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Picture of a Prophet by Leonard Ravenhill
The prophet in his day is fully accepted of God and totally rejected by men.
Years back, Dr. Gregory Mantle was right when he said, “No man can be fully accepted until he is totally rejected.” The prophet of the Lord is aware of both these experiences. They are his “brand name.”
The group, challenged by the prophet because they are smug and comfortably insulated from a perishing world in their warm but untested theology, is not likely to vote him “Man of the year” when he refers to them as habituates of the synagogue of Satan!
The prophet comes to set up that which is upset. His work is to call into line those who are out of line! He is unpopular because he opposes the popular in morality and spirituality. In a day of faceless politicians and voiceless preachers, there is not a more urgent national need than that we cry to God for a prophet! The function of the prophet, as Austin-Sparks once said, “has almost always been that of recovery.”
The prophet is God’s detective seeking for a lost treasure. The degree of his effectiveness is determined by his measure of unpopularity. Compromise is not known to him.
He has no price tags.
He is totally “otherworldly.”
He is unquestionably controversial and unpardonably hostile.
He marches to another drummer!
He breathes the rarefied air of inspiration.
He is a “seer” who comes to lead the blind.
He lives in the heights of God and comes into the valley with a “thus saith
the Lord.”
He shares some of the foreknowledge of God and so is aware of
impending judgment.
He lives in “splendid isolation.”
He is forthright and outright, but he claims no birthright.
His message is “repent, be reconciled to God or else…!”
His prophecies are parried.
His truth brings torment, but his voice is never void.
He is the villain of today and the hero of tomorrow.
He is excommunicated while alive and exalted when dead!
He is dishonored with epithets when breathing and honored with
epitaphs when dead.
He is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, but few “make the grade” in his class.
He is friendless while living and famous when dead.
He is against the establishment in ministry; then he is established as a saint
by posterity.
He eats daily the bread of affliction while he ministers, but he feeds the Bread of
Life to those who listen.
He walks before men for days but has walked before God for years.
He is a scourge to the nation before he is scourged by the nation.
He announces, pronounces, and denounces!
He has a heart like a volcano and his words are as fire.
He talks to men about God.
He carries the lamp of truth amongst heretics while he is lampooned by men.
He faces God before he faces men, but he is self-effacing.
He hides with God in the secret place, but he has nothing to hide in
the marketplace.
He is naturally sensitive but supernaturally spiritual.
He has passion, purpose and pugnacity.
He is ordained of God but disdained by men.
Our national need at this hour is not that the dollar recover its strength, or that we save face over the Watergate affair, or that we find the answer to the ecology problem. We need a God-sent prophet!
I am bombarded with talk or letters about the coming shortages in our national life: bread, fuel, energy. I read between the lines from people not practiced in scaring folk. They feel that the “seven years of plenty” are over for us. The “seven years of famine” are ahead. But the greatest famine of all in this nation at this given moment is a FAMINE OF THE HEARING OF THE WORDS OF GOD (Amos 8:11).
Millions have been spent on evangelism in the last twenty-five years. Hundreds of gospel messages streak through the air over the nation every day. Crusades have been held; healing meetings have made a vital contribution. “Come-outers” have “come out” and settled, too, without a nation-shaking revival. Organizers we have. Skilled preachers abound. Multi-million dollar Christian organizations straddle the nation. BUT where, oh where, is the prophet? Where are the incandescent men fresh from the holy place? Where is the Moses to plead in fasting before the holiness of the Lord for our moldy morality, our political perfidy, and sour and sick spirituality?
GOD’S MEN ARE IN HIDING UNTIL THE DAY OF THEIR SHOWING FORTH. They will come. The prophet is violated during his ministry, but he is vindicated by history.
There is a terrible vacuum in evangelical Christianity today. The missing person in our ranks is the prophet. The man with a terrible earnestness. The man totally otherworldly. The man rejected by other men, even other good men, because they consider him too austere, too severely committed, too negative and unsociable.
Let him be as plain as John the Baptist.
Let him for a season be a voice crying in the wilderness of modern theology and
stagnant “churchianity.”
Let him be as selfless as Paul the apostle.
Let him, too, say and live, “This ONE thing I do.”
Let him reject ecclesiastical favors.
Let him be self-abasing, nonself-seeking, nonself-projecting, nonself- righteous,
nonself-glorying, nonself-promoting.
Let him say nothing that will draw men to himself but only that which will move
men to God.
Let him come daily from the throne room of a holy God, the place where he has
received the order of the day.
Let him, under God, unstop the ears of the millions who are deaf through the
clatter of shekels milked from this hour of material mesmerism.
Let him cry with a voice this century has not heard because he has seen a vision
no man in this century has seen. God send us this Moses to lead us from the
wilderness of crass materialism, where the rattlesnakes of lust bite us and where
enlightened men, totally blind spiritually, lead us to an ever-nearing Armageddon.
God have mercy! Send us PROPHETS!
Christmas – Truth & Myth
BY Jackie Alnor – Apostasy Alert On Rapture Ready
The new billboards that have gone up showing the magi following the star with the caption, “You Know It’s a Myth,” is partly accurate. The atheists hope their message will turn people away from the truth of the incarnation of God in the Lord Jesus Christ, but they will only convince fellow atheists. Christians, on the other hand, need to face the facts that there are myths associated with Christ/mas – a mixture of truth and myth. “Christ” represents the truth; “mas” represents the myth.
It is a well-known fact that Christmas and the Advent season is a Roman Catholic invention that blended the truth of the story of the Incarnation with the pagan celebration of the winter’s solstice.
Finish article HERE
Letter to a new convert
by Jonathan Edwards, 1741
My dear young friend,
As you desired me to send you, in writing, some directions how to conduct yourself in your Christian course, I would now answer your request. The sweet remembrance of the great things I have lately seen at your church, inclines me to do anything in my power, to contribute to the spiritual joy and prosperity of God’s people there.
1. I would advise you to keep up as great a earnestness in religion, as if you knew yourself to be in a state of nature, and were seeking conversion. We advise people under conviction, to be earnest and violent for the kingdom of heaven; but when they have attained to conversion, they ought not to be the less watchful, laborious, and earnest, in the whole work of religion, but the more so; for they are under infinitely greater obligations. For lack of this, many people, in a few months after their conversion, have begun to lose their sweet and lively sense of spiritual things, and to grow cold and dark, and have “pierced themselves through with many sorrows;’ whereas, if they had done as the apostle did, (Phil. 3:12-14.) their path would have been “as the shining light, which shines more and more unto the perfect day.”
2. Do not leave off seeking, striving, and praying for the very same things that we exhort unconverted people to strive for, and a degree of which you have had already in conversion. Pray that your eyes may be opened, that you may receive sight, that you may know yourself, and be brought to God’s footstool; and that you may see the glory of God and Christ, and may be raised from the dead, and have the love of Christ shed abroad in your heart. Those who have most of these things, have need still to pray for them; for there is so much blindness and hardness, pride and death remaining, that they still need to have that work of God wrought upon them, further to enlighten and enliven them, that shall be bringing them out of darkness into God’s marvelous light, and be a kind of new conversion and resurrection from the dead. There are very few requests that are proper for an impenitent man, that are not also, in some sense, proper for the godly.
3. When you hear a sermon, hear for yourself. Though what is spoken may be more especially directed to the unconverted, or to those that, in other respects, are in different circumstances from yourself; yet, let the chief intent of your mind be to consider, “In what respect is this applicable to me? and what improvement ought I to make of this, for my own soul’s good?”
4. Though God has forgiven and forgotten your past sins, yet do not forget them yourself: often remember, what a wretched bond-slave you were in the land of Egypt. Often bring to mind your particular acts of sin before conversion; as the blessed apostle Paul is often mentioning his old blaspheming, persecuting spirit, and his injuriousness to the renewed; humbling his heart, and acknowledging that he was “the least of the apostles,” and not worthy “to be called an apostle,” and the “least of all saints,” and the “chief of sinners;” and be often confessing your old sins to God, and let that text be often in your mind, (Ezekiel 16:63.) “that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth any more, because of your shame, when I am pacified toward you for all that you has done, says the Lord God.”
5. Remember, that you have more cause, on some accounts, a thousand times, to lament and humble yourself for sins that have been committed since conversion, than before, because of the infinitely greater obligations that are upon you to live to God, and to look upon the faithfulness of Christ, in unchangeably continuing his loving-kindness, notwithstanding all your great unworthiness since your conversion.
6. Be always greatly abased for your remaining sin, and never think that you lie low enough for it; but yet be not discouraged or disheartened by it; for, though we are exceeding sinful, yet we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; the preciousness of whose blood, the merit of whose righteousness, and the greatness of whose love and faithfulness, infinitely overtop the highest mountains of our sins.
7. When you engage in the duty of prayer, or come to the Lord’s supper, or attend any other duty of divine worship, come to Christ as Mary Magdalen1 did; (Luke 7:37, 38.) come, and cast yourself at his feet, and kiss them, and pour forth upon him the sweet perfumed ointment of divine love, out of a pure and broken heart, as she poured the precious ointment out of her pure broken alabaster box.
8. Remember, that pride is the worst viper that is in the heart, the greatest disturber of the soul’s peace, and of sweet communion with Christ: it was the first sin committed, and lies lowest in the foundation of Satan’s whole building, and is with the greatest difficulty rooted out, and is the most hidden, secret, and deceitful of all lusts, and often creeps insensibly into the midst of religion, even, sometimes, under the disguise of humility itself.
9. That you may pass a correct judgment concerning yourself, always look upon those as the best discoveries, and the best comforts, that have most of these two effects: those that make you least and lowest, and most like a child; and those that most engage and fix your heart, in a full and firm disposition to deny yourself for God, and to spend and be spent for him.
10. If at any time you fall into doubts about the state of your soul, in dark and dull frames of mind, it is proper to review your past experience; but do not consume too much time and strength in this way: rather apply yourself, with all your might, to a pledge pursuit after renewed experience, new light, and new lively acts of faith and love. One new discovery of the glory of Christ’s face, will do more toward scattering clouds of darkness in one minute, than examining old experience, by the best marks that can be given, through a whole year.
11. When the exercise of grace is low, and corruption prevails, and by that means fear prevails; do not desire to have fear cast out any other way, than by the reviving and prevailing of love in the heart: by this, fear will be effectually expelled, as darkness in a room vanishes away, when the pleasant beams of the sun are let into it.
12. When you counsel and warn others, do it earnestly, and affectionately, and thoroughly; and when you are speaking to your equals, let your warnings be intermixed with expressions of your sense of your own unworthiness, and of the sovereign grace that makes you differ.
13. If you would set up religious meetings of young women by yourselves, to be attended once in a while, besides the other meetings that you attend, I should think it would be very proper and profitable.
14. Under special difficulties, or when in great need of, or great longings after, any particular mercy, for yourself or others, set apart a day for secret prayer and fasting by yourself alone; and let the day be spent, not only in petitions for the mercies you desire, but in searching your heart, and in looking over your past life, and confessing your sins before God, not as is accustomed to be done in public prayer, but by a very particular rehearsal before God of the sins of your past life, from your childhood hitherto, before and after conversion, with the circumstances and aggravations attending them, and spreading all the abominations of your heart very particularly, and fully as possible, before him.
15. Do not let the adversaries of the cross have occasion to reproach religion on your account. How holily should the children of God, the redeemed and the beloved of the Son of God, behave themselves. Therefore, “walk as children of the light, and of the day,” and “adorn the doctrine of God your Savior;” and especially, abound in what are called the Christian virtues, and make you like the Lamb of God: be meek and lowly of heart, and full of pure, heavenly, and humble love to all; abound in deeds of love to others, and self-denial for others; and let there be in you a disposition to account others better than yourself.
16. In all your course, walk with God, and follow Christ, as a little, poor, helpless child, taking hold of Christ’s hand, keeping your eye on the marks of the wounds in his hands and side, whence came the blood that cleanses you from sin, and hiding your nakedness under the skirt of the white shining robes of his righteousness.
17. Pray much for the ministers and the church of God; especially, that he would carry on his glorious work which he has now begun, until the world shall be full of his glory.”
Particularly I would beg a special interest in your prayers and the prayers of your Christian companions, both when you are alone and when you are together, for your affectionate friend, who rejoices over you and desires to be your servant.
In Jesus Christ,
Jonathan Edwards
As I daily read and study scripture, the desire increases for wanting to live for the Lord, to die-to-self and turn away from the ways of the world. I have waded and researched through so much false teaching that this writing was salve for me…in these latter times it is good to know that God never changes and is the same forever….please read….
Living Like “the Sons of Light”
This is not a rhetorical question nor am I being derisive or sardonic, but can someone explain to me why the timing and structure of the End Times was no mystery to the Early Church and yet we seem to hold endless conferences and publish untold numbers of books and websites on the subject? In all fairness, perhaps I need to re-frame the issue. It actually seems that the problem does not pertain so much to the thirst for knowledge about the fulfillment of God’s plans as the day of the Lord approaches, but how to live in the shadow of that knowledge. It might be the age old issue of the positioning of the cart relative to the horse.
Full article HERE
I happened across a forum that was discussing cults and those who were coming out of them. It caught my interest because this particular cult has its facility in the Northwest. The forum was on a site that had much information about the New World Order and health issues. Many Christians are interested in these issues and post comments.
The forum was very informative and the people really had some good sharing. The comments revealed that one reason why people got involved in these cults was that they were hungry for spiritual help in their lives. They are seekers.
Here are some of the comments coming from the people leaving this particular cult.
“For sure it’s a cult. As is christianity or any other religion.”
“I saw in many of the students a blind devotion to *** that bordered on dangerous; investing in ponzy schemes, kilns for alchemy, a scheme to make a toxic “purified” water where one ingredient was lye, building underground shelters for the end of the world, taking prozac because *** thought it would clear peoples minds, telling terminally ill or paralyzed patients that they can cure themselves and constantly asserting that if miracles or “manifestations” did not occur in our lives, then we were doing something wrong…..To conclude, we are all seeking for truth…”
” As with most cults people are drawn to the good parts of it and I will admit some of ***teachings make sense but the individual who tries to play the part of an all knowing god , if you will, can not keep the facade going for long in one continuous speech without carrying on with banter that varies from the intended message..”
“*** has supposedly “channeled” Jesus,…”
“That is when*** told us to Dig In and get ready for the Days to Come…. instruction was to constructed (sic) a secret place under ground by our self and dig it with our hand if necessary that no one would know the location, to be covered with at list 4 feet of dirt with a secret entrance and to have enough food for 3 years or more and enough supply to be able to rebuilt the world when coming out. Can you imagine the fear that hit us that night, but also like you mentioned in your letter the wonderful feeling of superiority of knowing that we were the chosen one, we were special.”
“As you know they are now back into the mode that the end of the World is coming as per the end of the Mayan calendar in 2012.”
Some of the commenters were still in the cult or were not against it.
“They teach the truth of life from their perspective and never demand any allegiance to that truth. They encourage us to find our own truth by testing the lessons and disciplines thru personal experience. If it doesn’t work for you…then they encourage you to seek until you find what rings true for you.”
“I’ve been able to get passed all the silly guilt, and feelings of unworthiness that plagued my personality. I know I’m something so much more than my body and personality. The *** has taught me that, and taught me how to remove the mask that covers the God that lives within me.Once we learn how remarkable we are and how remarkable God is, the World seems so UNremarkable.”
“This is great…. that each one of us can stand in our own knowing and own integrity as to what is right for ourselves without disempowering the other to get our viewpoint across.”
“By the way, I think the same way about all the other religions, cults and beliefsystems that claim to have the ultimate truth. So, along with the christian church(es), islam, hinduism, capitalism, communism, nihilism and all the other -isms, ramthaism is to me nothing but a pile of BS.”
Before I enter my comments I want to post what the moderator said. He was not the owner of the site.
“We have thousand of posts with a lot of information,we also welcome all resonable discussions on JZR.”
Here are my comments but they were not welcome at all.
As a Christian there are some aspects I will would like add to this conversation. Please kindly consider what I have to say based on the Bible, which I understand is a forbidden book on the compound.
Mediums like to portray the spirit world as ascended masters or the wise ones, etc. but the truth is that what is being accessed are evil spirits. They pretend to be something they are not. Spirit guides are not holy, they are imposters.
A well known verse concerning these matters is 2 Corinthians 11:14…
“..for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” Thus we have those hungry for “enlightenment” searching in all the wrong places for truth.No wonder the Bible is off limits. It defies their teachings.
I do not mean to preach, just want to say that I found the answers, and I know my eternal destiny. Following Jesus Christ is not a religion, because there is nothing you can do to earn heaven. Salvation is a free gift for believing in Him and following Him. True Peace. No Fear. Blessings to you.
..thank you for the kind words….I found this site because I am worried and care about the people who are involved and I have a personal interest. Much has been learned from those making the comments, who also are concerned and have shared their experiences. Thank you so much.
I too was one who was brought up in the Christian faith and wandered away. But one day someone took the time and spoke truth to me and it seared me to the very core. I returned to the faith. The Jesus that is depicted as an ascended master of the Brotherhood is not the Jesus I follow, which is a main concern of those who believe in the Bible.
Another Christian comments…..
“God loves each and every one of us. He sent His only Son Jesus to die for us so that we will have a life with Him one day in heaven as well as a life worth living on this earth day to day just to be able to deal with what life throws our way, and most of us know that is a lot: heartache, family problems, jobs, finances, death of loved ones, the list could go on forever. He demands nothing of us.I could go on, and I know many disagree with all of this but God gives us that freedom to accept Him for a better life inside each of us and a life in heaven or reject Him to our own peril in an eternity in a burning Hell. Believe it or not believe it. We all have that choice. God bless and keep all of us safe! I wish you all good health!
Now the responses……
So trying to preach to us that the God of the Bible is the answer does nothing except to aggravate the problem since we all have rejected that possibility as most of us was looking for the truth which we did not find in religions in the first place So no amount of quotes from the Bible will change that in most of us since we believe Religions to be also cultish.
I do not take well to being threatened with eternal damnation in hell or any such nonsense if I do not believe in ‘Him’,…But take it from me sherri, what you have written does have that effect on me, because to me, it comes from that same old arrogant, condescending attitude of knowing it all and looking down on the poor sheep who don’t,
Instead of trying to understand the real nature of how we feel, you chose to preach us your truth as you call it completely ignoring the mechanic of it all. Preaching us with total ignorance…Please understand that last thing WE want to hear when coming out of a place like that, is someone trying to preach us their truth. Recovering from a cult like this one to some may take years and for many require real professional help, not preaching from someone that have no Knowledge what so ever, and no experiences.
I had to strongly resist the temptation to attack you and Kim myself. I didn’t want to sound mean. But my own truth welled up inside me. Then I realized that I can love the “sinner” but hate the “sin”. I really do hate what you are selling, but not you personally, and I think it would be mean of me NOT to say so, because I see what you two are proposing as the cause of most of the world’s problems.
I think the last comment hit me the hardest.
“…what you two are proposing as the cause of most of the world’s problems. “
It was said that “WE” do not want to hear preaching. But how can this man speak for all. The moderator was directing people to his site for help and that was great…I hope that people were finding help but the Christian’s solution, Jesus of the Bible, would not be tolerated. I wanted to continue making comments because people who get caught up in cults are usually spiritually hungry. This cult taught wrong aspects using the words Christ and Jesus. I guess they didn’t really want to know the true Jesus, that He is not a screaming Jesus, he is not an ascended master of the Brotherhood… but the Savior of the World who died because we are sinners.
My sister-in-Christ and I, decided to shake the dust off our feet and leave the site. We were not welcome after professing Jesus Christ as Lord.
It was not “our” truth we were speaking of, but the truth found in the Holy Bible. If I was to try to find truth within myself, like self-seekers, I would find no good thing. Romans 3:9 says, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” Through studying the Bible and realizing what God expects of us by observing His laws, we become conscious of our sinful nature. This drives me to my knees in repentance of sin.
Glory be to God, the all high and mighty, and His Son Jesus Christ.
Bill Johnson’s ‘Born Again’ Jesus, Part II
[It will probably be best to read or review part I before reading this article. In addition, it is important to view The Kingdom of God is at Hand, Part II as this provides more insight into Bill Johnson’s theology and its possible New Age implications. Once again, I’m indebted to all those who’ve assisted. Thank you!]
In part I, we discussed the Christology of Bill Johnson based on his words from a portion of his sermon series titled Jesus Is Our Model as well as quotes from other sources. In part II, we will look further into Johnson’s doctrine and compare it to some other aberrant theology. Here’s the same part of his sermon which was referenced in the first part:
“…Did you know that Jesus was born again? I asked… the first service and they said, “No.” But I will show it. It’s in the Bible. He had to be. He became sin.
In Hebrews 1 it says this, “For to which of the angels did he ever say, ‘You are my son. Today I have begotten you’?” And Acts 13 explains that: “God has fulfilled this for us, their children, in that he has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are my Son, Today I have begotten You.’ And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption.” He was born through Mary the first time and through the Resurrection the second time. He was ‘born again.’” [1]
Read Entire Article HERE
I am looking forward to Part III
Beth Moore’s Dangerous Bible Twisting
I recently reviewed two segments of Beth Moore’s “Bible teaching” on my radio program and I must admit I was bowled over by just how bad and dangerous her teaching really is. I know she’s popular but this woman is NOT rightly handling God’s word. Instead, she is twisting the scriptures to her own destruction and the destruction of her hearers.
Take a listen for yourself. Not only is this bad, its downright dangerous false teaching!
http://www.extremetheology.com/2010/03/beth-moores-dangerous-bible-twisting.html#
Bill Johnson’s ‘Born Again’ Jesus, Part I
CrossWise Blog LINK HERE
[This article could not have been completed without the work of others who came before me, the assistance of those who pointed me to certain texts and documents, the expertise of those whom I consulted for advice and clarification on theological matters, and the help of the individuals who assisted me on readability before finalizing this document. To all of these I say, “Thank you!”]
On a recently uploaded YouTube video[1] there are two clips put together exposing some faulty teaching of “Apostle” Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in Redding, CA.[2] In the second part, which begins at 3:40, Johnson states that Jesus was ‘born again.’ Here[3] is the uncut sermon from December 20, 2009 with the ‘born again’ Jesus portion beginning at 33:48. Following is the transcription:
“…Did you know that Jesus was born again? I asked… the first service and they said, “No.” But I will show it. It’s in the Bible. He had to be. He became sin.
In Hebrews 1 it says this, “For to which of the angels did he ever say, ‘You are my son. Today I have begotten you’?” And Acts 13 explains that: “God has fulfilled this for us, their children, in that he has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are my Son, Today I have begotten You.’ And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption.” He was born through Mary the first time and through the Resurrection the second time. He was ‘born again.’” [4]
Did Jesus become sin? If so, when? Was it at His incarnation? Was it on the cross? Was it some time in between?
As we examine Scripture we find, of course, that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life.[5] However, Scripture does say He ‘became sin’ as substitution for ours:
21God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. [II Corinthians 5:21 NIV]
Please note that Jesus Christ did not ‘become sin’ in that He did not become a sinful being with corruptible flesh but, rather, our sins were imputed to Him by the Father to atone for the sins of all who believe on Him. The following explains this:
“God used the principle of imputation to benefit mankind when He imputed the sin of believers to the account of Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for that sin – death – on the cross. Imputing our sin to Jesus, God treated Him as if He were a sinner, though He was not, and had Him die for the sins of the entire world (1 John 2:2). It is important to understand that sin was imputed to Him, but He did not inherit it from Adam. He bore the penalty for sin, but He never became a sinner…” [6]
We’ve established the correct interpretation regarding how Jesus Christ ‘became sin;’ but, what is Johnson’s belief? Apparently, he does not ascribe to the orthodox view because, if so, he would not state that Jesus had to be born again. Regarding this apparent view of Johnson: who would be worthy to atone for Jesus’ supposed sin in order for Him to be born again?
Going back to the second paragraph of the transcript, Johnson quotes the question from Hebrews 1:5a, then attempts to answer this question over in Acts 13. The trouble with this is that these are two completely different contexts. Why did he do that? It just leads to potential confusion.
Logic would lead us to think that Johnson was making a thesis statement in the first paragraph while explaining it in the next. So, to paraphrase Johnson: Jesus ‘became sin’ and thus had to be ‘born again’ which can be proven using Scripture.
Therefore, if we take Johnson’s words in the second paragraph as a strict chronology in the context he provides by isolating the verses in Hebrews and Acts, we should find the answer to his thesis statement. In addition, we may be able to determine his underlying theology. First, he quotes the first part of Hebrews 1:5:
For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son; today I have begotten You?”
Next he states:
And Acts 13 explains that…
Explains what? Explains ‘to which of the angels did God ever say…’? No, that’s not what Johnson answers (it was a rhetorical question in the context of Hebrews and, hence, did not require an answer) as he has shifted to a completely different context over in Acts as pointed out above. So, which question IS Johnson attempting to answer?
…God has fulfilled this [“You are my Son; today I have begotten You” from above] for us, their children, in that he has raised up Jesus [at the Resurrection]. As it is also written in the second Psalm:
‘You are my Son, Today I have begotten You.’ [Jesus is the Father’s begotten Son, today at the Resurrection.] [Bracketed comments mine for explanation.]
If we take his words at face value here he seems to be inferring that Jesus became God’s Son at the resurrection. Johnson appears to solidify this thought by continuing with the following:
…And that he ‘raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption.’
Johnson now states that Jesus was ‘born again’ “through the Resurrection:”
He was born through Mary the first time and through the Resurrection the second time. He was ‘born again.’
So, can we conclude that Johnson believes Jesus was ‘born again’ through the Resurrection, and subsequently, or simultaneously, became God’s Son only then? The view of Jesus being God’s Son at or through the Resurrection is only unorthodox if the belief is that Jesus was not the Son of God before this event. We’ll return to this at a later point.
Now that we understand when and how Jesus was ‘born again’ according to Johnson, it may seem plausible to assume he is also explaining with the words in the second paragraph of the transcript when and how Jesus ‘became sin.’ Is it possible then, that he is saying it is through Mary that Jesus ‘became sin?’ This would make sense if he equated “corruption” with “sin” and that Jesus’ birth through Mary made Him ‘corruptible flesh,’ i.e., human.[7] We’ll attempt to answer this later.
In his book When Heaven Invades Earth from 2003, Johnson further defines his theology:
“Jesus lived His earthly life with human limitations. He laid his [sic] divinity aside as He sought to fulfill the assignment given to Him by the Father: to live life as a man without sin, and then die in the place of mankind for sin. This would be essential in His plan to redeem mankind. The sacrifice that could atone for sin had to be a lamb, (powerless), and had to be spotless, (without sin).” [8] [all as per original]
This is bad Christology[9] (the view of Christ’s nature, person and deeds) which we’ll explain more a bit later. When did Jesus lay aside His deity? And, when, if ever, did He pick it back up? Did Jesus have to strive to be sinless? This is just faulty theology. [This issue of Johnson’s faulty Christology is also spoken of here. ] Is it that Johnson just does not understand orthodox Christian doctrine? This seems doubtful as he is a fifth generation[10] pastor by his own admission.
This also contradicts Johnson’s words in the transcript. How could Jesus have been spotless and without sin yet ‘became sin’ thus making it a requirement that He be born again? How can that be reconciled?
Perhaps the words from Johnson’s books can be harmonized with the words in the video/audio in order to understand his theology.
Returning to Johnson’s When Heaven Invades Earth we find Jesus as a boy at the Temple[11]:
“He was simply a 12-year-old boy with priorities that were different from everyone else.” [12]
With this he may be inferring that Jesus was not yet divine; but, this is inconclusive.
The “Anointing”
However, with his words below, Johnson claims outright that Jesus did not become The Christ until His baptism[13] which, by extension, means He was not divine at the Incarnation:
“Christ is not Jesus’ last name. The word Christ means ‘Anointed One’ or ‘Messiah.’ It is a title that points to an experience… …He had to receive the anointing in an experience to accomplish what the Father desired.” [emphasis mine]
“The anointing is what linked Jesus, the man, to the divine enabling Him…”. [14]
Scripture makes it clear that Jesus was divine at His Incarnation[15] by identifying him as “Immanuel” (God with us)[16] and the “Anointed One” – The Christ[17] – at the virgin birth, contrary to Johnson. Given his view that Jesus was not The Christ at His birth, then, by extension, does this mean he believes Jesus was born into the same fallen, Adamic sin nature as the rest of us?
This points, once again, to faulty Christology known as the Kenosis heresy.[18] Adding Johnson’s words from a few paragraphs earlier: “The sacrifice that could atone for sin had to be a lamb, (powerless)…” drives it home. Louis Berkhof in The History of Christian Doctrine quoting Everard Digges La Touche: “In the most absolute and consistent form it [the Kenosis doctrine] teaches what La Touche calls ‘incarnation by divine suicide.’”[19]
Adding to this, Johnson, in his book The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind: Access to a Life of Miracles states:
“…Jesus had no ability to heal the sick. He couldn’t cast out devils, and He had no ability to raise the dead. He said of Himself in John 5:19, ‘the Son can do nothing of Himself.’ He had set aside His divinity… …Jesus so emptied Himself that He was incapable of doing what was required of Him by the Father – without the Father’s help…”[20]
Johnson lifts this Scripture out of its proper context. So, was Jesus Christ really “powerless” with the ability to do “nothing of Himself?” He makes clear His words:
17”The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life – only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” [John 10:17-18]
Johnson explains his belief that Jesus received the “title” of Christ at His baptism:
“The word anointing means to “smear.” The Holy Spirit is the oil of God that was smeared all over Jesus at His water baptism. The name Jesus Christ implies that Jesus is the One smeared with the Holy Spirit.” [21]
With the above, Johnson misconstrues the meaning of the word “anointing” in this context. First of all, in the Gospel accounts the Greek word from which we get the word “anoint” is not used at all in regard to Jesus’ baptism. The Holy Spirit ‘descended upon’ Jesus.[22]
In Acts 10:38, in which Jesus is described as having been ‘anointed’ with the ‘Holy Spirit’ (also see Acts 4:27, Luke 4:18 and Hebrews 1:9), the Greek word used is chrio which is defined:
To anoint (physically with oil; spiritually, with the Holy Spirit), to assign a person to a special task, implying a giving of power by God to accomplish the task. [23]
Johnson is over-literalizing a metaphor. The spiritual application should be used rather than the physical. Referring to the Holy Spirit as a ‘smearing’ smacks of sacrilege. This error begun in the first two sentences has compounded itself in the third with its implications. He’s equating ‘Christ,’ The “Anointed One,” with the Holy Spirit “anointing.”
Here’s the Strong’s definition of “Christ” from the Greek Christos:
“Christ, Anointed One, Messiah, the Greek translation of the Hebrew 4899 (cf. Greek 3323). The Messiah is the Son of David, an anointed leader expected to bring in an age of peace and liberty from all oppression. In the NT, the Messiah is Jesus, who came first to bring liberty from sin and peace with God and who will come again to bring all things under His control.[24]
The orthodox view of the significance of Jesus’ baptism is stated here:
Jesus’ baptism…symbolized the sinners’ baptism into righteousness of Christ, dying with Him and rising free from sin and able to walk in the newness of life. His perfect righteousness would fulfill all the requirements of the Law for sinners who could never hope to do so on their own…
Perhaps most importantly, the occasion of the public baptism recorded for all generations to come the perfect embodiment of the triune God revealed in glory from heaven. The testimony directly from heaven of the Father’s pleasure with the Son and the descending Holy Spirit upon Jesus [Matthew 3:16-17] is a beautiful picture of the Trinitarian nature of God. It also depicts the work of the Father, Son and Spirit in the salvation of those Jesus came to save…[25]
Note that Jesus “publicly announced Himself” as the Son of God; however, He already was the Son of God at His incarnation (and before this, of course). Jesus Christ being ‘fully God and fully man’ at the virgin birth did not need the Holy Spirit. He was already the “Anointed One.”
This same “anointing” is available to others according to Johnson.[26] With his belief, then, by implication, when individuals receive the Holy Spirit – thus receiving the same ‘Christ’ “anointing” as Jesus – they will, in essence, be just like Jesus. Taken to its logical conclusion, this leads to the view that once an individual receives this ‘Christ anointing’ he/she will be Joe/Jane Christ. Quoting Johnson:
Through the shedding of His blood, it would be possible for everyone who believed on His name to do as He did and become as He was. [27]
This seems to state outright that we can become just like Jesus Christ. While we are to strive to be ‘like Christ’ by the leading of the Holy Spirit, we are never going to be equal to Christ. Jesus Christ is the one and only Son by nature.[28] We, however, are adopted as sons (and daughters) by grace.[29] There is only one Christ and He is Jesus Christ!
According to Johnson, after receiving the “anointing,” we are to pass ‘it’ to others. Not necessarily others who are or wish to become Christians exclusively, but to anyone:
“For the most part, the anointing has been hoarded by the Church for the Church. …thinking it is for our enjoyment only. …This wonderful presence of God is to be taken to the world.” [30]
“…When we are smeared with God, it rubs off on all we come into contact with – and it’s that anointing that breaks the yokes of darkness.” [31]
“…The anointing is substance. It is the actual presence of the Holy Spirit, and He can be released into our surroundings” [32] [all emphasis mine]
Johnson is claiming the “anointing” is a transferable, tangible substance; however, the “anointing” is also described as the “smearing” on of the Holy Spirit at baptism. Are these one and the same? Presumably not since Johnson refers to the “anointing” above as an impersonal ‘it.’ The Holy Spirit, as the third person of the Trinity and part of the Godhead, is most certainly not an ‘it!’
This seems as though Johnson is implying the Holy Spirit may be manipulated almost at will. If that’s the case, could we just ‘pass Him on,’ so to speak, to unbelievers – those in “the world” – in order to bring salvation?
The Apostle John makes it clear there is a counterfeit anointing. Is it possible Johnson is passing a counterfeit?
20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth…
26I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit – just as it has taught you, remain in him. [1 John 2:20, 26-27 NIV; emphasis mine. Underlined portion is rendered in other translations as “is true, and is not a lie”]
Johnson also speaks quite a bit about the antichrist spirit:
“The nature of the antichrist spirit is found in its name: anti, “against”; Christ, “Anointed One.’” [33]
“…The spirits of hell are at war against the anointing, for without the anointing mankind is no threat to their dominion.” [34]
“The antichrist spirit has a goal for the Church – embrace Jesus apart from the anointing.”[35]
The first sentence is nearly correct; however, it’s not a complete definition (see below). However, in the second and third passages, once again we find Johnson confusing “anointing” with “Anointed One.” Johnson’s view here then may be better stated as ‘anti-anointing,’ ‘anti-Holy Spirit,’ or, perhaps, anti-hagiopneuma [or anti-pneumahagios].[36]
Johnson defines further his version of the antichrist spirit calling it a ‘religious spirit:’
“The spirit of antichrist is at work today, attempting to influence believers to reject everything that has to do with the Holy Spirit’s anointing. …That spirit has worked to reduce the gospel to a mere intellectual message, rather than a supernatural God encounter. …But, never does this spirit expect the anointing of God’s power to be available in the here and now…”
“It is the antichrist spirit that has given rise to religious spirits. A religious spirit is a demonic presence that works to get us to substitute being led by our intellect instead of the Spirit of God.” [37]
Since Johnson’s definition of antichrist would be more accurately termed ‘anti-anointing,’ or ‘anti-Holy Spirit,’ then this “demonic presence,” – the term he uses to describe those with ‘religious spirits’ (those who hold to doctrine over personal experience) – are actually those who are against Johnson’s “anointing” rather than against Christ.
The prefix ‘anti’ from which the term ‘antichrist’ is derived is defined as:
“in exchange for (often as a sign of benefaction), in place of (often as a sign of contrast), instead of (often as a sign of an exchange of a relationship), one after another (often as a sign of purpose or result). Note that this preposition used in absolute does not mean to be ‘against’ or ‘in opposition to’ something.” [38]
Therefore ‘antichrist’ is not just ‘against Christ’ it can be ‘instead of Christ,’ ‘in place of Christ,’ et cetera.
Johnson’s Christology Defined
If we take Bill Johnson’s words in total so far, we have Jesus devoid of divinity at birth, but receiving His divinity at baptism by the “anointing” of the Holy Spirit and thereby becoming the “Anointed One” and consequently obtaining the ‘title’ of Christ. Immediately following this “anointing,” The Father declared, “This is My much loved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”[39] In laying His divinity aside he was “powerless,” completely dependant upon the “anointing” in seeking to live a sinless life. He was successful in living out a sinless life; however, because He had ‘laid His divinity aside,’ he died as the man Jesus – a “powerless” lamb – on the Cross. Further, since He ‘became sin’ He had to be ‘born again.’ He was ‘born again’ through the Resurrection and was consequently reaffirmed as God’s Son. Presumably, He reacquired His divinity which He previously laid aside.
The remaining question to attempt to answer: When was it that Jesus ‘became sin’ according to Johnson? Logically, it was either at birth or at the Cross. Let’s explore these two options.
First, if He ‘became sin’ at the Cross as per the orthodox meaning as described near the beginning of this article – i.e., our sin was imputed to Him by the Father– then it would not have been necessary for Him to be ‘born again.’ So, it is fair to say he either does not hold to this doctrine or he does not fully understand it.
Second, If Johnson’s view is that Jesus ‘became sin’ on the Cross like that of Word of Faith, then, it is considered heretical.[40] We can’t know for sure since, of course, Johnson is not clear on how he supports this particular view.
The next possibility then is that Johnson believes Jesus ‘became sin’ at His incarnation. Since Jesus apparently did not have a divine nature until His baptism, according to Johnson, then it is logical to assume that He had only a human nature and, by extension, He inherited an Adamic, sin nature. Going back to the second paragraph of the transcription: if we consider, as noted above, the possibility that Johnson was actually explaining his viewpoint on when and why Jesus ‘became sin,’ it is plausible that his interpretation of “corruption” in Acts 13 is “sin,” and thereby “corruption” could mean “corruptible flesh.”
It seems the most plausible conclusion is that Johnson believes Jesus ‘became sin’ at the Incarnation since Jesus was not divine until baptism; however, this is not made certain in the texts.
It appears Johnson has adopted a Christological view close to that of Cerinthianism, derived from its main spokesman Cerinthus. A form of 1st century Gnosticism, this is one of the heresies the Apostle John was specifically refuting in his first epistle.[41] He did this by proclaiming that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, was the Son of God, and had preexisted as part of the Triune God [vv 1:1-4]. Further, he identifies that which is antichrist [vv 2:22-23; 4:2-3].
1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus [Christ] is not from God. This is the spirit of antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. [I John 4:1-3 NIV. Emphasis mine.] [42]
The study note of 4:2 referencing ‘Every spirit that acknowledges that’ “Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” ‘is from God’ states:
…Thus John excludes the Gnostics, especially the Cerinthians, who taught that the divine Christ came upon the human Jesus at His baptism and then left him at the cross, so that it was the man Jesus who died.” [43]
The Apostle John goes further in showing that Jesus was also divine at the Cross (blood):
6This is the one who came by water and blood – Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three that testify:[the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit and these three are one] 8[And there are three that testify on earth:] the Spirit, the water and the Blood; and the three are in agreement. 9We accept man’s testimony but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about His Son. 10Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. [I John 5:6-11 NIV] [44]
The study note referencing verse 5:6 explains the importance of Jesus being divine at the Crucifixion:
“…He [John] now asserts that it was this God-man Jesus Christ who came into our world, was baptized and died. Jesus was the Son of God not only at His baptism but also at His death (v. 6b). This truth is extremely important, because, if Jesus died only as a man, his sacrificial atonement (2:2; 4:10) would not have been sufficient to take away the guilt of man’s sin…” [45] [emphasis mine]
Sad to say, but, Bill Johnson’s ‘Jesus’ is not the one of orthodox Biblical Christianity. In addition, his ‘Christ’ is inconsistent with Scripture; and, this ‘Christ’ does not offer true salvation.
The Good News!
However, there is good news! Salvation is available through the one True Savior: the Anointed One, The Messiah, the one and only Son of God – Jesus Christ.
Orthodox Christianity asserts that Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of God, [John 3:16] incarnated through the Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit coming upon and overshadowing her [Luke 1:26-35; Matthew 1:18], fully God and fully man [John 5:18; Philippians 2:6-7] – the unique God-man – at all times during His earthly ministry. He was preexistent as part of the Triune Godhead (the Trinity) from ‘the beginning’ [Genesis 1:1; John 1:1] and He is ‘the alpha and the omega’ [Revelation 1:8, 21:6, 22:13], the beginning and the end.
Salvation into eternal life is only through Jesus Christ [John 14:6] as a result of His death, burial, and resurrection on the third day [Philippians 2:8; Matthew 28:1-7; Luke 24:1-10,46] which atoned for our sins [John 3:16; Romans 5:8, 10:9]. Christ has now ascended to be at the right hand of the Father [Acts 2:33] serving as our mediator [Galatians 3:19-20; 1 Timothy 2:3-6]. Salvation is a free gift of unmerited grace through faith in Jesus Christ [Ephesians 2:8-9]. Jesus’ death also fulfilled the Law of Moses [Matthew 5:17; Romans 8:1-2]; consequently, Christians are free from this bondage [Galatians 3:10-25].
If you believe the above and acknowledge the fact that you are a sinner in need of a Savior [Romans 3:23, 5:12, 6:23], repent of your sins [Luke 13:5; Matthew 3:2], and accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you will gain eternal life [Romans 10:9,13]. At the point of salvation the Holy Spirit indwells each and every believer [Romans 5:1-2,5] identifying each one as a Christian who has become a new creature [2 Corinthians 5:17]. Christians are a Royal Priesthood [1 Peter 2:9] with the confidence to enter the Most Holy Place [Mark 15:37-38] to petition the Father by prayer [Hebrews 10:19-22] in the Name – i.e., in the character – of Jesus Christ, His Son as revealed through His Word.
The Holy Spirit empowers all believers [Romans 8:9-11] to live out the Christian life; and, His indwelling is a seal guaranteeing eternal life [2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14] if we stand firm to the end [Matthew 24:13]. The Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin and guides into all Truth [John 16:8-11,13]. He will testify and bring glory to Jesus Christ [John 15:26, 16:14]. The Holy Spirit gives believers spiritual gifts [1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Romans 12:4-8; I Peter 4:9-11] just as He determines [1 Corinthians 12:11] and, He intercedes on our behalf [Romans 8:26-27]. AMEN!
[This article is not copyrighted and may be reproduced with the stipulation that all endnotes be included as these provide additional explanation critical to the document.]
Endnotes:
[1] “raideragent” Bill Johnson False Teacher. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzAwFYKe3h0> 3:40 to 4:55
[2] Bethel Church, Redding, CA home page <http://www.ibethel.org/site/>
[3] “ewenhuffman” Jesus is our Model- Sermon of the week 20 Dec 09. <http://ewenhuffman.podbean.com/2009/12/23/jesus-is-our-model-sermon-of-the-week-20-dec-09/> 33:48 to 34:57
[4] Here Johnson quotes Hebrews 1:5a and Acts 13:33-34b from the NKJV
[5] Hebrews 4:15; I Peter 2:22/Isaiah 53:9; etc.
[6] Got Questions? What is the Definition of Sin?. <http://www.gotquestions.org/definition-sin.html> par 4
[7] When taking the larger context into account by adding vv 36 and 37 it is clear the best definition for “corruption” is ‘the decay of the body after death.’ See Studylight.org diaphthora <http://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=1312>
[8] Johnson, Bill “The Anointing and the Antichrist Spirit.” When Heaven Invades Earth. 2003; Destiny Image, Shippensburg, PA; p 79
[9] Got Questions? What Is Christology <http://www.gotquestions.org/Christology.html> The claim that Jesus Christ laid His divinity aside is known as the Kenosis heresy – the misunderstanding of the words “emptied himself” of Philippians 2:7. Jesus was never less than fully divine; however, some of his attributes were veiled. See http://www.theopedia.com/Kenosis. In the Gospel of John (17:5), Jesus Himself states, “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” This shows it was His full glory rather than His divinity that was not present during His earthly ministry.
[10] Johnson, Bill “Introduction.” When Heaven Invades Earth. 2003; Destiny Image, Shippensburg, PA; p 23
[11] Luke 2:41-52
[12] Johnson, Bill “The Works of the Father.” When Heaven Invades Earth. 2003; Destiny Image, Shippensburg, PA; p 98
[13] Johnson, Bill “The Anointing and the Antichrist Spirit.” When Heaven Invades Earth. 2003; Destiny Image, Shippensburg, PA; p 79
[14] ibid.
[15] Luke 2:11; I John 1:1-3; Matthew 1:18-23; Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6
[16] Strong, James, Dr. The Strongest Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. fully revised by John R. Kohlenberg III and James A. Swanson; 2001, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI; Strong’s # 1694; p 1495 “Immanuel,” ‘God with us.’
[17] Strong, Op.cit. Christos Strong’s # 5547; p 1542 “Christ, Anointed One, Messiah, the Greek translation of the Hebrew 4899 (cf. Greek 3323). The Messiah is the Son of David, an anointed leader expected to bring in an age of peace and liberty from all oppression. In the NT, the Messiah is Jesus, who came first to bring liberty from sin and peace with God and who will come again to bring all things under His control.”
[18] Theopedia Kenosis <http://www.theopedia.com/Kenosis>
[19] Berkhof, Louis The History of Christian Doctrine. 1975, Baker, Ann Arbor MI; p 121
[20] Johnson, Bill “Change Your Mind.” The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind: Access to a Life of Miracles. 2005; Destiny Image, Shippensburg, PA; p 50
[21] Johnson, Bill “The Anointing and the Antichrist Spirit.” When Heaven Invades Earth. 2003; Destiny Image, Shippensburg, PA; p 79
[22] Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, Luke 3:22
[23] Strong, Loc.cit. Chrio Strong’s # 5548; p 1542
[24] ibid. Christos Strong’s # 5547; p 1542
[25] Got Questions? Why was Jesus baptized? Why was Jesus’ baptism important?.
updated 11/26/11
<http://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-baptized.html>
[26] Johnson, Op.cit. pp 79-80, 134-135
[27] Johnson, Bill “Our Debt to the World: An Encounter with God.” When Heaven Invades Earth. 2003; Destiny Image, Shippensburg, PA; p 138
[28] John 3:16-18
[29] Romans 8:15, 8:23, 9:4; Ephesians 1:5 We are adopted as sons by Grace; whereas, Jesus is God’s Son by nature.
[30] Johnson, Op.cit. p 134
[31] ibid. Johnson p 135
[32] Johnson, Bill “The Kingdom and the Spirit” When Heaven Invades Earth. 2003; Destiny Image, Shippensburg, PA; p 75
[33] Johnson, Bill “The Anointing and the Antichrist Spirit.” When Heaven Invades Earth. 2003; Destiny Image, Shippensburg, PA; p 79
[34] ibid. p 80
[35] ibid. p 84
[36] Not an actual word, but made from the Greek, hagios which is ‘Holy,’ and pneuma which is ‘Spirit,’ for illustrative purposes. It is understood that these two terms are never used as a compound word.
[37] Johnson, Op.cit. p 81
[38] Strong, Op.cit. anti, Strong’s # 473; p 1480
[39] Johnson, Bill “The Works of the Father” When Heaven Invades Earth. 2003; Destiny Image, Shippensburg, PA; p 99 (Here Johnson quotes Matthew 3:17 from the NKJV)
[40] Gospel Outreach Ministries Online. “Atonement” What is the Word of Faith Movement?. <http://www.gospeloutreach.net/whatwordfaith.html>
[41] Barker, Kenneth; Burdick, Stek, et. al. “Introduction: I John; Gnosticism” NIV Study Bible. copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI; p 1905
[42] Strong, Op.cit. p 198 The word “Christ” put in brackets here is disappointingly omitted in the NIV; however, it is in the original Greek (Christos) and appears in the KJV and NKJV as well as other translations.
[43] Barker, Op.cit. p 1910
[44] ibid. p 1911 Bracketed portion is in “Late manuscripts of the Vulgate…” However, this text is “not found in any Greek manuscript before the sixteenth century.”
[45] ibid.
How to Change America
How to Change the World
An Editorial by Pastor Anton Bosch
Here is an excerpt from this article…It is excellent …Please read.
It is so easy to blame everyone else and to enumerate the nation’s and the church’s problems. But we often fail to recognize our personal problems and see that change has to begin with each one of us.
We want the Ten Commandments written in stone in the court house, but it is not written in our hearts. In fact, we can’t even recite them!
Full Article Link below
Often I hear Christians quote famous sayings from outside biblical sources. Some are fine but others make me cringe. For instance, once I read in a church bulletin a quote from Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau came from a family of Unitarians, criticized the church during his life, was a panentheist, was into Hinduism and Buddhism, and argued that all religions are legitimate. He was quoted as saying during the last years of his life, “A snowstorm was more to him than Christ.” Yet he is quoted in a church bulletin?
My biblical basis for rejecting philosophers is Colossians 2:8
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after rudiments of the world and not after Christ.”
Anything that leads us into a worldview and away from a biblical view, removes the impact of God’s word.
***********************
Question: “What is pantheism?” Pantheism is the view that God is everything and everyone and that everyone and everything is God. Pantheism is similar to polytheism (the belief in many gods), but goes beyond polytheism to teach that everything is God. A tree is God, a rock is God, an animal is God, the sky is God, the sun is God, you are God, etc. Pantheism is the supposition behind many cults and false religions (e.g., Hinduism and Buddhism to an extent, the various unity and unification cults, and “mother nature” worshippers).
Answer:
Does the Bible teach pantheism? No, it does not. What many people confuse as pantheism is the doctrine of God’s omnipresence. Psalm 139:7-8 declares, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” God’s omnipresence means He is present everywhere. There is no place in the universe where God is not present. This is not the same thing as pantheism. God is everywhere, but He is not everything. Yes, God is “present” inside a tree and inside a person, but that does not make that tree or person God. Pantheism is not at all a biblical belief.
The clearest biblical arguments against pantheism are the countless commands against idolatry. The Bible forbids the worship of idols, angels, celestial objects, items in nature, etc. If pantheism were true, it would not be wrong to worship such an object, because that object would, in fact, be God. If pantheism were true, worshipping a rock or an animal would have just as much validity as worshipping God as an invisible and spiritual being. The Bible’s clear and consistent denunciation of idolatry is a conclusive argument against pantheism.
Question: “What is panentheism?”Related to Process Theology, panentheism is essentially a combination of theism (God is the supreme being) and pantheism (God is everything). While pantheism says that God and the universe are coextensive, panentheism claims the God is greater than the universe and that the universe is contained within God. Panentheism holds that God is the “supreme effect” of the universe. God is everything in the universe, but God also is greater the universe. Events and changes in the universe effect and change God. As the universe grows and learns, God also increases in knowledge and being.
Answer:
Panentheism is most definitely not biblical. In fact, it is extreme heresy that impugns the character of God and makes Him more like a man. God is present everywhere (Psalm 139:7-8), but God is not everything. God knows everything, whether actual or possible (Psalm 139:1-6; Romans 11:33-35). God does not learn because He already has all knowledge. God is “affected” by things that occur in the universe, but only in that sin angers Him and holiness pleases Him. Our actions do not change God or impact His essential being.
The Bible presents God as holy (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8), sovereign (1 Chronicles 29:11; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 83:18; Isaiah 37:20), omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-10), omniscient (Job 28:24; Psalm 147:4-5), omnipotent (Job 42:1-2), self-existent (Exodus 3:14; Psalm 36:9), eternal (Psalm 90:2; Habakkuk 1:12), immutable (Psalm 33:11; James 1:17), perfect (Deuteronomy 32:3-4), and infinite (Job 5:9; 9:10). None of these attributes are compatible with panentheism. God transcends all of His creation, and is in no sense limited or changed by events in His Creation.
Recommended Resource: Jesus Among Other gods by Ravi Zacharias.
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