New faces; same propoganda.
New wording & phrasology; same ideas.
The new, hip thing on the market is the emergent church.
"Everything Must Change" they say. Little did the naive Christian Church realize they intended to literally change everything; from doctrine to morals to fundmental understandings of Christianity.
Brian McLaren, I shutter to even write his name, is reminiscent of the early gnostics. What am I saying? Let me be clear: He is a heretic.
Certainly I realize I am not the first to make such a statement, nor will I be the last. For those who disagree with the statement I would ask this: How much of God's Word can you contradict and still be a Christian?
Emergents are the new liberals! I know they claim to be on some plain of existence all their own, but they are just liberals re-marketed. Same tune; different verse.
For example, their spokeman, Brian McLaren does not believe in Hell. (Just a side note: it does exist. I always find it mildly amusing if not troubling that we so readily embrace the reality of Heaven, but reject the reality of Hell.) Mr. McLaren, join the many liberals of 'modernity' who claimed the same thing!
What about his rejection of substitutionary atonement? John the Baptist knew quickly who Jesus was and what he was about when he said of Jesus in John 1:29 "Behold, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (ESV) Mr. McLaren, just join the many liberals of 'modernity' who also felt the need to do away with the reality of sin by first whittling away at the solution to the problem of sin.
What about his unwillingness to take a stand on important moral issues in which our culture is currently ensnared? Homosexuality for example. In an earlier post I dealt with some of the most contradicted passages of Scripture (see #10). In this article by Brian McLaren, McLaren describes his unwillingness to answer the question of homosexuality for 'pastoral' reasons. This is most troubling because it is not a pastoral response, but a deceptive one which keeps those truly earnest seekers from arriving at the absolute truth that homosexuality is sinful and leads to spiritual death.
In our drive for larger churches, extended fame, growing reputation, and preoccupation with the self; we have abandoned the truth! And as we sink lower into the pit of heresy we now re-label heretical beliefs and attack truth as being something fluid and defined by our own beliefs!?
As Christians our responsibility is not to decide our beliefs, but seek out the truth in God's Word and hold to it unflinchingly!
So, I have finally realized what the emergents have "emerged from": the remains of the old fashion liberal!
So, to all the post-modern-labeled-liberals I say: 'Welcome back.' But know this, truth will always prevail, God has already won, and God's Word has not expired!
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7 comments:
Jared, are you itching for comments, sticking your neck out there and gettin' people flustered?
I'm flustered!
No I'm not!
Driscoll 4 lyfe!! (He's Cool for a Calvinist!)
I agree with Jared (in his Biblical interruption for the most part!), but I think Jared thinks I'm a McLarenite. I'm not, but I think Jared thinks I am.
I love you Jared! Sometimes you make me want to blog again!
To Caleb:
Yes, on itching for comments and sticking my neck out. No, on getting people flustered (unless that leads them to the truth). I do not intend to be controversial, it is just integrated into the connection between keyboard and fingers!
To Brett:
I have been wondering what happened to you in the blog-o-sphere. Missed you. I do not think you are McLarenite. I think Caleb might be, but not you. (You seem to be a more reasonable person.)
By the way, March 2-5 we are having revival at Greensburg with Scott Ferguson. He is an excellent evangelist. If you get a chance, come down on Monday or Tuesday. It will be worth it if you can make it.
To Caleb:
We are also having a post-modern revival service one night where the evangelist dresses like a hippy and says God loves them all no matter what and then chides Christians for being so concerned about living holy lives followed by a declaration that being a "Jesus follower" is less about morals (& the Bible) and more about starbucks coffee and wearing funky eye glasses while telling beggars they are oppressed by the church.
Oh wait, that was sarcastic. We stick to the Gospel.
Disclaimer I have nothing against beggars or starbucks coffee (but those funky new eye glasses are annoying).
I DO know a little about the post-moderns, and I happen to know they HATE starbucks (as well as commercialism).
I caught you in another lie, Jared Henry, better luck next time!
Brett:
That's the funny thing about post-moderns: they don't mind contradicttion in life.
So they can hate Starbucks (as well as commercialism), but go there every day and wear name brand clothing! That's why they are post-modern!
That's why Don Imus in one of his inteviews said (paraphrase): "I did a bad thing, but I am a good guy."
What!? That might make sense to the devil, but try that one on God on judgement day (yes there will be one).
"Sure I lied, cheated, murdered, and had a number of affairs, but if you look past all that, I'm a good guy!"
Just to clear things up . . . let it be known this day: I'm not a McLarenite nor an Emergent Christian (as defined by the Emergent Village).
Secondly, most people who claim to be "postmodern" are really just modern liberals. I'm not Emergent, but I would probably consider myself postmodern.
I didn't realize that there were any non-emergent Nazarenes left. Good to see.
Preston
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