Mom4Truth

Bright lights, adult theaters, jumping hot spots for socializing (among other things), fast cars, high rollers lots of fun and excitement to be had “On Broadway”. Now that’s the life, huh? “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:” Matthew 7:13.

There’s a Broadway in every town, in every community, in every nation. And I’m not talking about the street called Broadway, although many have become trapped and lost on that street. No, what I’m talking about is the Broadway Jesus speaks of as a particular path that each of us must choose to walk or avoid. It’s actually a simple path to follow. That’s why so many end up there. Fun, thrills, games of all kinds. A plethora of perversions and distractions from the woes of life can be found “On Broadway”.

What is the Broadway? It’s interesting when we look at the Greek word it actually means spacious, there seems to be no limitations on just how many people Broadway will accommodate. Any decision we make or any path we take which opposes Jesus Christ is the Broad-way that leadeth to destruction, and that my friends is just a simple fact.

There are many cults circulating the globe which teach their followers concepts that are diametrically opposed to God’s inerrant word, and those teachings culminate “On Broadway”. When someone says “There are many paths that lead to Heaven”, that’s Broadway. “All religions claim their own path to Heaven, Christianity is no different,” that’s Broadway. “I’m basically a good person; God won’t send me to Hell”, Broadway. “I don’t believe in God, or Satan, or Heaven and Hell”, okay, everybody say it together, Broadway.

Even in Christian colleges there are those who conspire with Satan to lead their students to Broadway. Anyone who teaches contrary to God’s word is conspiring with Satan. Satan, the father of all lies, invented the lie “…ye shall not surely die ” Genesis 3:4. In other words he called God a liar. That is precisely what we see happening whenever a pastor or college professor tells their parishioners or young impressionable students God didn’t really mean what He said. I’ve received letters from students confirming this to be the case. Be careful where you send your children for a Christian education. Many Christian colleges have successfully robbed that name from God and are currently well entrenched on Broadway.

A dear sister in the Lord recently wrote to me about the co-pastor “a woman” at her Church who line item vetoes verses from God’s word which she doesn’t like – Broadway.  

Many Christian denominations come close to Broadway because they won’t recognize Israel’s legitimate claim to the land God gave them. “The Church has replaced Israel in God’s eyes”, that’s Broadway. God never reneges on a covenant. Those covenants He made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David are binding. Refusing to accept the truth of those covenants and thinking the Church has now replaced Israel in God’s eyes is just another way to call God a liar – Broaaadwaaay.

“Jesus is not God” – Broadway. “Jesus was a good teacher but He didn’t die on a cross or arise from the grave”, do you get the feeling Broadway’s filling up fast? Are we beginning to see why the Broadway is so easily followed yet so destructive? And why Jesus says many will enter thereat? There are so many lies infiltrating the minds of men that over time the truth of God’s word becomes diluted, and of non-effect.

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:8. The word “spoil” above actually means to give place to. In other words, when man gives place to the doctrines of men instead of adhering to God’s word – Broadway.

Today we see many doctrines of men being adhered to in the church. One which is a sure path to Broadway is by adding to the sufficiency of the cross. This concept, in effect, is saying Jesus didn’t pay the whole price for my sins so I must perform my own works, such as being baptized to complete the process, or I must speak in tongues, or be a member of a certain congregation… these doctrines of men (lies) go on and on. Instead of being saved by grace through faith, according to man’s doctrines , faith alone just won’t do.  This lie will lead people away from believing that through faith in Jesus Christ are we saved by God’s grace. Ultimately many who go to Church to find the truth only find Broadway.

When believers in Christ fail in their assigned task of spreading the Gospel of Christ, Satan will take full advantage of that failure, and he has. Besides all the Christian cults, and demon possessed professors, many of our Christian leaders are vacillating when it comes to standing firm on the word of God. When the scriptures are allegorized, marginalized, or even discounted as mere fables by pastors and teachers, Satan gets elevated. This very real satanic promotion has and will in the future lead many to – Broadway.

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Matthew 7:15. Basically liars, these are men and women who have perfected the skill of lying to an art. They’ve made their father the devil proud. The only way any of us can keep from participating in their dance, “the Broadway shuffle”, is by being ever diligent in our studies of and believing in God’s inerrant word. God warns us again and again about liars. Sadly many just don’t pay attention or they don’t believe Him, and of course yet another path to Broadway.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6. Of course this claim by the Creator of the universe is widely disputed among false religions, and even many so called Christian college professors; thus this disputed truth has been responsible for more people wondering onto Broadway than almost any other lie promoted by Satan.

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:14. Here Jesus drives home a fact. “Few” is His word when referring to just how many will eventually follow Him. The Greek word “oligos” can be translated as: little, small, few, or slight. In other words we’re looking at a Greek word which, when used in the above context, represents a very slight numerical value. God is telling us in no uncertain terms that huge multitudes of folks will find Broadway much more advantageous than to accept the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Just who are these people? Well, some of them you know. Some may even be related to you.

I don’t know about the rest of you but when I read God’s word about how few enter in through the narrow way (Jesus Christ) vs. the many that will go through the broad way (the path that leads to Hell) it’s not only sad but depressing. But imagine how our Creator God must feel when even one of His creation rejects His Son? God offers all of humanity a free gift of salvation, yet He tells us that Broadway will be packed. What a sad commentary as we see multitudes upon multitudes of deceived folks looking to Broadway (Hell) for their eternal future.

God knows something none of the rest of us can ever know. He, being outside of the restraints of time and space, has a unique advantage over us. He can see the beginning of all things as well as the end of all things simultaneously. This unique advantage allows Him to make statements such as “few there be that find it” (that is the narrow way – Jesus Christ), and “broad is the way that leads to destruction” (Satan’s way – Hell). God knew, even before He created the universe, who would believe in and follow His only begotten Son, and who would take the Broadway turnoff. This in no way diminishes our responsibility to choose for ourselves which path to take. 

Yep, Broadway is a turnoff in more ways than one. It means going against the truth. It’s a deliberate choice that folks make to stand in complete rebellion against their Creator. The lies which the enemy supplies to all humanity are damning and he knows it. Satan cannot see the beginning from the end and thus all he can do is work day and night to corrupt God’s creation. Satan is a very powerful and intelligent supernatural being but he can’t hold a candle to God; as hard as the enemy tries to usurp God, God never loses control. But He, being the loving gracious God He is, will never force anyone to avoid Broadway. He gives us direction through His word and has placed the Holy Spirit on earth to guide us to Jesus Christ, but the final choice to follow Christ or to jump “the Broadway train” is entirely our domain.

Jesus gave us those verses in Matthew 7 as a warning to all who wish to occupy eternity with Him. He’s telling us that there will be much obstruction ahead (that’s another commentary), but the simple way will be the Broad way. The narrow way, which is only through Jesus Christ, leads to life, “and few there be that find it”.

Should we think that the more the lost see Christians being persecuted for their faith the better Broadway will look to them? Not hardly. Foxe’s “Book of Martyrs” tells of millions of early Christians being persecuted and executed, but they remained steadfast in their faith. He describes many scenes of Christians as they are being eaten by beast or burned at the stake all the while their faces resembled angels. It was as though they were looking at Jesus and He had given them a peace to endure the pain. These martyrs, by holding fast to their faith, are prime examples of how the Church, though hugely persecuted, grew to the size it is today.

The lies which permeate our current Christian culture are, on many occasions, voiced by those who over the years have gained our trust. During the dark times of persecution which are surely coming what can we expect from these fearless leaders? A new mantra of political correctness. The old adage “if you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen” is changing. Many of our Christian leaders today simply turn down the heat (water down the word of God). Christianity is currently perceived as politically incorrect; therefore many Christian leaders are simply falling in line with what society wants. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4. And what will those itching ears, and fables get them? Broadway.

Salvation through Jesus Christ alone is becoming more and more unpopular. The Muslims hate us for what we preach, and yes I mean all Muslims. There is no such thing as a moderate Muslim. They wish to inculcate Sharia Law across the globe and here in America the religion of Islam is spreading like wildfire. One main obstruction to their achieving their goal is Christianity; it must be eliminated so they can proceed with their agenda. Oh, and by the way, Islam and it’s 1.5 billion adherents – Broadway!!

Broadway is Satan’s undisputed path. Is it easy? Is it comfortable? Is it fun? Some may think so, but it’s actually deadly and Satan knows it. Satan hates humans, he even hates those who openly worship him as their god. It is not in his character to be benevolent. He is determined to lead and guide, through whatever deception seems to fly, as many people as he can down – to Broadway.

Jesus admonishes us to enter through the straight gate and narrow way which at this point in time obviously remains open. If this were not the case He would have shut the door and taken us home by now. Consequently there must still be time and room for anyone who chooses Him, albeit precious little time remaining. 

Therefore we, as His followers, still have work to do. We are to hold fast to the faith ‘til He comes. We are to spread the good news of His Gospel to the world. We are to make disciples of all nations. And we are to do all this no matter how much persecution comes our way.

Question: Is the straight gate and the narrow way the only path to Heaven? Give that some real thought before you answer. Are there other roads that lead to the Father? If you believe, as many do, that there are many roads that lead to Heaven then you’ve just called Jesus Christ a liar and your future is secure – On Broadway.

“But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” 1 Timothy 2:12-14.These Bible verses have certainly seen their fair share of controversy over the years. Battles rage over just exactly what Paul meant here and was he just speaking culturally to those folks at that particular time in history? For the answer to that question the Apostle Paul takes us clear back to the book of Genesis.

Many people don’t really have a clue about the deception that took place in the Garden of Eden. “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Genesis 3:1. First of all we must ask the question “Why did the serpent (Satan) seek out the women to confront with his lies instead of Adam?” Satan brought his temptation against the woman because he perceived she was more vulnerable to attack. This is because she did not receive the command to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil directly from God, but through Adam. 

“And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:15-17. God gave the clear command to Adam. Then, when God created Eve, Adam made God’s prohibition of that particular tree and fruit clear to her. But Eve probably didn’t really pay all that much attention to Adam when he passed on God’s command not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because when the serpent (Satan) questioned Eve as to whether or not God said they couldn’t eat of the fruit of that tree, she responded with “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” Genesis 3:2-3.

We must take notice of the fact that Eve’s knowledge seems to be lacking. She doesn’t name the tree of whose fruit she and Adam were to abstain from eating.

Actually, Eve’s first mistake was in carrying on a discussion with Satan. “The Lord rebuke you” should be our only words as we address Satan. As we can see, Eve’s apparent lack of knowledge makes her all the more vulnerable to deception. She then went from bad to worse as she misquoted the command God gave to Adam. Her words, “Ye shall not eat of it” and “lest ye die” are close enough, but she added to the command and put words in God’s mouth when she said, “neither shall ye touch it.” The major consequence we see that arises from putting words in God’s mouth is we begin to teach the doctrines of men as if they are the commandments of God. “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:9. It’s interesting just how many of mans idiosyncrasies have become doctrinal mandates in our Churches today.

Secondly, Eve was deceived but her husband was not deceived “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” 1 Timothy 2:14. Satan perceived Eve to be the weaker link in the chain and so he approached her with his lies, sure enough she fell into transgression.

By taking us back to the beginning, Paul precludes any arguments that might arise concerning women teaching or usurping the authority of men as being a cultural issue of that society. Paul’s admonition was not a cultural issue then, nor is it now; it’s God speaking through Paul.  

God knew what would happen if women were allowed to teach men and to usurp authority over them. Sure enough, the majority of the cults today were begun by women who have manipulated the scriptures so that they could, without fear of condemnation, rise to positions of authority over men.

Over the past few decades women have become pastors of churches because of a lackadaisical attitude on the part of the Church, not to mention men’s ignorance of scriptures. So what do we see happening today? The completely erroneous rendering of the truth of the scriptures by those who wish to supplant God’s word. “But I suffer not a woman to teach:“ The word “suffer” used by Paul is from the Greek word “epitrepō” and it actually means “permit”. Paul says he does not permit a woman to teach or usurp authority over a man. Women are not free to usurp authority over men nor are they at liberty to become pastors of Churches.

I know that I’ll receive a massive amount of letters disputing Paul’s stance on women in a pastoral position. Many will attack me for even suggesting there’s a problem with women being in a position of authority over men. They’ll march out Debra, Esther, Lydia, and Priscilla. None of whom were priests or pastors of Christian Churches. And knowingly or not they will be attacking God.

“This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;” 1 Timothy 3:1-2. A bishop must be the husband of one wife. Bishop, Elder, Pastor is what the text refers to. The Greek word for husband is “anēr”, a masculine noun with the following description: of a male, of a husband, of a betrothed or future husband, any male. And the Greek word of wife is “gynē”, a feminine noun. A description of the word “gynē” is: a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow, a wife, a betrothed woman. There can be no doubt as to what Paul was saying: no to women pastors, no to women teaching men. The text is clear.

We are all called to proclaim the Gospel to all nations, men and women alike. This means we explain the Gospel of Christ to anyone who will listen. Jesus Himself told us to do this simple thing. Speaking the truth of the Gospel is witnessing and possibly sharing your testimony with others. This is a far cry from where we see women have advanced to in today’s Christian Churches. Senior pastors, presidents of Christian seminaries and universities usurping authority over men. 

“One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)” 1 Timothy 3:4-5. So we can see plainly that Paul only wants men who are capable of rearing their children in the admonition of the Lord. Not once does Paul include women in the mix of Bishop/Elder/Pastor, or Deacons for that matter. There are probably many well meaning women in leadership roles in churches who only wish to serve God with all their heart. But God’s word is firm and to the point, no women pastor, elders, bishops, or deacons in My Church.

“Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.” 1 Timothy 3:8-11. Women who bypass the clear exegetical rendering of scriptures to pursue and obtain the office of Pastor/Elder/Deacon are in full contradiction to God’s word, and so are the men who’ve allowed this error to escalate.  

Here’s a little side note: In this same verse “the husband of one wife” has also been quite controversial in regards to men who’ve been divorced being excluded from holding the position of pastor of a Church or even that of Elder or Deacon. Paul was keenly aware of the pervasiveness of the cultural acceptance of taking in marriage multiple wives. But Paul in no way excluded men who were biblically divorced from entering the ministry or holding the office of elder or deacon. After all it was Jesus Christ (God Almighty) Himself who said that in the case of adultery divorce was acceptable. Who was it acceptable to? To God. Jesus put no restrictions on a man who divorces his wife for infidelity on her part, especially by excluding him from the ministry of preaching, or holding the office of elder, deacon or even a Bible teacher. This exclusion by many denominations has left many capable men who were called by God Himself into the ministry out in the cold. God says go and preach my word, and the Church says no. Makes a lot of sense doesn’t it?

Interestingly too, if the whole counsel of Scripture is bypassed, should we not also exclude Paul (who wasn’t married) and Jesus Christ Himself from being leaders of the Church or teaching? Of course not, what we must do is work within the boundaries of scripture instead of the boundaries of men.

Certainly by now the majority of the readers should see that Paul is quite adamant about the exclusion of women in the preaching ministry. Remember this verse? “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16. In other words, these verses I’ve included in this commentary are not just written by Paul the Apostle, but they were God breathed. If Paul says he does not allow women to teach or usurp authority over men, then we can be assured those words came from the Creator of the Universe. 

If you are in a Church where your pastor is a woman then you are fundamentally standing with her, thus you’re standing against God. Ignoring the scriptures placed above even after looking into the Greek only makes your case weaker. Corrupting and manipulating those same scriptures, twisting them to say what you want them to say, or interpreting them contrarily to the exegetical norm won’t cut any ice with God when you try to explain your disobedience to Him concerning His word.

Lastly, I feel I must address the idea of homosexual pastors. A homosexual bishop/pastor/elder/deacon cannot possibly fulfill the requirement set down by God Almighty in which a man must be the husband of one wife. God sets the parameters, not man. God created male and female for a reason. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 2:24. The word used here in the Hebrew for man is “'iysh” and means male, man, opposite of female. And the Hebrew word for wife is “'ishshah” and the description in the concordance is – woman, female, opposite of male. Absolutely no confusion here.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it…” Genesis 1:27-28. Homosexuals cannot multiply, they cannot replenish the earth, and they are actually a deterrent to replenishing the earth. Thus they stand diametrically opposed to God Almighty.

Homosexuals are an abomination to God, an affront to His inerrant word, and He would never condone the ordination of a women pastor, let alone a lesbian, to pastor a church. How in the world does a lesbian fulfill the requirement of “the husband of one wife?” It’s impossible. Again, it’s a case of people thinking that the Bible is not to be taken literally. God knew what would happen to His Church if these abominations were allowed to spread, and He tells us of the apostasy in the last days. People, we are there. Now women pastors and even homosexuals are taking over many of the mainstream denominations all because they either misinterpret the scriptures or they dismiss the word of God as simply metaphors and allegories and mostly irrelevant to society today.

Do you really want to be taught the scriptures by someone who avoids those verses that are clearly contrary to their position? Does “be ye not deceived” come to mind? Where’s all this headed? God knows.

“Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8.

We were just settling in for bed when I read the last news scroll on Fox News—and it gave me chills.

The UK will now be charging by weight for food items such as eggs and bread rolls, rather than by the number of items in a package. Does this remind you of a certain Scripture?

Rev 6:6-"And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine."

When a laborer went into the field to labor, during the time of Jesus’ walk on the earth, the standard wage for a day’s labor was a penny a day. Of course this is not a “penny” of our day, but a coin of that day. The value of it must be measured it what it represented – Payment for a day’s labor. The rich ate wheat bread. The poor ate barley bread. A “measure” was approximately what a man with large hands could hold in his two hands cupped together. A measure would make a small loaf of bread.

This verse obviously represents sky-high inflation, but see that it shows a measurement of wheat for which one is to be charged!!

Look up, look up- our redemption draweth nigh!

With the expediency with which the world, and most notably Christians, are turning to syncretism with eastern religions (Hinduism/Buddhism) it seems to make sense that Avatar has grown to be a generational movie masterpiece. I have chosen not to see it because I choose to engage cultural trends very sparingly, however, I do know of the Hindu beliefs that birthed the "Avatar" concepts and found this article by T.A. McMahon very interesting:

Movies are today's most popular means of influencing cultures on a worldwide scale. They have been effective in that way for the greater part of a century. They are, and always have been, teaching machines.

Although most people regard them as simply escapist fare or a mode of entertainment, they nevertheless always teach something. That fact became shockingly clear to me in my pre-Christian days when I was in Iran as a screenwriter on a Hollywood production. The time was just prior to the overthrow of the Shah in 1979. The revolution was literally ignited by Muslim clerics who had ordered their followers to set fire to movie theaters (packed with audiences). It was a protest against the teaching and influence of Western culture contained in the films, particularly the immorality and degenerate conduct displayed. With obviously less drastic reactions and consequences, no place seems to be out of the reach of the influence of movies no matter where one travels these days.

That is certainly true of one of the most expensive films to date, the quarter-of-a-billion-dollar production of Avatar, which has already grossed 2 billion dollars. No film thus far has matched its stunning production value in creating a fantastic world of computer-generated characters that seamlessly match and interact with the physical actors and the world we know. Believability is the "do or die" quality of every movie of any kind, and Avatar makes believers of all but the most critical film goers – few of whom could complain that this extraordinary production did not give them their money's worth.

My objective in writing this article is not to complain about the movie production (I paid the matinee, senior-citizen price, so I hardly felt cheated) but rather to give my view of the theology communicated in Avatar. We at TBC have received questions from concerned parents who aren't sure the film would be appropriate for their young teens to see and want to know how to discuss the movie's content with them. Avatar's theology is my primary concern.

First of all, it shouldn't be surprising that the beliefs of most people are not derived from Sunday school or church teaching but rather religious ideas they pick up from a wide variety of sources as they go through life. Prior to being born again and becoming a biblical Christian, for example, I had received a great deal of religious instruction, growing up Catholic, to which I added all kinds of contrary spiritual ideas, from reincarnation to the denial of hell to the universal salvation of everyone. I've had conversations with those who claim to hold the Bible as their only source of faith and practice yet who also hold ideas they have gleaned from Oprah Winfrey or some of her New Age guests. Humanity in general seems to be a magnet for all kinds of beliefs about God, and this would include not only the very religious but the agnostic and the atheist as well.

Movies often teach theology. Some have greatly influenced our last two generations about the character and qualities of God and perhaps none more than the Star Wars series, which began in the late 1970s. This series promoted the supreme deity as an impersonal, amoral energy "Force" that could be tapped into and used for one's own end through mental techniques. "May the Force be with you" was even interpreted by some sincere (but sincerely wrong!) Christians as Jesus being the true "Force." Such a promotion attributes characteristics to Jesus that both distort and demean His character as presented in the Scriptures – resulting in "another Jesus." Star Wars wrapped the beliefs and practices of Hinduism in a high-tech, science fiction saga. Obi Wan was a sorcerer; Yoda was a yogi by design and practice, and the incredibly successful film series propelled Eastern mysticism into the minds of Western youth. Avatar does the same for shamanism.

Shamanism is the religion of nature and spirits and is the most widespread of all the religions in the world. It's found among every indigenous people group throughout the earth, and its beliefs and techniques are the same wherever it is found. This is due to the fact that shamanism is a practice that comes from the spirit realm, with the spirits themselves not restricted by distant geographical locations. The term shaman comes from the Tungus people of Siberia and has been preferred by anthropologists over "witch doctor," "medicine man," "wizard," "sorcerer," etc. According to noted authority Michael Harner, an anthropologist and shaman,

"a shaman enters an altered state of consciousness at will to acquire knowledge, power, and to help other persons. The shaman has at least one, and usually more, 'spirits' in his personal service. To perform his work, the shaman depends on special, personal power, which is usually supplied by his guardian and helping spirits."

Avatar is a spectacular platform for preaching shamanism. The story line is neither unique nor complicated. A distant moon planet called Pandora is colonized by a corporation that is mining a metal of great value for the earth, which has been ravaged by the exploitation of its own natural resources. The enterprise, however, is hampered by a tribe of indigenous humanoids called Na'vi, whose village and land cover the main core of the precious metal. Diplomatic attempts to persuade the Na'vi to resettle elsewhere have ended in failure, primarily because of the Na'vi's religion of shamanism. They worship Eywa, a goddess akin to what the Greeks called Gaia, or Mother Earth. Eywa appears to be an impersonal, godlike force that is responsible for maintaining the balance of all life. Everything in Pandora is linked to Eywa mystically and biologically. The biological emphasis amplifies the critical nature of preserving the planet's physical ecological system for future survival. Demonstrating the connectedness of all life forms, the spirits of animals that are killed for food or in self-defense are addressed by the Na'vi either in thanksgiving or apologetically.

Nothing of the sort is found among the humans. The mining enterprise is protected by mercenary soldiers who are gearing up to remove the Na'vi should they ultimately refuse to vacate their land.

The hero of the movie is a paraplegic former marine (Jake Sully) who learns the way of the Na'vi by utilizing a Na'vi-human hybrid body, a creation of incredibly advanced bio-technology. It is called an avatar. Jake, in his avatar body, is accepted by the Na'vi because of initial signs that he is favored for some purpose by Eywa and the spirits.

Director and writer James Cameron makes his theological (and ecological) bent quite clear in nearly every frame of the film. The movie's title and image of the Na'vi are derived from the Hindu god Krishna, a blue-skinned incarnated avatar of the god Vishnu. Hinduism teaches that throughout history avatars have manifested in human and/or animal forms to restore the balance of good and evil. The emphasis on trees in the movie is consistent in all shamanism. The huge Hometree that housed the Na'vi clan and is destroyed in the attack by the humans is representative of Eywa providing for the Na'vi through "Mother" nature. The luminescent Tree of Souls, which provides direct communication with Eywa, is also a power center that can transfer souls to other bodies. In traditional shamanism, the tree is a universal communication medium for such cultures to connect with deceased shamans, ancestors, and the spirits themselves.

Cameron has added his own twist to native shamanism by having the Na'vi communicate with the Eywa, spirits, and animals through fiber optics in their braided hair tails. The Na'vi plug the strands into similarly compatible devices found in animals and plants. Although at odds with the actual practice of shamanism, this does reflect the necessity of "experiencing" a god that cannot be "known" through reason, intellect, or science. It also solves a problem for Cameron the filmmaker. In what was no doubt a box office-related decision, he avoids the method commonly used by shamans to contact the spirits: inhaling or imbibing hallucinogenic drugs. Na'vi "doing drugs" would have forced Avatar out of a PG-13 rating, eliminating an age group that is prone to seeing such a movie many, many times, as well as being a top consumer of Avatar-related merchandise.

In true shamanism, there is no physical "plugging into" or direct biological connection to the spirits. The spirits are nonphysical entities. Other than the drugs that are taken to produce an altered state of consciousness, connecting with the spirits is a mental process. Yet Cameron's deviation from true shamanism ultimately leads to the belief in Eywa. Dr. Grace Augustine, the female scientist in the movie, declares that all of the so-called spiritual phenomena she has observed on Pandora can be explained biologically. In the end, however, Dr. Grace undergoes a conversion. As she lies dying beneath the Tree of Souls, her final words are those of a materialist who allows her "experience" to override her "science" as she declares her belief in the panentheist goddess of the Na'vi: "Eywa – I see her. She's real!" Grace became what C. S. Lewis described as the ideal work of Satan – a "materialist magician." She submitted to a "Force" god without acknowledging the reality of personal spirits behind such an entity, i.e. demons. Jake, on the other hand, although he initially disdained what he called the "tree-hugging" stuff of the Na'vi, fully commits himself to their "natural" way of life and their mother goddess Eywa.

After reading dozens and dozens of comments by young people enamored with the theology in Avatar, it is apparent that its false gospel is finding fertile soil worldwide as it introduces and attracts millions of moviegoers to shamanism.

James Cameron has presented what the Bible calls the "doctrine of devils" promoted by Satan, the father of lies, and taught directly by demons. Cameron's pagan beliefs are diametrically opposed to what the Bible teaches. Furthermore, his idealistic view of the natural purity of an indigenous tribe such as the Na'vi is pure propaganda (see my interview with a former Yanamamo shaman in TBC 11/03). The belief that naturalism produces a life of harmony, fruitfulness, and peace is a lie taught by many anthropologists yet contradicted by the experience of every shamanic society wherever they may be found. How can I be so sure? All indigenous groups are made up of people, who, like all people everywhere, are sinners. This innate evil, moreover, is compounded by seducing spirits bent on deceiving and destroying the humans who find themselves in bondage to them. No anthropologist has ever produced a tribe that was an exception to this destructive condition.

Cameron is certainly entitled to preach the shamanic gospel of Avatar. Christians, however, need to be aware of what they are being fed along with the overpriced popcorn. It is a general lack of discernment among them that is often maddening and spiritually treacherous for the upcoming generation of believers. The maddening part comes when professing believers attempt to read Christianity into popular movies that are thoroughly antichrist. It happened with Star Wars, the Harry Potter series, and too many others to list. It's a foregone conclusion that we will see much of the same for Avatar. Christianity Today, for example, often leads the way in anointing the world's popular delusions as Christian. In its supported blog site directed at women and titled Her·meneutics (ironically a play on the word that fosters accurate Bible interpretation), a female Princeton Seminary student writes the featured article, suggesting that the character of Grace (mentioned above) may have been "Avatar's Christian character," and then adds a qualification, "Well, Christian-ish anyway."

Christian-ish?! James Cameron would be appalled at the suggestion; I am angered. The only insertion of any thing "Christian" in the entire movie is the name of a floating mountain range ("Hallelujah") and the mention of the Lord's name, which is used as a curse word. That's also a paradox for a story set more than a thousand years from today, seemingly far removed from the religious content missionaries supposedly used to "spoil the purity" of the noble savages. Although Christianity has obviously died out in the movie's future setting, ironically its God remains in the psyche and on the foulmouthed lips of the characters in the movie.

Christianity Today, the Emerging Church Movement, Rick Warren's Global P.E.A.C.E. plan, and those among some mission and parachurch organizations (e.g., those that follow the leadership and teachings of C. Peter Wagner) have a penchant for trying to find buried nuggets of Christ in the culture, or accommodating Christianity to the culture, and vice versa. Many are about sanctifying and redeeming the paganism of a society, or at least trying to harmonize and work with all religions. This is all fodder for syncretism and ecumenism. They are contributing to the religion of the Antichrist. We must note that Moses did not enter into a panel discussion with the Israelites for finding some spiritual merits of the golden calf, nor did Elijah trade edifying insights with the prophets of Baal, and neither did Jesus seek a meeting of the minds with the Pharisees. Furthermore, promoting a "group hug" among contradictory religions with the intention of solving the world's problems is a grand delusion at best. Isaiah, speaking for Jehovah God, makes His view absolutely clear:

"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this [God's] word, it is because there is no light in them" (Is 8:20).

Warnings are also clear in the Word of God that a great spiritual battle is being waged all around us, that we are in the days of rampant apostasy in the church, and that we are being subjected to an increasing antichristianity in the world. What then must a believer do? We must diligently follow the Lord's prevention and protection program, the heart of which is found in Psalm 1:

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

But certainly there's more: prayer and fellowship, for example. We need to circle the wagons at times – for spiritual protection, counsel, encouragement, and ministry to one another. If such things become our disciplined practice of life, though the Apostasy dries up the spiritual environment around us, we and our families nevertheless shall be fruitful in the Lord.

I have yet to receive a formal response from Dr. Reagan, or from his ministry, however, I did post my letter to their website blog and his webmaster, Nathan Jones, did respond, in part, to my concerns.

Nathan Jones:

As Christians we are indeed called to share the Gospel (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8), leading hearts and lives to Jesus Christ. But, we are also called by Jesus in Matthew 5:13-18 to be "salt and light" in the world, showing by our loving example what Jesus stands for. As Hebrews 13:16 states, "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."

And so, it is not just us sharing the Gospel that the Lord wants, though that's primary, but for us to share Jesus' love with everyone (Lk. 10:27) based the example He demonstrated for us while on earth. And, what was Jesus' example while on earth? He healed the sick, fed the poor, showed mercy to the sinner, and gave the world the truth.

Are we actively following what Jesus told us to do, or are we in (self)righteous indignation just talking the talk?

And my response here:

Nathan-

Thank you for taking the time to go through those Scriptural bullet points. I agree that we are called to be good-doers as servants of Christ. I pray, first, that Christians are earnestly contending for the faith (Jude 3) AND allowing their light to so shine before all men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in Heaven. (Matt.5:16) I do hope you agree that our "works" cannot simply be stuffing envelopes for crisis pregnancy centers, serving lunch at a homeless shelter, and holding the door for a stranger- we are more closely judged on how unblemished we remain from the world. (James 1:27)

Most importantly, I wanted to question Dr. Reagan on his use of the desert monk to illustrate his point. Your response didn't address that concern. As I stated in my previous post, the monk that he references was an eastern mystic. We certainly can agree that an eastern mystic is not a fitting example as one who did something righteous for God. The world is full of non-believers, New Agers, mystics, and Catholics who DO many good deeds, but that is not enough- one must have the true Christ and be grounded in His Word. Without that foundation, one should not be used as en example as someone to emulate. Perhaps Samson- who had a very similar story to the example produced by Reagan? However, Samson was a repentant man of God- according to Scripture, our ONLY proper and fitting source. My biggest question and concern was simply- I have read Dr. Reagan's posts, as well as yours, fondly, for quite some time, and I didn't understand his anti-Biblical selection of a mystic. This concerned me even greater when seen in context of a mystical usurping of Christianity. I drove by a local church just the day before I read his post that was citing a Ghandi quote on their church marquee. Why stray from God's Holy Scripture to illustrate a point you agree is a Scriptural value?

I look forward to your response.

I just received Dr. David Reagan's newest e-article from his Lamb and Lion Ministries, and was quite suprised at what I read. With the growth of apostasy into mysticism in today's Christian churches, I was suprised by the article's contents. My hope is that if we would all begin to ask questions of our church leaders or beloved ministry leaders when they seemingly step-off the narrow path that leads to Heaven, we would begin to see healthy accountability. Here is a link to his article for your review:

http://community.icontact.com/p/lamblion/newsletters/pna/posts/are-you-standing-for-righteousness

And here is my response (I will post their response as soon as I receive it):

 Mr. Reagan,

I just received your most recent article on Standing for Righteousness. Sir, while I most appreciate your wisdom, I do take issue with the article and I am hoping for your ear.

I agree that all too often Christians stay on the sidelines when it comes to "action", however, I did not see one Biblical reference supporting your suggestions to, "Pray that God would burden your heart with an issue, ask for his guidance in how to act, and then, "Just Do It!" Biblical support leans more towards the Great Commission- spreading the Gospel, Truth, and NOT toward enacting social change. If we are doing our job of spreading Truth, hearts and minds will be changed which will, in turn, change behaviors. Not to imply that I am against standing on the street corner at an abortion clinic, sharing Truth with women entering it's ranks.

It seems your article advocated mysticism. With no Biblical support for your suggestions, you simply claim that God will lay it on your heart, which seems to imply extra-Biblical revelation. His Word tells us that it contains ALL we need pertaining to life and godliness. 2 Tim 3:16,17

Further, and more specifically, I see no Biblical support to say that we don't have enough time or room to care about or fight all evils. First of all, our greatest example, Christ, was not an outspoken advocate for or against the social ills, barring apostasy, but was greatly concerned that the Word was spread. So, in Him, our greatest fight is in sharing Truth and in resisting deception!

Sir, my heart was further grieved when I read your example included, "A Monk Who Challenged An Empire." Telemachus, a monk he was, a noted eastern aesthetic (eastern mystic). You claim he, "lived alone as a hermit seeking God." We have many examples of mystics who lived their lives as hermits "seeking (g)od", but a Christian that does not make. I fear when I see Christian leaders compromising on the Truth's of Scripture to give examples of non-Christian good deeds, especially when Scripture is replete with Godly martyrs. Further, you included a quote by Edward Gibbon. I disagree with the quote, as I believe it really only applies, and greatly so, to our King, but more importantly, Mr. Gibbon converted to Roman Catholicism at an early age (which I would hope you wouldn't argue is a Christian faith) and his book from which you retrieved that quote, The Decline and Fall…, was, for a time banned in several countries because of it's aggressively anti-religion/ anti-Christian content and it's highly anti-Semitic content. Also, he was a noted champion of Enlightenment.

I am concerned that you either agree with your post, or you were unaware of the truths of what you posted. We, as you know, are being confronted with a mysticism movement within the ranks of Christianity that I believe has grown to such a terrifying size it surely is the great falling away. True Christians are seeking after teachers of Truth in these dark days, not wanting to be perverted by those lacking discernment. I pray that you will consider my words and look forward to your response.

I pray, "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." Col 1:10

The season of Lent is fast approaching, and, as always, I am stunned at how the evangelical community has embraced this unbiblical, pagan practice with such enthusiasm.

Whatever happened to the Berean fact-checkers? Acts 17:11

John MacArthur covers this topic (and the demonic emergent church/contemplative spirituality movement) properly:

"From various ancient sources, it seems that Nimrod’s wife, Semiramis (the First), apparently was high priestess of the Babel religion and the founder of all mystery religions. After the tower was destroyed, and the multiplicity of languages developed, she was worshiped as a goddess under many different names. She became Ishtar of Syria, Astarte of Phoenicia, Isis of Egypt, Aphrodite of Greece, and Venus of Rome—in each case the deity of sexual love and fertility. Her son, Tammuz, also came to be deified under various names and was the consort of Ishtar and god of the underworld.

According to the cult of Ishtar, Tammuz was conceived by a sunbeam, a counterfeit version of Jesus’ virgin birth. Tammuz corresponded to Baal in Phoenicia , Osiris in Egypt , Eros in Greece , and Cupid in Rome . In every case, the worship of those gods and goddesses was associated with sexual immorality. The celebration of Lent has no basis in Scripture, but rather developed from the pagan celebration of Semiramis’s mourning for forty days over the death of Tammuz (cf. Ezek. 8:14) before the alleged resurrection—another of Satan’s mythical counterfeits.

The mystery religions originated with the idea of baptismal regeneration, being born again merely through the rite of water baptism, and the practice of mutilation and flagellation to atone for sins or gain spiritual favor. They also began the custom of pilgrimages, which many religions follow today, and the paying of penance for forgiveness of sins for oneself and for others.

Several pagan practices were especially influential in the church at Corinth . Perhaps the most important, and certainly the most obvious, was that of ecstasy, considered to be the highest expression of religious experience. Because it seemed supernatural and because it was dramatic and often bizarre, the practice strongly appealed to the natural man. And because the Holy Spirit had performed many miraculous works in that apostolic age, some Corinthian Christian s confused those true wonders with the false wonders counterfeited in the ecstasies of paganism.

Ecstasy (Greek, ekstasia, a term not used in Scripture) was held to be a supernatural, sensuous communion with a deity. Through frenzied hypnotic chants and ceremonies worshipers experienced semiconscious euphoric feelings of oneness with the god or goddess. Often the ceremony would be preceded by vigils and fastings, and would even include drunkenness (see Eph. 5:18). Contemplation of sacred objects, whirling dances, fragrant incense, chants, and other such physical and psychological stimuli customarily were used to induce the ecstasy, which would be in the form of out-of-body trance or an unrestrained sexual orgy. The trance is reflected in some forms of Hindu yoga, in which a person becomes insensitive to pain, and in the Buddhist goal of escaping into Nirvana, the divine nothingness. Sexual ecstasies were common in many ancient religions and were so much associated with Corinth that the term Corinthianize meant to indulge in extreme sexual immorality. A temple to Bacchus still stands in the ruins of Baalbek (in modern Labanon) as a witness to the debauchery of the mystery religions.

A similar form of mystical experience was called enthusiasm (Greek, enthusiasmos), which often accompanied but was distinct from ecstasy. Enthusiasm involved mantic formulas, divination, and revelatory dreams and visions, all of which are found in many pagan religions and philosophies today."

The world is changing. So is the Christian evangelical church. There was a time— not that long ago—when the Bible was considered to be the Word of God by the majority of evangelical Christians. Now that we are well into the third millennium and the post-modern, post-Christian era, the term evangelical can mean almost anything. What has happened? Why is this happening and what is the future for mainstream Christianity?

For the past several years, I have been speaking around the world on current trends that are impacting Christianity. After these presentations, I am approached by Christians who come from many different church backgrounds. Many are expressing their concerns about what is happening in their churches, troubled by the new direction they see their church going. While they may not always be able to discern what is wrong, they know something is wrong and that it needs to be addressed.

Further, many have told me they have attempted to express their concerns with their pastors or church elders. In almost every case, they were told they had a choice to make—get with the new program or get out of the church.

This move towards a reinvented Christianity (one designed to “reach people”) seems to be here for the long haul. It is not just a passing fad. I am often asked by concerned brothers and sisters in Christ to provide an explanation in order to help them understand what they have encountered. They want to know why these changes are underway and what to expect in the future. As well, they want to know what, if anything can be done, to stem this tide. It is for this reason I am writing this commentary—to provide biblical insight regarding the Emerging Church and where it is heading in the future.

The Gospel According to the Scriptures

Throughout church history, various trends have come and gone. While culture changes from place to place, biblical Christianity has always been based upon the central message of the Bible which is the gospel of Jesus Christ and the message never changes.

This gospel message is about who Jesus Christ is, and what He has done. A child can understand the gospel message. This message proclaims that life here on planet earth is finite and that life after death is eternal. The good news is that we can be saved from our sins if we will repent and simply ask for forgiveness and follow Him.

How we respond to the gospel message during the time we have on earth determines where we spend eternity—heaven or hell. Jesus, the Creator of the universe, provided a way and the only way we can spend eternity with Him. It is a matter of making a personal decision whether or not we will accept the plan He has provided.

God’s adversary does not want mankind to understand the simple message. His plan is to deceive the world. If he can blind people from the gospel or convince them that they believe the gospel when indeed they do not, his plan has been successful. Throughout the ages, countless billions have been duped, either rejecting the truth, or believing that they had believed the truth when instead they had been deceived.

The Gospel According to Postmoderism

Times change! However, the gospel must remain the same no matter what else changes. We are now living in the postmodern era. In a sincere attempt to reach the postmodern generation with the gospel, it seems many Christians have become postmodern in their thinking.

Perhaps the term postmodern is new to you. Let’s examine what it means.

First, the modern era was characterized by a time of rational thinking based on factual observation. Many claim the modern era ended in the mid 1900s.

The postmodern mindset moves beyond the rational and the factual to the experiential and the mystical. In other words, in the past it was possible to know right from wrong and black from white. In the postmodern era all things are relative to the beholder. What may be right for you may be wrong for someone else. There is no such thing as absolute truth. The only thing that is absolute is that there is no absolute.

We now live in a time in history that is characterized as postmodern. Professors at universities teach students there is no right or wrong. All things are relative. The gospel message to the postmodern mindset is far too dogmatic and arrogant. They say it is necessary to find a more moderate gospel that can be accepted by the masses.

Many church leaders are now looking for ways to reach the postmodern generation. They believe they can find the appropriate methods to do so without changing the message. However, in their attempt to reach this postmodern generation, they have become postmodern themselves and have changed the message. As the gospel is fixed upon the Scriptures, the gospel cannot change, unless of course it becomes another gospel. I believe this is what is happening in the Emerging Church.

He Didn’t Come

Many have noticed that since the turn of the millennium, their churches have changed positions on Bible prophecy and the Second Coming of Jesus. Many have given up on the return of Jesus. From the ‘60s on there was an excitement about the imminent return of Jesus. The Jesus People were excited about Bible prophecy and could see signs that Jesus would descend from the heavens for His Bride at any moment.

The year 2000 was of particular importance. When Jesus didn’t show up, it seems many were apparently disappointed. “Perhaps Jesus has delayed His coming,” some have said. Others are even taking the position that He may not be coming at all, at least not in the manner we have been taught. They are now convinced that we need to be busy about “building His Kingdom” here on earth by “whatever human effort is required.”

The Gospel of the Kingdom

One of the main indicators that something has changed can be seen in the way the future is perceived. Rather than urgently proclaiming the gospel according to the Scriptures and believing the time to do so is short, the emphasis has now shifted. No longer are “signs of the times” significant. The battle cry is very different. A major emphasis among evangelicals is the idea that the world can be radically improved through social programs.

This concept, while on the surface may sound very good, has some serious biblical implications. According to the Scriptures, there will be no kingdom of God until the King arrives. All the human effort man can muster up will fall short of bringing utopia. In fact, according to the Scriptures, fallen man will lead us further down the road to a society of despair and lawlessness just like it was in the days of Noah.

Thus, this purpose-driven view of establishing global utopia may be a plan, but it is “driven” by humanistic reasoning and not led by the Holy Spirit. While it is of course good to do good unto others, all the goodness that we can do will not be good enough. Pastors and church leaders who get involved in such man-driven programs can usually be identified by certain characteristics:

• Sound biblical doctrine is dangerous and divisive, and the experiential (i.e.,mystical) is given a greater role than doctrine.
• Bible prophecy is no longer taught and is considered a waste of time
• Israel becomes less and less important and has no biblical significance
• Eventually the promises for Israel are applied to the church and not Israel (Replacement Theology).
• Bible study is replaced by studying someone’s book and his methods
• Church health is evaluated on the quantity of people who attend.
• The truth of God’s Word becomes less and less important
• God’s Word, especially concepts like hell, sin and repentance, is eventually downplayed so the unbeliever is not offended.

Spiritual Formation and Transformation

Much of what I have described provides the formula for a dumbing-down of Christianity that paves the way for an apostasy that will only intensify in the future. This trend away from the authority of God’s Word to the reinvented form of Christianity has overcome all evangelical denominations like an avalanche. Few Bible teachers saw this avalanche coming. Now that it is underway, few realize it has even happened. 

However, there is another big piece to the puzzle that must be identified in order to understand what is emerging in the Emerging Church. While biblical Christianity has been dumbed-down and the light of God’s Word diminished, another avalanche of deception is underway that is equally devastating.

This is best described by the Word of God giving way to experiences that God’s Word forbids. The best way to understand this process is to recall what happened during the Dark Ages when the Bible became the “forbidden book.” Until the Reformers translated the Bible into the language of the common person, the people were in darkness. When the light of God’s Word became available, the gospel according to the Scriptures was once again understood.

This trend, which is underway today, shows us that history is in the process of repeating itself. As the Word of God becomes less and less important, the rise of mystical experiences is alarming and these experiences are being presented to convince the unsuspecting that Christianity is about feeling, touching, smelling and seeing God. The postmodern mindset is the perfect environment for the fostering of what is called “spiritual formation.” This teaching suggests there are various ways and means to get closer to God. Proponents of spiritual formation erroneously teach that anyone can practice these mystical rituals and find God within. Having a relationship with Jesus Christ is not a prerequisite.

These teachings, while actually rooted in ancient wisdom (the occult), were presented to Christendom post-New Testament and not found in the Word of God. The spiritual formation movement is based upon experiences promoted by desert monks and Roman Catholic mystics – these mystics encouraged the use of rituals and practices, that if performed would bring the practitioner closer to God (or come into God’s presence). The premise was that if one went into the silence or sacred space, then the mind was emptied of distractions and the voice of God could be heard. In truth, these hypnotic, mantric style practices were leading these monks into altered states of consciousness. The methods they used are the same that Buddhists and the Hindus use as a means of encountering the spiritual realm

Such methods are dangerous, and are not sanctioned in the Bible – God gives no instruction for this. On the contrary, he warns severely against divination, which is practicing a ritual or method in order to obtain information from a spiritual source. While proponents of spiritual formation (like Richard Foster) say these methods show that the Holy Spirit is doing something new to refresh Christianity, I would suggest that what is happening is not new and is not the Holy Spirit.

The spiritual formation movement is being widely promoted at colleges and seminaries as the latest and the greatest way to become a spiritual leader in these days. These ideas are then being exported from seminaries to churches by graduates who have been primed to take Christianity to a new level of enlightenment.

As well, these contemplative practices are being promoted by emergent leaders such as Brian McLaren, Robert Webber, Dallas Willard and others. Publishers like NavPress, InterVarsity and Zondervan are flooding the market with books promoting contemplative practices based on Eastern mysticism. Pastors and church leaders read these books and then promote the ideas as if they were the scriptural answer to drawing close to God.  

Signs the Emerging Church is Emerging

There are specific warning signs that are symptomatic that a church may be headed down the emergent/contemplative road. In some cases a pastor may not be aware that he is on this road nor understand where the road ends up.

Here are some of the warning signs:

• Scripture is no longer the ultimate authority as the basis for the Christian faith.
• The centrality of the gospel of Jesus Christ is being replaced by humanistic methods promoting church growth and a social gospel.
• More and more emphasis is being placed on building the kingdom of God now and less and less on the warnings of Scripture about the imminent return of Jesus Christ and a coming judgment in the future.
• The teaching that Jesus Christ will rule and reign in a literal millennial period is considered unbiblical and heretical.
• The teaching that the church has taken the place of Israel and Israel has no prophetic significance is often embraced.
• The teaching that the Book of Revelation does not refer to the future, but instead has been already fulfilled in the past
• An experiential mystical form of Christianity begins to be promoted as a method to reach the postmodern generation.
• Ideas are promoted teaching that Christianity needs to be reinvented in order to provide meaning for this generation.
• The pastor may implement an idea called “ancient-future” or “vintage Christianity” claiming that in order to take the church forward, we need to go back in church history and find out what experiences were effective to get people to embrace Christianity.
• While the authority of the Word of God is undermined, images and sensual experiences are promoted as the key to experiencing and knowing God.
• These experiences include icons, candles, incense, liturgy, labyrinths, prayer stations, contemplative prayer, experiencing the sacraments, particularly the sacrament of the Eucharist.
• There seems to be a strong emphasis on ecumenism indicating that a bridge is being established that leads in the direction of unity with the Roman Catholic Church.
• Some evangelical Protestant leaders are saying that the Reformation went too far. They are reexamining the claims of the “church fathers” saying that communion is more than a symbol and that Jesus actually becomes present in the wafer at communion.
• There will be a growing trend towards an ecumenical unity for the cause of world peace claiming the validity of other religions and that there are many ways to God.
• Members of churches who question or resist the new changes that the pastor is implementing are reprimanded and usually asked to leave.

What does the Future Hold?

If the Emerging Church continues unfolding at the present pace, mainstream evangelical Christianity will be reinvented and the gospel of Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures will be considered too narrow and too restrictive. In other words, the narrow way to heaven that Jesus proclaimed will eventually be abandoned for a wider way that embraces pagan experiential practices. I call this reinvented, re-imagined form of Christianity that is unfolding—“Christian Babylonianism”.

This new form of Christianity will replace biblical faith with a faith that says man can establish the kingdom of God here on earth. The Word will continue to become secondary to a system of works driven by experiences.

An ecumenical pattern towards unity with Rome will become more apparent. Those who refuse to embrace this direction will be considered spiritual oddballs that need to be reprimanded. Those who stand up for biblical faith will be considered the obstructions to the one world spirituality that is promoted as the answer for peace.

The best way to be prepared for what is coming is to gain an understanding of what is happening now. While there are not many who seem to discern the trend underway, there are some. Without the Bible and the Holy Spirit as our guide, the darkness that is coming would be overwhelming. However, the light of God’s Word penetrates the darkness and there are those who are being delivered from deception and see what is taking place.

I am convinced we are seeing apostasy underway, exactly as the Scriptures have forewarned. This means that this current trend is not likely to disappear. We must continue to proclaim the truth in the midst of deception with love. As Paul instructed Timothy:

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will (2 Timothy 2: 24-26).

There are still pastors and churches who are dedicated to proclaiming the truth. Find out where they are and support them. If you are in a location where this does not seem to be possible, seek out materials that are available from solid Bible-based Christian ministries and hold Bible studies in your own home.

And keep looking up! Jesus is coming soon.

Thanks to Roger Oakland of Understanding the Times for this post!

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. –Isaiah 14:12-14

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die….  –Genesis 3:4

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.  –2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe [the] lie.  –2 Thessalonians 2:10-11

Incredibly, the first sin of those whom God created took place in a perfectly holy environment: heaven. That would seem to be incomprehensible, given what Scripture tells us about heaven, the dwelling place of God. Just as astonishing, Adam and Eve, who were also in a perfect environment and had yet to know sin, were seduced by the same sin as Lucifer ("light bearer"), later called Satan ("adversary") and "that old serpent" (Revelation 12:9; 20:2).

Scripture doesn’t tell us specifically what was in the hearts and minds of Lucifer and Adam that prompted them to sin; regarding Eve, however, we get a little more insight. She "saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise" (Genesis 3:6). One thing, however, becomes obvious concerning all three of these created beings: they chose self over God. That is the bottom line of all sin.

Again, it all began in Heaven with Lucifer. His "I will’s" are all about self–from self-improvement to self-esteem to self-exaltation to self-deification. That progression inevitably leads to two other selfisms: self-delusion and self-destruction. Satan, being completely self-deceived, and perhaps looking for more support to prove his "I will be like the most High" thesis, brought his lie to earth, where he seduced Eve with the offer that she also could be "as gods."

Godhood as a goal for humanity is the Adversary’s religion, and it will culminate with a man who is possessed by Satan himself. As we see in 2 Thessalonians 2:4, the Antichrist "opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." This may be the only way the Devil can achieve his ultimate objective of having the whole world worship him. The very thought that he could entice the Lord, his Creator, to "fall down and worship" him (Matthew 4:9) demonstrates not only his egotistic ambition but also just how self-absorbed and self-deceived he is. This is a major trait of humanity as well.

Scripture indicates that following Adam and Eve’s sin, their first response to God was to defend themselves. After their futile attempt to hide from God, each one shifted the blame: Adam accused Eve, and Eve blamed the Serpent for their disobedience. As a consequence, a self-serving bias (the tragic result of their sin) had impregnated the hearts of humanity. As we can see from its beginning to our present day, this bias has moved through the entire human race like an unstoppable plague.

Self rules in the heart of every person, even at times among new creatures in Christ. Satan has not missed any opportunity to entice the world into seeking his delusionary prize of godhood. The idea that man could become a god, or part of God, or that he is a god but doesn’t yet realize his divinity, may seem farfetched to some people, but that’s because they are simply unaware of how prevalent this belief is. Furthermore, from a biblical perspective, the criterion for being a god is rather simple. Everyone who has not submitted to Jesus Christ and has not been reconciled to God through faith in Christ’s finished sacrifice as payment for his sins qualifies as a god–that is, an autonomous, or self-governing, being who has elevated self over his Creator. As Dave Hunt has noted, "The basic cause of the many problems in the world today is not that man fails to recognize his godhood but rather that there are about seven billion gods on this planet, each one doing his or her own thing."

Satan has long sold godhood, in some form, as religion, or as some facet of a particular religion. Nearly one billion Hindus believe they are gods–and so is everyone else–because, in their view, everything is God. Their godhood is achieved, or realized, through yoga and self-realization in the attempt to reach the ultimate spiritual state: union with Brahman (God). Five-hundred million Buddhists reject a transcendent Creator God but seek the equivalent of godhood (known as Buddhahood), which is attained as enlightenment, or perfect wisdom, by following the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Tibetan Buddhism is promoted throughout the Western world by the Dalai Lama, who has inducted hundreds of thousands (including thousands in U.S. cities) into the Kalachakra Tantra Initiation. Kalachakra is both a Tantric deity and a meditation practice. The former is a manifestation of Buddha, who is called upon to lead the initiate into becoming a bodhisattva, or enlightened god, a status claimed by the Dalai Lama himself.

Eastern Mysticism, with its goal of godhood, has come to the West like a tsunami, depositing its blasphemous debris throughout Christendom. Yoga (yoking oneself with Brahman), which decades ago became a staple offering at YMCAs (Young Men’s Christian Association), is now offered and practiced in numerous Christian churches, including many that profess to be evangelical. Hindu gurus, such as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, Swami Muktananda, and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, helped spawn the New Age Movement, a homogenized hodgepodge of Eastern mystical beliefs and practices refashioned in order to make them readily acceptable to the culture of the West. Muktananda speaks for all gurus and New Age advocates alike: "Honor your self, worship your self, meditate on your self, God dwells within you as you."

The late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, guru to the Beatles, revised his Spiritual (read "Hinduism") Regeneration Movement into the more acceptable, incredibly profitable, and allegedly scientific technique of Transcendental Meditation. TMers have all but taken over the town of Fairfield, Iowa, site of the MaharishiUniversity. The school claims to have transformed the community through the Maharishi Effect, a TM-Sidhis program begun in the early 1980s, claiming to reduce crime by the positive effect of collective meditation. Statistics for Fairfield/Jefferson County during the decade of the nineties, however, belie the claim, showing a constant increase in crime (http://www.behind-the-tm-facade.org/maharishi_effect-mdefect-fairfield.htm).

The lie of godhood is always followed by the deceit of the so-called god-men. Rajneesh was deported back to India after his chief disciples were arrested in Oregon on attempted murder charges. Maharishi took in hundreds of thousands of dollars selling the fraudulent ability to levitate through TM. Muktananda, the guru to many Hollywood celebrities in the 1980s, though preaching celibacy, was accused by top leaders in his cult of a history of seducing young women. Ironically, his successor is a woman, Gurumayi Chidvilasananda. Gurumayi, who teaches the mantra, "Om Namah Shivaya" ("I honor the divinity that resides within me") is guru to Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the best-selling, Eat, Pray, Love. The Oprah Winfrey-endorsed book documents Gilbert’s time at Gurumayi’s ashram in India and is now being made into a theatrical film produced by Brad Pitt and starring Julia Roberts.

Deifying self is hardly exclusive to Eastern religions. Where the leaven of mysticism is found, it inevitably spreads to some form of union with God, meaning becoming God. Consider Mormonism, Islam, and Roman Catholicism, for example. All three are quite legalistic while at the same time very experiential. Mormon males are taught that they can become gods through closely following LDS teachings: "As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become." Most Mormons claim that the veracity of the doctrine of godhood (and for women, a goddesshood of eternal pregnancies) is affirmed through prayer, followed by a "burning in the bosom" sensation from "God." In contrast to its Sharia legal system, Islam’s mysticism is found in Sufism, where devotees whirl themselves into altered states of consciousness in order to reach union with Allah.

The ancient Roman Catholic mystics known as the Desert Fathers (who have become spiritual icons for the "evangelical" Emerging Church Movement) developed beliefs and practices little different from the yogis, gurus, and priests of Hinduism and Buddhism. That’s one reason why modern Catholic mystics such as Trappist monk Thomas Merton and priests Henri Nouwen and Thomas Keating have such large followings among the Church’s priests and nuns (as well as among many evangelicals). One need not go to their writings to find the Church of Rome’s position regarding godhood. It’s spelled out quite clearly in paragraph 460 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Godhood as a doctrine plays a large part in the methodology of the Word/Faith, Positive Confession teachings. Kenneth Copeland’s version of "the lie" was similar to what most of his fellow Prosperity teachers were promoting:

Another leader of the Word/Faith Movement declares the practical necessity of godhood: "Until we comprehend that we are little gods and we begin to act like little gods, we cannot manifest the Kingdom of God." The modern roots of this heresy can be traced back to the religious science cults such as Christian Science and Unity School of Christianity, which gleaned many of their basic beliefs from Hinduism (see The Seduction of Christianity: Spiritual Discernment in the Last Days by Dave Hunt and T. A. McMahon for details, promoters, and many other connections related to this article).

Fulfilled biblical prophecy is irrefutable proof that God’s Word is exactly that, and we can easily recognize what He said would come to pass when it does. The Lord will have raptured us out of this world before the Antichrist declares himself to be God, so we won’t be around for that event. However, there is a verse related to self-deification that has so much evidence, no reasonable person can deny its present-day fulfillment. In 2 Timothy 3:1-2 the Apostle Paul writes, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves…." Although humans have been enamored with themselves since the Garden of Eden, there is no generation in history that has been so preoccupied with self, even to the point of making self the key to solving all of mankind’s problems. Here is a litany of popular selfist concepts and activities: self-esteem, self-image, self-confidence, self-acceptance, self-forgiveness, self-assertion, self-improvement, positive self-regard, positive self-talk, positive affirmation, positive mental attitude, positive thinking, possibility thinking, human potential, etc., etc. The prerequisite for all of these is self-love, the cornerstone of humanistic psychology and, consequently, because of the overwhelming influence of so-called Christian psychology, a false but popular doctrine among evangelicals.

The connection between psychology and Eastern mysticism, with their necessary emphasis on self, is clear, as American philosopher and historian Jacob Needleman observes:

The Antichrist, empowered with lying signs and wonders and seeking worship, will be the ultimate therapist and spiritual guide. Although claiming to be God, he will offer the potential of godhood, including the demonically enabled powers he exhibits, to all those who will follow him in deifying self. The lie from the beginning is the lie at the end.

The leaven of the lie seems to have worked its way through the entire world, including much of the church, which has looked more to the world than to the Word. What is God’s response? He will send strong delusion upon those who have not a love for the truth, that they should believe the lie (2 Thessalonians 2:10-11). Yet the Lord has not left believers without a defense against being seduced by the lie. To the Father, Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17). His exhortation in John 8:31-32, if obeyed, will free us from the stronghold of self: "If ye continue in My word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." TBC

I thought my daily Psalm to be incredibly apropos and encouraging for the anti-Christian rampage happening within our government and within our own country. Sometimes I need a reminder of WHO WINS! I have highlighted several verses that I thought were excellent in showing that, when we feel we are in a losing battle, our God will deliver the righteous! Please sit down and read all of Psalm 37 as it is a beautiful illustration of God’s love for His people.

Psalm 37 (KJV):

1-3: Fret not thyself because of evildoers, nether be thou envious against workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily shalt thou be fed.

7: Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

9-15: For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be…but the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

17: For the arms of the wicked shall be broken; but the Lord upholdeth the righteous.

19-20: They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

39-40: But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

For those of you who stumbled upon this blog who are, as yet, unsaved, please know that, "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:7-8

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world (you and I) that He gave His one and only son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

These times we sit in are perilous, "This know also, that in the last days, perilous times shall come." 2 Tim 3:1

The last days are upon us, but you still have time to repent and be saved! You need not "clean up" first, all you must do is, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved!" Romans 10:9

Congratulations. And welcome to the family of God. "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43