A continuation from...
The Exchanged Life Movement - Part 2 - Christian Forums
THE IMAGE OF GOD IN MAN
Earlier in this paper I talked about McVey's view that man is a triune being based upon the image of God. Scripture nowhere teaches this. In fact the Scriptures tell us what the image of God in man is. In Ephesians 4:24 and Colossians 3:10, Paul tells us that the new man is being renewed in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, after the image of God. By knowledge the Apostle means an innate knowledge of God and His Law, a knowledge of himself and a knowledge of what was outside of him (philosophers call this world-consciousness). By righteousness the Apostle means Adam was righteous in his nature and did what was right. By holiness the Apostle means the state of mind produced when the soul is full of God, in other words, Adam's whole man was holy. Notice the context of these verses that in the new birth we are being renewed to this image again by the last Adam who is Christ. It is His righteousness and His holiness that we are being renewed to. The victory for Christians is a future victory when in the glorified state we will be fully conformed to this image again. Paul said of himself in Philippians that he had not yet attained. Are we prepared to say that Paul had not yet received the "victory"?
We must remember that what we have received on this side of glory is the forgiveness of sin and the Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of all the promises that God has made to us (Eph. 1:13-14; 2 Cor. 1:22). I am not saying that we do not grow as Christians nor that we do not gain any victory over sin. What I am saying is that we do not gain full victory or perfection until the glorified state. A favorite verse used by the "Exchanged Life" people to teach their "entire" sanctification doctrine is 1 Cor. 15:57 "but thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. If you will read the entire chapter of 1 Cor. 15, you will see that the context of this verse is the death of the believer and the believer being raised up with a new glorified body. This verse in its context teaches the opposite of what the "Exchanged Life" teaches (entire victory now). It teaches that the complete and full victory for the Christian takes place when the Christian dies. This is what I meant by sloppy exegesis. This type of interpretation defies the very elementary rule of interpreting language. We must always look at the context of any verse before we try and expound on it.
I am going to make a statement here and I do not mean to sound harsh but this type of exegesis only proves that these men teaching theology in the church are in fact ignorant of theology, church history, and the original languages. Dr. Solomon's degree is in education and Dr. Gillham's degree is in psychology. So we have men teaching in the church who have no more than Sunday School degrees in the Bible but a Ph.D. in education or psychology. God has sent to the Church pastors/teachers (Eph. 4:11-12), to ground God's people in the Word. Anyone called to this office must give several years of his life over to the study of God's Word (in the original languages), church history, philosophy, and systematic theology. It is through church history and knowledge of the original languages that we can see through teaching like this. There is nothing new today that the church has not dealt with before. Sadly in the name of practicality many of the seminaries have produced inadequately trained men in these fields.
These are some of the basic problems with the "Exchanged Life". I do not doubt their zeal for wanting to help struggling , hurting people. They tell people that their struggle against sin is not normal when Scripture tells up the opposite. This also leads to spiritual pride. It's telling people that they have got the victory and they don't and if they will let you share this "special" knowledge with them, you will be able to raise them up to your level of spirituality. This only leads people to despair or arrogance. I know, I have been there myself and I have seen this damage done to others as well.
Rev. Steve McGee is the Pastor of Faith Presbyterian at Okeechobee, Florida.
The Exchanged Life Movement - Part 2 - Christian Forums
THE IMAGE OF GOD IN MAN
Earlier in this paper I talked about McVey's view that man is a triune being based upon the image of God. Scripture nowhere teaches this. In fact the Scriptures tell us what the image of God in man is. In Ephesians 4:24 and Colossians 3:10, Paul tells us that the new man is being renewed in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, after the image of God. By knowledge the Apostle means an innate knowledge of God and His Law, a knowledge of himself and a knowledge of what was outside of him (philosophers call this world-consciousness). By righteousness the Apostle means Adam was righteous in his nature and did what was right. By holiness the Apostle means the state of mind produced when the soul is full of God, in other words, Adam's whole man was holy. Notice the context of these verses that in the new birth we are being renewed to this image again by the last Adam who is Christ. It is His righteousness and His holiness that we are being renewed to. The victory for Christians is a future victory when in the glorified state we will be fully conformed to this image again. Paul said of himself in Philippians that he had not yet attained. Are we prepared to say that Paul had not yet received the "victory"?
We must remember that what we have received on this side of glory is the forgiveness of sin and the Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of all the promises that God has made to us (Eph. 1:13-14; 2 Cor. 1:22). I am not saying that we do not grow as Christians nor that we do not gain any victory over sin. What I am saying is that we do not gain full victory or perfection until the glorified state. A favorite verse used by the "Exchanged Life" people to teach their "entire" sanctification doctrine is 1 Cor. 15:57 "but thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. If you will read the entire chapter of 1 Cor. 15, you will see that the context of this verse is the death of the believer and the believer being raised up with a new glorified body. This verse in its context teaches the opposite of what the "Exchanged Life" teaches (entire victory now). It teaches that the complete and full victory for the Christian takes place when the Christian dies. This is what I meant by sloppy exegesis. This type of interpretation defies the very elementary rule of interpreting language. We must always look at the context of any verse before we try and expound on it.
I am going to make a statement here and I do not mean to sound harsh but this type of exegesis only proves that these men teaching theology in the church are in fact ignorant of theology, church history, and the original languages. Dr. Solomon's degree is in education and Dr. Gillham's degree is in psychology. So we have men teaching in the church who have no more than Sunday School degrees in the Bible but a Ph.D. in education or psychology. God has sent to the Church pastors/teachers (Eph. 4:11-12), to ground God's people in the Word. Anyone called to this office must give several years of his life over to the study of God's Word (in the original languages), church history, philosophy, and systematic theology. It is through church history and knowledge of the original languages that we can see through teaching like this. There is nothing new today that the church has not dealt with before. Sadly in the name of practicality many of the seminaries have produced inadequately trained men in these fields.
These are some of the basic problems with the "Exchanged Life". I do not doubt their zeal for wanting to help struggling , hurting people. They tell people that their struggle against sin is not normal when Scripture tells up the opposite. This also leads to spiritual pride. It's telling people that they have got the victory and they don't and if they will let you share this "special" knowledge with them, you will be able to raise them up to your level of spirituality. This only leads people to despair or arrogance. I know, I have been there myself and I have seen this damage done to others as well.
Rev. Steve McGee is the Pastor of Faith Presbyterian at Okeechobee, Florida.
