrid Schlueter

It doesn’t take much to impress conservatives these days. It doesn’t matter if you stand on a stage with only postage stamps for a covering as long as you state your support for family values. Just ask Carrie Prejean, Miss USA from a couple of years ago, who overnight became the instant pin-up girl for conservatives who were sent into spasms of delight as she defended traditional marriage while flaunting her surgically enhanced bosom. (This was before the sex tape scandal came out.)

Another nearly naked values warrior, Teresa Scalan, strutted her stuff in a black bikini and then warmed the hearts of (mostly male) conservatives nationwide after she announced she was headed to a Christian college. She gave God the credit for her winning the Miss America pageant. News comment sections were immediately filled with conservative wolf-whistles. “Another red-hot Republican babe ready to launch,” crowed one devoted fan.

Now conservatives have really hit the jackpot as Justin Bieber, adolescent pop star, announced in a Rolling Stone interview that he was opposed to abortion. That’s all it took for pro-life groups to vault him to the top of their lists within hours. Press releases were immediately forthcoming as pro-lifers eagerly claimed him as their own.

But wait! In the same interview in Rolling Stone, Bieber was asked about his views on sex before marriage. In that Bieber identifies as an evangelical Christian, it was a valid question, and given the millions of hormonally-charged females biting their fists worldwide at his photo, an interesting one. But Bieber disappoints.

“I don’t think you should have sex with anyone unless you love them. … I think you should just wait for the person you’re … in love with,” he said.

In that babies conceived out of wedlock are at the highest risk of being murdered in the womb, Bieber’s views on premarital sex are hardly conservative and hardly helping the pro-life cause.

That hasn’t stopped pro-life groups from seizing at this crumb hurled from the celebrity table, regardless of how contradictory his interview was.

When naked beauty queens and boy pop stars not old enough to shave are seen as bright lights in the conservative values crusade, our problems in this country are clearly deeper than abortion.

As a side note, Christianity Today Entertainment (you read that correctly) last week asked readers if their pastors and churches were getting “Bieber fever?” Undoubtedly they are. God has given American evangelicals the kind of leadership they crave: girly men whose god is their own reflection.

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See DefCon’s previous related post The idolatry of celebrity worship: Giving to man what rightly belongs to God.

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A video for Nikki.

In response to Chuck Smith’s worldly and utterly unbiblical counsel to Nikki, I offer this video of baby Elliot who (according to doctors) wasn’t supposed to make it to birth. I pray that this video finds its way to Nikki before it’s too late.

First posted on DefCon on July 7, 2008

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Quotes (852)

Gary Gilley The primacy of the Word of God during [the early decades of the 1700s] was seen in the highly doctrinal sermons, which were addressed to both the heart and the mind. The plain-style worship services ensured that the focus was neither on the minister nor on the surroundings but on the God who addressed them in the Word.

– Gary Gilley

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Unbelievable abortion counsel from Calvary Chapel’s Chuck Smith.

Chuck Smith’s advice: God will be with you while you kill your child and He won’t condemn you for it.

Voddie Baucham’s reaction to this ungodly counsel (from Facebook):

I must admit that this one made me ANGRY! I’m on the road preaching at a pro-life banquet and someone sent me this YouTube video of Chuck Smith (founder of Calvary Chapel) giving abortion advice that made me want to throw something (or someone). This woman is agonizing right now over this decision, and a pastor just told her Jesus would be alright with her killing her children. Please pray for her.

Here is a video for Nikki to help encourage her to do the right thing in her decision; and this same video is for Chuck Smith to encourage him to repent and retract his worldly, unbiblical position:

A video for Nikki

 

 

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Sermon of the week: “A Final Word” by Angelo Sanchez.

What message would you deliver to your congregation if it was your final sermon after twenty years as their pastor?

Find out what candid words of exhortation and warning Pastor Sanchez has for not only his congregation but also for the pastor taking his place in the message A Final Word.

This message delivered to his congregation after two decades of service is very revealing and should be heard by all pastors and their congregations, especially new pastors entering into ministry.

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Quotes (851)

I feel it a duty to bear my solemn testimony against the spirit of the day we live in, to warn men against its infection. It is not Atheism I fear so much, in the present times, as Pantheism. It is not the system which says nothing is true, so much as the system which says everything is true. It is not the system which says there is no Savior, so much as the system which says there are many saviors, and many ways to peace! It is the system which is so liberal, that it dares not say anything is false. It is the system which is so charitable, that it will allow everything to be true. It is the system which seems ready to honor others as well as our Lord Jesus Christ, to class them all together, and to think well of all. It is the system which is so careful about the feelings of others, that we are never to say they are wrong. It is the system which is so liberal that it calls a man a bigot, if he dares to say, “I know my views are right.” This is the system, this is the tone of feeling which I fear in this day, and this is the system which I desire emphatically to testify against and denounce. From the liberality which says everybody is right, from the charity which forbids us to say anybody is wrong, from the peace which is bought at the expense of truth – may the good Lord deliver us!

– J.C. Ryle

1816 – 1900

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Quotes (850)

A W PinkA preacher may induce a man to believe what Scripture says about his lost condition, persuade him to bow to the divine verdict, and then accept Christ as his personal Savor. No man wants to go to Hell, and if he is assured intellectually that Christ stands ready as a fire escape, on the sole condition that he jump into His arms (“rest on His finished work”), thousands will do so. But a hundred preachers are unable to make an unregenerate person realize the dreadful nature of sin, or show him that he has been a lifelong rebel against God, or change his heart so that he now hates himself and longs to please God and serve Christ. Only the Spirit can bring man to the place where he is willing to forsake every idol, cut off a hindering right hand, or pluck out an offending right eye (see Matthew 5:27-30).

– A.W. Pink

1886 – 1952

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Glenn Beck’s Trojan Horse.

Last year, Mormon radio host Glenn Beck swept the conservative political movement off its feet (and many Evangelical Christians as well) with his Divine Destiny rally.

At that time (and since) many non-discerning Christians have embraced Glenn Beck as a brother in Christ and have even made excuses and justifications for his Mormon theology (a theology that’s antithetical to biblical Christianity).

But now, while Beck’s Trojan Horse sits benevolently within the walls of Evangelicalism, the trapdoor on the underbelly of the wooden horse is opening to reveal its contents . . . and it isn’t pretty.

Brannon Howse has written an article on Beck’s new book (co-authored by Keith Ablow).  The book, entitled The 7 Wonders That Will Change Your Life, has revealed Beck’s New Age leanings. And judging by the quotes cited from Beck’s book, it makes Joel Osteen’s Your Best Life Now look like a doctrinally sound tome of deep Christian theology.

Below are some of the quotes from Beck’s book that I obtained from Brannon Howse’s article (you can read the entire exposé here.)

I can’t help but wonder if the Mormon organization is going to publicly renounce the New Age teachings in Beck’s book (and discipline Beck), and I wonder if the Christians who supported Beck–claiming that he was indeed a Christian–are going to retract their support (or at least distance themselves).

Page 154:

“As Keith likes to say, ‘There’s no original sin left in the world. Everyone’s just recycling pain now.'”

Page 165:

“People are inherently good.”

Page 157:

“Finding what worked for me made all the difference. Finding what works for you will do the same.”

Page 162:

“There is no infant delivered evil, out of the womb. There never has been. Not even one…Charles Manson was not born evil. Ted Bundy wasn’t. The BTK killer wasn’t. Hitler wasn’t.”

Page 149:

“Latter-day Saints do not believe that your chances ever cease, even with death. They end only with the full understanding and denial of truth by your own exercise of real free will. And even then there is no ‘lake of fire.'”

Page 149-150:

“I questioned everything I could think to question about the faith. I went over my doubts again and again with the church bishop. I read everything there was to read on their website and every word of Mormon Doctrine…I went to anti-Mormon literature for hints, but I found most of it to be unfair or just plain wrong. I tried every trick I could think of to find a contradiction. The problem was that I couldn’t. Mormonism seemed to explain the world and my place in it better than any other faith I had looked at.”

Page 132:

“Pray to whatever higher power you believe in…Praying that God or Nature or the Cosmos or your own internal, immeasurable reservoir of spirit allows you the courage and faith to find and then face the truth…”

Page 74:

“Just be sure you visit with a minister or therapist from a religion or healing discipline you actually have affinity for, or suspect you might.”

Page 57:

“The third chapter of Exodus helped me start to understand how crucial it was that my focus be on finding God not just in the seas or the cosmos, but in myself.”

Page 58:

“If God is everything and everywhere and inside everyone, then I figured He had to be inside me, too…”

Page 71:

“Divine power is still inside you.”

Page 283:

“Reach out to people to steady them and enrich them and reflect back to them the light that comes from God inside them.”

Page 254:

“You won’t doubt your ability to achieve what you want to achieve in this life because you won’t doubt that God is not only by your side, but inside you.”

Page 79:

“You have a polestar inside you. It is connected with all the energy in the universe. When you begin to follow that star you align yourself with immeasurable, inexplicable forces that will actually help you manifest your best intentions.”

Page 85:

“As you commit to unlocking and bringing forth the truth inside you, don’t be afraid to pray for help. Don’t be reticent to sit with yourself in silence and meditate. Connect with the miracle of spirit, of God, that has lived inside you from long before you were born.”

Brannon Howse also aptly observes Beck and Ablow’s common application of terms of subjective truth:

Beck’s book uses the phrase “Your truth” or “your true path” or “my truth” at least 23 times. Here are a few examples:

“It is never too late to embrace your truth.” (Page 124)

“What is your truth whispering?” (Page 130)

“Use compassion to stay on the path to your own truth… (Page 161)

“…determination to unearth and embrace my truth.” (Page 215)

“The fact that I am always attempting to honor my truth… (Page 216)

“There is only your truth.” (Page 220)

“You must use courage and faith to empty the hard drive of your soul and then fill it with your truth.” (Page 288)