Soli Deo Gloria » Heresy

Rob Bell: A Brother to Embrace, or a Wolf to Avoid?

Jay — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 23:38:45 +0000

John MacArthur has penned an outstanding article on Rob Bell over at Grace To You…

Is Rob Bell truly a Christian, or is he one of those dangerous deceivers Scripture warns us about repeatedly (Acts 20:29; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Colossians 2:8; 2 Peter 2:1; etc.)?

It’s a fair—and necessary—question. Christ’s famous warning about wolves in sheep’s clothing is given to us as an imperative: “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-16). Our Lord clearly expects His true disciples to be able to spot spiritual imposters and wolves in sheep’s clothing—especially those who are purveyors of deadly false doctrines.

Rob Bell certainly fits that category. He relentlessly casts doubt on the authority and reliability of Scripture. He denies the Bible’s perspicuity, disavows its hard truths, and ridicules some of the most important features of the gospel.

Read the rest of this article…

Osteen: Religious Paganism

Osteen: Religious Paganism

Jay — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 02:16:31 +0000

I’ve admired John MacArthur as a pastor and author for many years. He speaks the truth boldly without compromise. He is one of the few Christian men behind the pulpit today that will call out false teachers and in this video clip below he describes Joel Osteen and his teachings as religious paganism and the doctrine of Satan. How’s that for bold! I commend Dr. MacArthur for protecting his flock from these wolves in sheep’s clothing. Pastors and teachers today can learn much from his bold stance. We not only need to preach and teach the full and true counsel of God’s Word but also instruct and edify believers concerning the devices of Satan and the false teachers that permeate radio and television.

Just this evening I was watching Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) as heretic after heretic was begging me to “go to my phone” and sow my $1000 seed so that I would get a blessing from God. What rank heresy! The sad thing is most of these wolves neglect to even put the sheep’s clothing on!

Enjoy this clip from John MacArthur as he quite simply tells it like it is…

Keep a Watchful Eye

Jay — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:00:18 +0000

Why is it that the majority of the church today simply refuse to do this:

“Now I urge you, brethren, keep you eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” Romans 16:17-18

True Revival

10 Indictments Against the American Church

Jay — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:35:23 +0000

Every Christian, especially evangelical pastors, should listen carefully to this sermon. Brother Washer speaks the truth in this passionate call for the American church to wake up. What a wonderful sermon to take the time to watch on this Reformation Day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7wzfvYkCW0

I’ve heard people complain that this sermon is too long. Tally up the time we spend in front of a movie screen or television set and then compare that to the time we give to God in hearing the preaching of His living Word.

The Idolatry of “Decisional” Evangelism and the American Church

Jay — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 19:23:47 +0000

Paul Washer, speaking at the Deeper Conference last weekend, proclaims the truth of the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In this message, he speaks on the condition of the evangelical church today and how far we have fallen in how we handle the gospel and the idolatry of decisional evangelism. This is an excellent message in typical Washer fire and is one that every single pastor in America should hear carefully. This goes along well with an article I posted a few weeks ago on the “Serious Error of Decisional Evangelism“.

[audio:http://www.jaywingard.com/mp3/washerdeeper.mp3]

You can also watch the video of brother Paul at the Deeper conference here.

The Shack – Take Two

Jay — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:29:36 +0000

I’ve already posted a while back on the problems with the popular book “The Shack” that so many professing believers claim to be a wonderful book. In fact, Eugene Peterson, author of the translation weak paraphrase “The Message” claimed it was equal to the classic book, “Pilgrim’s Progress”. I’m sorry, this book comes no where near the theological beauty of “Pilgrim’s Progress”. In fact, it’s at the complete other end of the spectrum with its heretical views of the Trinity.

Dr. Albert Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary says, “This book includes undiluted heresy.” It doesn’t get any clearer than that.

The real truth is that the endorsements of the book from popular musical artists and liberal Christians is just one more indication of the complete lack of spiritual discernment in our world and the condition of the church visible. Maybe pastors should spend more time preaching the gospel and less time endorsing junk like “The Purpose Driven Life” and “The Shack”. It’s so concerning to see the state of the majority of professing believers in America.

Tim Challies has written an update to his review of “The Shack” and it is an excellent, Biblical review. If you or a loved one has this book (and from what I hear some churches are handing this book out like they did the “Purpose Driven Drivel Life”, I urge you to carefully read this excellent review.

So head on over to challies.com and check out the updated review. Tim has also provided his review in an elegant pdf format that you can send to your friends or maybe even your pastor. And while you’re at it grab a copy of Challie’s excellent book on discernment because it is clearly a lack of Biblical discernment that has caused books like “The Shack” to become so popular among the American church.

The Shack – Is It a Healthy Read?

Jay — Sat, 10 May 2008 18:07:33 +0000

“The Shack” by William P. Young is a popular book – a top seller on Amazon.com and unfortunately a book that many young evangelicals are racing to often with support within the Evangelical church. We seem to see a lack of Biblical discernment within the church – often from leadership. Just like Rob Bell, Young’s book attracts the young crowd and just because “everyone is reading it” does not make it a Biblically sound book. “The Shack” has some serious theological problems that include promoting a false view of the Trinity and a heretical concept called modalism.

As I scour the reviews of this book I am amazed at the diverse support for it. There are the so called “heresy-hunters” that most on the liberal front consider “armed and dangerous” with solid doctrine and then there are those on the other end who say, “it’s just a book”.

Some have even be so bold as to compare this book with Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress” for its symbolic imagery. I must disagree with this comparison as the teachings (whether intentional or not) are clearly wrong. William Young’s intentions are probably very noble in his book but that does not excuse the clear theological error the book illuminates. Today’s youth (especially in the evangelical church) are starving for truth and since the church visible seems to refuse to give them solid truth they will turn to popular books like this.

Of all the Christian book reviewers out there I must say Tim Challies always gives a solid, Biblical approach to his reviews. His review of “The Shack” is long and detailed and clearly covers the problems in this book.

Tim Challie’s in his excellent review of this book writes

Overall, I had to conclude that Young has an inadequate and often-unbiblical understanding of the Trinity. While granting that the Trinity is a very difficult topic to understand and one that we cannot know fully, there are several indications that he often blurs the distinct persons of the Trinity along with their roles and their unique attributes. Combined with his novel but unsupported conjectures, this is a serious concern.

If anything, the popularity of this book inside the church shows a constant lack of discernment and the lack of knowledge of core Biblical theology. It is so sad that we do not read our Bibles enough nor do American churches focus on good doctrine so as to equip their flocks to properly discern heresy when they see or read it.

Challies continues:

Because of the sheer volume of error and because of the importance of the doctrines reinvented by the author, I would encourage Christians, and especially young Christians, to decline this invitation to meet with God in The Shack. It is not worth reading for the story and certainly not worth reading for the theology.

Please take a moment to read Tim Challie’s full review of “The Shack”.

It’s time the church was more discerning in what they hear, read and see. There are those out there that will intentionally try and lead people down the wrong path and there are those that unintentionally do. I personally believe that “The Shack” falls into the latter group. But regardless of the intent, bad doctrine is bad doctrine and when it comes to essential doctrinal teachings there is no middle ground.

Update …
This post has gotten so much traffic that I have decided to also include an excellent video by Mark Driscoll on The Shack. He breaks this book down and exposes the theological issues excellently…

Another update:
Dr. Al Mohler has also put together an excellent critical review of this horrible book called “The Shack”.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Oprah and a Call for Discernment

Jay — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:49:09 +0000

It seems lately that the video on YouTube of Oprah (see below) (where she is going on about how there are many ways to God, her endorsement of New Age spirituality through the likes of Eckhart Tolle and a complete attack against Christianity) is now quite popular among emails, etc. It’s a great thing that organizations such as Christian Worldview Network has put together videos that expose the heresies coming out of who many call “the most dangerous woman in America”. Her “church” now has more than 2 millions members through her television and online “ministry” including the new age junk course called “Course on Miracles”.

I have one issue though with many Christians – especially Christian leaders. We are quick to jump on secular leaders such as Oprah the minute they preach heresy. This is all well and much needed. There is plenty of heresy to go around and Oprah is a powerful person with plenty of pull. What I want everyone to consider though is this – what about the charlatans and wolves in sheep’s clothing that stand behind a pulpit and pump out heresy? Which is more dangerous?

To me, Oprah is much like a staunch atheist or a radical new ager. She clearly conforms to postmodern thinking with her “multiple ways” view and like millions of other Americans she is enamored by new age thinking. Should she be rebuked and warned against? Absolutely! Should Christians warn others in love that everything coming out of Oprah’s mouth is heresy? Absolutely. Will Christians do that? Yep! The reason why is because she’s a celebrity. Pastors will find it much easier to tell everyone Oprah is wrong then say, Joel Osteen. Hmmmm….

Here is where we have our dilemma. For years, cable stations such as TBN and INSP have been pumping heresy over the airways from people such as Benne Hinn, Paula White, Mike Murdock, Joyce Meyers, Creflo Dollar, etc. These people I consider more dangerous because they openly and quite strongly confess Christianity. They stand behind pulpits spouting out Scripture twisting it to conform to their heretical teachings while in most mainline churches congregations walk around with their books and materials without any warning because those who discern are fearful of being labeled judgmental.

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons…” 1 Timothy 4:1

This is a call to expose and stand up for the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is attacked from many fronts – some obscurely through doctrine twisting and the health, wealth and prosperity “gospel” and also from the secular front such as through Oprah’s garbage. Christians should be bold in protecting others – staying true to sound doctrine and boldly proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ – the full Gospel – not the watered down “easy-believism” that is taught in most churches today.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4

If anything, my prayer is that the exposure of Oprah’s false teachings will open the eyes of those Christians who are not discerning carefully what they hear – both on TV, radio and especially behind the pulpit of their own church! I pray this will get them into Scripture – daily feeding on the solid food of Scripture. I pray that preachers, pastors and teachers will return to proclaiming the true glorious Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and pray the Spirit will grant true repentance and faith in their churches. What the American church needs today more than ever is a regenerate membership! And most of all a prayer for Jesus to return soon. Maranatha!

Interested in keeping up with all the heresies and mess that is plaguing the church of America? Check out Slice of Laodicea.

For those of you who have not seen the video exposing Oprah’s false teachings, here ya’ go…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgKIkruHZko