The big news this week was about Rob Bell on Oprah Winfrey’s show, and how he denigrated the Bible and proved himself to be a bonafide heretic. Matt Walsh has an excellent commentary on megachurch false teachers in general, and also on Rob Bell in particular!
“Speaking” of false teachers, A Lutheran Layman reminds us that the Bible warns us to exercise discernment while being on guard against them. He has some good “billboard” examples exposing a variety of false teachers.
A new booklet is available from Lighthouse Trails Research Project, all about Roma Downey. Roma has deceived many people with her character on the television program, “Touched By An Angel,” with it’s New Age theology. More deception came from her with last year with her miniseries, “The Bible” — which was quite unbiblical! From that series came the movie, “Son of God,” which gave a false teaching about who Jesus is. Roma has become quite popular, but her teachings are dangerous. Read the booklet on-line.
More news from last weekend told us that 21 Coptic Christians were executed by barbaric Muslims. I find it sad that some Christian bloggers say these people were not Christians; it’s like saying Roman Catholics aren’t Christians. While both organizations have brought in heresy and various apostate teachings, there are indeed individuals within those organizations who have come to saving faith in spite of the organizations’ teachings, because among all the weeds there are the basics of the Christian doctrine. I wouldn’t claim to know whether these 21 Copts were indeed saved, but the possibility is there. Here’s a summary look at their teachings, so you can see the problem areas.
Now that I mentioned Roman Catholicism, it seems their leadership needs to clean out those who don’t adhere to their faith. First, a Catholic University in California is promoting homosexual dating! Then we have a Cardinal in New York has decided that homosexual activists can march in the Catholic St. Patrick’s Day parade!
Last week I linked to an article at the Cripplegate about the beliefs of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. This week they gave the same treatment to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I’m sure you will see from this article why Mormons are not Christians. For more information on the Mormon church, feel free to skim through my new blog about them.
I stumbled across a blog new to me this week, but it looks like a good one to use for examining the false teachings of the Word of Faith cult. This article demonstrates how many top faith fake healers all died of some disease. If their faith was true, why did this happen?
The Mennonites in Canada are becoming more and more apostate.
4 comments:
Thank you for the mention of the Coptics that were murdered. I was shocked at the frigid response by some bloggers that I thought understood Christ's love.
Hi Glenn,
I second that comment by Doug. Thank you! While it is true that the Coptic view teaches some substantial errors, like you said, in RCism, there are some who genuinely believe despite the church teaching. It could very well be the same with Coptics. We don't know if those murdered Coptics were genuine believers or not. So we need to be careful and considerate with how we speak. I try to leave the door open for hope. You never know what someone may cry out in a moment of crisis. Just like the thief on the cross...
-Carolyn
In my opinion, there were 2 general responses from the wider Evangelical community regarding the Copts that were beheaded, that were not helpful. Reaction 1: Immediate proclamation that these men were saved, and therefore brothers (the problem with this is, it puts confusion out there about WHAT the true gospel is, if we include Coptic doctrine)
2: These men were not saved, period.(so much wrong with this, it is mind boggling that a believer would be so dogmatic. No one but the Lord Himself can know hearts. Since Coptic doctrine does have the gospel mixed in, it is quite possible people in a Coptic church could come to a saving faith if they read the bible for themselves).
I think the best response from Christians is to show compassion for LIVES LOST. To proclaim the gospel, pray for the families of the men, and perhaps in separate post/statement/podcast, talk about the differences of biblical Christianity and Coptic doctrine, so that ignorant Christians do not think that Coptic is just another denomination in the Evangelical world.
Jennifer
Hi Glenn,
Jennifer said **exactly** what I have been thinking about these lost Coptic souls and the awful reactions from the Evangelical community. Well said, Jennifer, well said! You put in one paragraph (ok, two?) my exact sentiments, and why I've been so heartbroken over the responses to this tragedy, especially "2" the dogmatic stance, yet just as you said, only GOD knows the heart. I refuse to speak any further to the believers who took that cold-hearted dogmatic stand, as if they were standing in God's shoes and possessed His secret counsel...
-Carolyn
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