We Must Root Out The Heresy Within The Church!

I sometimes struggle with explaining my opinions regarding the Modern American Church. I love seeing those within its walls who are truly seeking a deeper relationship [or even the possibility of a relationship with God]. And I can only speak from my own experience, but at the same time, I am observing more and more, that my history with the Church holds true for many others.

In fact, it was for the very reason of trying to understand the Word that led me to what would become my church for 20 years. I had sporadic introductions to a couple of churches during my childhood and maturing years, but my father's job advancements, and the interruption of college, didn't allow me to sink any kind of taproot in any of those first encounters. And it wasn't until I married, and Mark and I both felt in our spirits that it was time to get serious about being equally yoked in our covenant with God, that we began to earnestly seek Him.

At first, the Pastor at the Church we attended was our primary guide to the Word. He introduced us to a God who was real, not just some distant figure in the sky. I actually heard Him speak to me for the first time in that Church and knew Him as my loving Father in Heaven. Then we graduated from just sitting in the pews each Sunday, to a small group of older and committed Believers that grew us into a deeper connection with Jesus's teachings. They actually took us to a higher level of knowledge in the Bible; providing both historical and spiritual comprehension beyond the 20-minute sermon each Sunday morning. They made it comfortable for us to actually question our understanding without judgment, and challenged us to connect the dots between both Old and New Testament Scripture, so that we could begin forming our own opinions about God's Truth [while lovingly correcting us if we strayed too far from God's inherent purpose in inspiring His Word]. It was an exciting period of growth.

But as we hungered for [and digested] the deeper meanings of God's instructions, we began to discern that we weren't being "filled". We instinctively desired more of Him; a personal relationship, and began to be uncomfortable as our spirits revealed a new and disturbing incursion of a different kind of spirit; one that seemed to be contradicting what the Holy Spirit was teaching us. It began insidiously ... introducing the idea of "progressive theology" to the youth. [Isn't that one of Satan's favorite ways to begin attacking the foundation of anything that restricts his power]?

Mind you, I first began to see these changes in my beloved church 25 years ago, so when I began to question exactly what it meant to say you believed in progressive theology, I got a lot of varying answers. I suspect this movement was so new, that its members hadn't developed a consensus about what it stood for. What little I could find on the internet said they essentially believed in taking care of the planet [worshiping it]; the Bible was not the inerrant word of God, but influenced by men; and that Christians should be open to the idea that God speaks to different faiths in different ways, allowing for diversity in His commandments. When I approached the new pastor of my Church about my concerns over Progressive theology, he said, "Well, to me, it can mean we have moved from church services with a pipe organ, to we now enjoy worship services with electric guitars and modern music". 

Ok, then ... this wasn't exactly what I was looking for, nor did it inspire trust in me that my church was going to facilitate any growth in this new personal relationship with God that I was experiencing. I have since discovered that Progressive Christianity has grown deep roots within the Modern American Church, and has evolved into a major network of professed believers and proponents who have married with traditional Church ideology and theology. I think it is important that we know what they currently stand for, so allow me to give you a quick synopsis.

I have summarized their five Core Principles, and I urge you to read this article that expands on how they are influencing God's Church: 1) They believe that following Jesus can lead to experiencing sacredness, wholeness, and unity of all life, while recognizing that the Spirit moves in many faith traditions. 2) They seek community that is inclusive, honoring differences in theological perspectives, age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, class, or ability. 3) They strive for peace and justice among all people, behaving with compassion and selfless love which is the fullest expression of their belief system. 4) They promote embracing the insights of contemporary science and strive to protect the Earth and ensure its integrity and sustainability. 5) They believe in committing to a path of life-long learning believing that there is more value in questioning than in absolutes. 

As a committed follower of Jesus Christ, the Lord and King of the Universe, my Savior and Redeemer, and the Son of the True [and Most High] God, what I see in these Principles of Progressive Christianity is a belief system that belittles the essence of Jesus. They openly state that they "place equal or greater emphasis on His life and teachings than they do in His Death and Resurrection". Further, they believe in Social Justice [as the world defines it; not as Jesus does]. Science has become an important [and equal] part of their faith, and they believe that "embracing science necessarily means scrutinizing narrative", and that "there is more value in questioning than in absolutes". In other words, science is their idol and it requires that they question God's Word as being absolute; moral relativism has more merit that God's stated Truth. 

Understanding the direction that my Church was heading towards led to the final fracture in my relationship with what I had believed would be my Church for life. It came to a crisis point when a teacher [in a class Mark and I attended, and whom we greatly respected] began bringing teachings by leaders of the Emerging Church into our gatherings. Basically, it was brought to our attention that if you believed Jesus was born of a virgin, that the Word was true and inerrant, or that Jesus knew He was the Son of God, then you were part of the "old paradigm" of the Church. The "new paradigm" understood that the virgin story in the Bible was just an allegory; a lot of the teachings in the Bible were meant to be symbolic, not literal; and that Jesus did not understand who He was until He was hanging on the Cross. 

I couldn't understand why we were studying books of this kind, instead of the Bible. And, our teachings began to settle around themes of a political nature, such as social justice and the use of the death penalty. Let me be clear, our faith should influence our thoughts on these issues -- on every issue in our life -- but what we were seeing in discussions of these issues was designed to influence, and change, our faith!   

My spirit screamed, "HERESY"! At this point, I think it's important that I make clear what heresy means to me. I actually agree with the Greek meaning from the word Hairesis: a choosing; a self-willed opinion which is substituted for submission to the power of truth. According to Paul in Galations 5, it leads to division and the formation of sects: "Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies"... the very things with which Progressive Christianity seeks to label us obedient Christians.  

These were the first examples where I personally saw heresy begin to slip into the Church -- and, again, that was 25 years ago! It has grown and expanded exponentially since then. Within the last couple of weeks an article appeared in Harbinger's Daily, by Ken Ham, [with whom I disagree regarding the topic of young earth vs old earth]. But, on the issue of rejecting Biblical authority, opening doors of compromise, and placing our opinions above God's, we agree. 

Here's what he wrote: "A United Church of Christ minister in LA (who refers to her sermon as heretical, so at least she admits it!) preached: Well do I think that [the resurrection] could have happened and did happen? I believe so ... I feel it probably did. But if I'm scientific or realistic I don't know. And I say that because there's no "proof". Did it really happen? ... Did Jesus really raise from the dead? I don't know. If Jesus didn't physically raise from the dead and ascend, it doesn't change a thing about my love of God and Christ and Christianity ... because I truly believe in my heart of hearts that my faith ... is a resurrection faith.

Ken Ham goes on to say that it should be obvious to any Christian that her refusal to affirm the Resurrection is a problem. After all, her Salvation depends on her affirmation. And here's what I have to say: "No proof"? Faith doesn't require proof! It's our confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we don't see. It involves trusting in God and His promises, even when they are not visible. Her obvious doubt and unbelief [in my opinion] disqualifies her to be a minister in the Church. And I believe she is introducing heresy into her church.

And then there's a second example that Ken Ham provides of heresy: "A Canadian reverend of The Metropolitan Community Church in Toronto, Ontario, preached in a sermon that for 40 years he's wanted his church to remove the "uncomfortable" and problematic" word Savior from the church website as that can be a "stumbling block" to potential visitors and those seeking membership at his church". 

That pastor had this to say: Many, before they come to our church, will check out the website to see what this church is about: so, see what they believe. And many of the folks that did that will tell me, "I looked up your church, and it sounded reasonable, but when I go to that word 'Savior', it was a problem." The pastor went on ... I would hope that someday, this church would see the possibility of changing that word because it is a stumbling block for many who want to be here. It is a stumbling block for people who do interfaith work. How do we explain that phrase to Muslims, and to Jews, and to Hindus"?  

Well, Pastor, here's my answer: You explain that phrase [Savior] as you express the True Gospel of the Bible; the Good News that the One True God of the Universe sent His only Son to earth to receive the wrath that we [that means all of humanity] deserve for rejecting Him and the relationship He established with us from the Garden. He is Holy ... meaning His nature is one of absolute purity and moral excellence. There is no sin in Him, and He expects those that are made in His image to reflect that same righteousness. Because we have inherited sin from humanity's original parents, we cannot attain that righteousness on our own. We are in desperate need of a way to come before our Holy God in submission and righteousness; that necessitates someone to save us from our sinfulness. Jesus is the Way to that reconciliation with our Father. He is our Savior! 

And I would further say this .... interfaith work should not mean acceptance of the "little g" gods of other faiths as equal to our Most High God. So, to find that the connotation of Jesus as our Savior to be "uncomfortable" or "problematic" indicates to me that you are willing to compromise the Truth of who Jesus is, in order to appeal to those who don't believe in Him. And that, Pastor, is heresy in my opinion. 

As I wind up this latest post, I want to reiterate that all this is my opinion. But my opinion is founded on the beliefs expressed through the Holy Spirit and the Bible. I am not a fundamentalist believer -- I recognize that Jesus did not come to establish "the Church" as a regimental force in the world. He did not instruct us to erect buildings and keep our faith to ourselves.  He came to re-establish the relationship He created us for; to express His love for each of us and give us the opportunity to return that love to Him and to walk in that love with our neighbors. Yes, there are absolute moral values that reflect His nature and to which He calls us to follow. And I admit that it is a narrow and often times difficult road to walk -- we don't want to become so religious that we stifle the freedom that Jesus died to give us; but we also don't want to endorse so much freedom in our sins that we allow any and all diverse beliefs to be approved [only to be perverted by the Enemy].

The purpose of this post is to share the heresies that I have witnessed in my journey with the Lord and how they can easily be used to foment lawlessness and corrupt theology. It is important that we defend the Truth and absolute authority of God's Word in the world. Lord, I ask you to guide me in the way to rightly handle Your Truth and to represent You in the world. We need Your heart and Your principles today, Lord! Help us to root out the Satan-inspired heresy that has entered our church buildings, and provide Your inspiration to guide others to righteousness. Amen!

Acts 14-16.   But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So, I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. 

 

Are We the True Biblical "Fig Tree Generation"? And What Does That Mean?

I love it when the House Church that meets in our home comes together and we get immersed in the reading, dissecting, and understanding of the Word! Biblical concepts that we have heard countless times from the pulpit suddenly come alive with new meaning as we study the historical, social, and faith contexts that point us to the promises of God's Kingdom on earth. This past gathering of the faithful was no different.

We are studying the Book of Mark and this week we tackled the enigmatic parable of the Fig Tree and whether we can [or should] identify as "the Fig Tree Generation" that Jesus mentions in Matthew 24, Mark 11, and Luke 21. Before I try to answer that dilemma, let's consider the significant symbolism of the fig tree throughout the Bible. We often find it to be a symbol of the nation of Israel and the promise of abundance, blessings and favor from God. In the Old Testament, [specifically in 1 Kings 4:25] we see fulfillment of those promises in "the days of Solomon": And Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan to Beersheba, every man under his own vine and his own fig tree.

Whether Israel lived in that blessing and favor, OR in judgment or desolation, was evidenced by the fig tree's fruitfulness. In the Book of Jeremiah, in Chapter 6:16-18, we see that the symbolism of the fig tree mirrors God's judgment, when He castigates Israel: Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, "We will not walk in it." I appointed watchmen over you and said, "Listen to the sound of the trumpet!" But you said, "We will not listen." Therefore hear, you nations; you who are witnesses, observe what will happen to them... 

As a consequence, we then see God's judgment play out in Jeremiah 8:13 ... I will take away their harvest, declares the Lord. There will be no grapes on the vine. There will be no figs on the tree, and their leaves will wither. What I have given them will be taken from them. You may think that was over 2600 years ago and it really doesn't pertain to us Christians in the 21st Century. But the same complaints that God had against the nation of Israel in the Old Testament, we see that Jesus had in the New Testament, and I now see in today's Churches. The root of God's judgment is pictured in the parable of the fig tree ... and it's all about spiritual barrenness in the form of False Religion! 

Let's take a good, hard look at what Jesus reveals to His disciples in Mark 11 regarding the condition of the fig tree they found on their way from Bethany to Jerusalem. Remember, this is during the Passover Week leading to Jesus's Crucifixion. After His triumphant Entry into Jerusalem for the Holy Week, Jesus is greeted with resounding shouts of praise: Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!  [By the way, this reception is highlighting the crowd's recognition that Jesus is, indeed, the Messiah]. 

After entering Jerusalem, he went to the Temple where He had a good look around, assessing and inspecting the "standing" of the people. This fulfills the prophecy of Malachi, in Chapter 3:1-3, which states that God would send His messenger to prepare the way for Him. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, He is coming ... But who can endure the day of His coming, and who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap [which cleaned, and whitened, and purified cloth]. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. 

After His inspection, Jesus returns to Bethany, where He and His disciples are staying the night [just a mere two miles from Jerusalem]. The next morning they head back to Jerusalem and on the way Jesus, being hungry, spies a fig tree full of leaves. This is where we need to come into the full understanding of this passage and what it means for us. Fig trees don't normally have leaves on them unless they have figs on them, too. From Jesus's perspective, the fig tree was displaying false advertising! The tree put forth a pretense of having fruit; it had the outward appearance that would cause someone [in this case, Jesus] to expect He would find fruit to nourish Him. But the tree was barren and had not produced any fruit!

Here's where I think some of our Bible translations have caused confusion about the full context of the lesson from the fig tree. For example, how many of us heard in our churches that Jesus cursed the fig tree? Read Mark 11:13-14 again. My Bible doesn't say that. In fact, the Word simply says, And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if He could find anything on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again. That was actually a prayer that Jesus spoke over the tree, which most certainly resulted in a negative outcome, but I do not believe it was spoken as a curse; in malice or spitefulness; but rather as a warning and prophecy of what happens when you falsely represent yourself as being righteous and bearing fruit. Remember -- after inspecting the fig tree and prophesying that it would never bear fruit, the Bible makes sure we know this fact: And His disciples heard it. The disciples must have been thoroughly confused [just as we have been 2000+ years later when we read those verses]!     

The prophecy of Malachi says that the Lord will inspect the standing [the status and reputation] of the "sons of Levi" [the priests] to see if they have fulfilled their role as intermediaries between God and the people, facilitating worship and maintaining the sanctity [sacredness] of the Temple. We all remember the stories from Sunday School of Jesus overturning the tables of the money-changers whom the priests had allowed to defile and dishonor the Temple, making it a marketplace and a den of thieves, rather than a House of Prayer, for which God had designed it. This passage is what immediately follows the short passage about the fruitless fig tree. Starting to get the picture?

If not, read Matthew 24:32-35. Here we get more information about the lesson we are to learn from the fig tree... From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So, also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near, at the very gates. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. This is a very explicit prophecy for "the fig tree generation". 

Let's break it down. When a fig tree buds, there is an inevitable result ... summer is near and that means fruit is coming. In other words, there is an expectation. In the lexicon of parables, He is pointing to the fruitfulness of the Kingdom of God. In this passage in Matthew, Jesus has just foretold the signs of the End of the Age, which also forecasts the Coming of the Son of Man. What are the signs? Matthew 24 spells it out ... many coming in His Name, leading people astray; wars and rumors of wars; nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom; famines, earthquakes, persecution; false prophets and lawlessness; the abomination of a false god standing in the Temple in Jerusalem, declaring Himself the Most High... and finally great tribulation. So when He says to look at the fig tree and understand, and then follows that up with So, also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near... this generation (the one that sees these destructive signs) will not pass pass away until [ultimately] they see His return! That generation will be known as The Fig Tree Generation!  

So when you connect the dots of the picture Jesus is trying to present to His disciples you get this understanding: Jesus is chastising the religious leaders in Jerusalem because [like the fig tree], they have been giving a false pretense of bearing fruit for God's Kingdom on earth. They have done a disservice to the flock by not leading them, or teaching them, that they should be bearing fruit for the Kingdom! Jesus even asks [in Matthew 24:45-46], Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his Master has set over His household, to give them food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his Master will find so doing when He comes.

As an addendum to this exegesis on the Fig Tree Generation, I present my personal opinion... We are certainly seeing the signs of the End of the Age, and now that the Jewish people are back in their Homeland, is Jesus ready to return? And if so, will He find fruit among His followers on the earth? Have our churches borne fruit for His Kingdom? Or, like the Pharisees at His First Coming, will He find lots of leaves [a false pretense of fruit], but no actual fruit? Have the religious leaders of our day taught and encouraged their flocks to make disciples of Christ, teaching them to observe all that He commanded us to do -- heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse the lepers [of their spiritual corruption, degradation, and defilement], raise the dead, and spread the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 10:7-8 and 28:16-20)?

That's a very serious question we should be asking ourselves! Jesus made it very clear what He expects. If you are going to proclaim that you are fruitful [by broadcasting to the world with a grandiose show of worldly leaves], then when He comes, He expects to find fruit from your endeavors! I don't know if we are the destined Fig Tree Generation. We are certainly close to fitting the criteria more than any previous generation. All we need is the Anti-Christ to declare himself the Most High God. And if we are truly that close, I would hope we are all examining ourselves. Have we borne fruit for our Master? Or have we just clothed ourselves in a false image as fruit-bearers? I know what the Lord says to the Churches in Revelation 1-3, and it is sobering. 

In conclusion, the fig tree has proven to be abundant in its symbolism. It represents Israel [in both ancient and modern times]; their prosperity, judgment and hope. And its lessons for Israel give us great insight for our own relationship with God, and of our future. The image of the fig tree represents our faithfulness, our fruitfulness, our readiness for the return of Jesus, and the consequences should we be found spiritually barren. But it also offers us the promises of God and His blessings of inheritance if we show ourselves faithful to do all the things that bear fruit for His Kingdom. May you receive the promises of God's abundance, blessings and favor, as you sit under your own fruitful fig tree.  

Joel 2:22      Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the trees bear their fruit; the fig tree and vine give their full yield.