Not only are they motivational speakers masked as Christians such as Joel Osteen, but they're false teaching yields false hope. When their followers don't gain wealth or experience recovery from ailments or chronic conditions, they lose faith in God and often abandon the faith.
It gets worse....
The advent of satellite technology in the 1980's led to the rise of the TV preacher and an explosion of false doctrine such as situational ethics, prosperity gospel, personal aggrandizement, etc. The result, according to theologians of the late 20th century, led to a de-legitimization of the gospel in the eyes of the secular world - the very world it is meant to reach with its message.
Revelations of sexual deviance among leaders of the Roman Catholic church have led to a serious breach of confidence in the integrity of every leader from the Pope to the neighborhood priest. We seldom or ever hear of such things happening in Protestant churches, which is an interesting situation all by itself.
The issues under current discussion on these pages focus on old news. What is new is that Christians, particularly main denominations, have bought into two heresies that threaten to destroy the remaining fabric of Christendom. These philosophies are; the
New Age movement and
Post-Modernism.
Post-Modernism is the use of subjective logic in evaluating scripture and one's own life. It basically states '
if it feels good, do it'. I must add that this is also preached and accepted among the entire spectrum of Reform Jews from liberal to conservative synagogues. It's not strictly a Christian aberration.
For instance, Jews will stand up with a copy of the Torah (God's Law) in one hand and embrace the gay lifestyle with the other. Christian churches, which until recently had expressed horror at Nazi crimes against humanity, now support the BDS movement with one voice - a movement dedicated to the ultimate extermination of Jews from Palestine.
Objective logic stands upon a strict adherence to an accepted standard such as the Ten Commandments. Discussions about moral ethics which use the Ten Commandments as a standard usually agree. Subjective opinion does not recognize any standard except personal points of view.
Christians don't know the difference simply because they are not being trained and educated.
The
New Age movement is a subtle effort to rename an old adversary of Christendom. It is occult philosophy with a cosmetic make-over. The church loves it and is embracing it with open arms. A few specific examples include children's movies such as Disney's
"Wrinkle In Time" and Amblin Entertainments'
"The House With A Clock In It's Walls". Both movies target children and portray occult themes liberally.
Christian audiences don't know the difference simply because they are not being trained and educated.
Occult movies have been around a long time, but its only recently that the Christian community has embraced its themes in popular music.
Hillsong, for example, is a popular group that supposedly promotes Christian buzz words albeit with moderate to heavy occult overtones. Don't take my word for it and don't reject my assertions out of hand. Google them.
Demonic symbolism is everywhere in Hillsong staging as well as in suggestive lyrics. A recent Hillsong Passion Play release on youTube attempted a revised version of Jesus Christ Superstar, but with Roman soldiers dressed as Nazi storm troopers, including close order military drill, and with lines spoken by Christ that made the Son of God look like a frenzied lunatic. As with the Broadway production, no mention of the risen Christ is made.
The Christian audience doesn't know the difference simply because they are not being trained and educated.
International House of Prayer is a mid-western based group that supposedly promotes Christian education, self-improvement seminars and leadership conventions. What they promote and teach is far from standard Biblical matter. Accusations of sexual exploitation and persecution of persons with formal Biblical training in large venues such as the Olsteen group are petty by comparison.
Christians don't know the difference simply because they are not being trained and educated.
Following a study of the Qur'an and Islamic culture, I was shocked to hear references to Islam in a sermon delivered at a large local Baptist church by a substitute preacher.
Members of the congregation nodded approval like rows of plastic bobble-heads when in fact they had no idea what the man was saying or suggesting. Every speaker uses dramatic or comedic pauses in a presentation to enhance the topic or refresh the attention of the audience. These anecdotes are usually personal or based upon some application of Biblical principle. We have all been exposed to this and it's a standard practice in the secular world, in politics and in religious venues. The subject matter of the anecdotes I've heard was based upon Muslim theology, not Christian. I realized this because I'd just completed a study of it.
The Christian audience didn't know the difference simply because they are not being trained and educated.
Christian theology is being warped by leadership as well. Following a sermon on grace delivered by a Dean of a local Bible college, I heard the speaker advise the congregation to, "
go out and sin this week that grace may abound."
Grace is given so that we may live sinless lives before God, not to justify licentiousness!
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A LICENSE TO SIN.
During a witness project in which I and a few companions entered a row of local biker bars I received a lesson in Christian morality. Inebriated men at the bar admitted they were sinners, but said they knew who they were and why they were there. Christians, they told me, have no idea why they're in church and don't behave accordingly.
(*)
The church is now on a steep slope circling the drain of history. Only a remnant will survive the theological and demonic assault upon it. It is time for every Christian to be wise as serpents and innocent as sheep.
It is time to repent. The hour is late and rumors persist that the Master is nearly at the door.
that's me, hollering from the choir loft.....
(*)
I must add that I wasn't assaulted or insulted by any of the customers of the bar.
On the other hand, I HAVE BEEN insulted by Christians for expressing an opinion about hypocrisy and deviant theology and I HAVE BEEN asked to leave a seminary because I refused to recant my faith in Jesus Christ and the Biblical principle that one must be saved.
