Random Aberrations, Apostasies, and Heresies

Lots of good stuff about the Roman Catholic Church this week, most of which came from Christian Apologetics & Resource Ministry posts on Facebook  (By the way, as a disclaimer - CARM is operated by staunch Calvinists, so you will encounter that sort of theology being defended there.)  Here are the topics you may find useful for dealing apologetically with Romanists:

A list of false teachings in the Roman Catholic Church.

Maintaining Salvation in Roman Catholicism.

The Exaltation of Mary.

Roman Catholicism, comparing Mary to God.

Roman Catholicism, Mary, and Idolatry.

The Cripplegate had a good article about why Peter isn’t the “rock” on which Jesus built the Church, contrary to Romanist claims.  “So, to paraphrase Jesus’ words, the Lord told Peter,’“I say to you that you are a small stone, and upon this bedrock I will build My church.’ It was a play on words that made a significant spiritual point.”

All this proof about the false teachings of the Romanist church means nothing to smiling Joe Osteen; he gives the Pope praises.

CARM also had an article about what Oneness Pentecostals teach, and why it is heresy.

And then we come to Mormons again:
Something I’ve know for a long time, since I study Mormonism more than any other false teaching, is the fact that Mormons as a whole are under more stress than the average population.  With their constant striving for perfection, and worrying about whether they’ve done enough to earn salvation, it is no real wonder why they are so stressed out!  I’ve previously read that Utah has the highest rate of depression in the U.S.A.

One of the doctrines Mormons try to pretend never happened is Brigham Young’s teaching - which he claimed to get from God - about Adam being God.  The discount that Young was speaking as a prophet of God, and nowadays try to say he was just expressing a personal belief.  Well, the history proves the LDS to be - as usual - liars.

Over the years I have stayed in various Marriot brand motels, and enjoy trading the ever present Book of Mormon in the rooms with one I have annotated.  Well, I’m not staying in their motels any more, unless that’s all I can find.  Unlike real Christians who avoid pandering to homosexuals, Marriot is pandering to them to enrich himself.  Of course the Mormon church won’t excommunicate the Marriots because that would be a huge loss of money for them.

Do we really need another Bible based on the entertainment or personality industries?
HT to Erin.

A woman who reads this blog sent me a link to this article which points out what happens when the church panders to the world - it causes more loss of the younger generation.  Those of us in the apologetics ministry have been saying this for a long time, as we have condemned the seeker-sensitive and market-driven philosophies.

One last item to demonstrate the future of the American church - in Denmark the Church now has to allow homosexual “couples” to “marry” in their churches, and they even have to supply the clergy.  Those who wish to follow Christ should leave these establishments.

Love Lustres at Calvary

MY FATHER,

Enlarge my heart, warm my affections, open my lips, supply words that proclaim “Love lustres at Calvary.”

There grace removes my burdens and heaps them on thy Son, made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me;
There the sword of thy justice smote the man, thy fellow;
There thy infinite attributes were magnified, and infinite atonement was made;
There infinite punishment was due, and infinite punishment was endured.

Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy, 
cast off that I might be brought in, 
trodden down as an enemy that I might be welcomed as a friend,
surrendered to hell’s worst that I might attain heaven’s best,
stripped that I might be clothed,
wounded that I might drink,
tormented that I might be comforted,
made a shame that I might inherit glory,
entered darkness that I might have eternal light.

My Saviour wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes,
groaned that I might have endless song, 
endured all pain that I might have unfading health,
bore a thorny crown that I might have a glory-diadem,
bowed his head that I might uplift mine,
experienced reproach that I might receive welcome,
closed his eyes in death that I might gaze on unclouded brightness,
expired that I might for ever live.

O Father, who spared not thine only Son that thou mightest spare me,
All this transfer thy love designed and accomplished;
Help me to adore thee by lips and life.

O that my every breath might be ecstatic praise,
my every step buoyant with delight, as I see my enemies crushed,
Satan baffled, defeated, destroyed,
sin buried in the ocean of reconciling blood,
hell’s gates closed, heaven’s portal open.

Go forth, O conquering God, and show me the cross,
mighty to subdue, comfort and save.

From The Valley of Vision, Puritan Prayers and Devotions, p.76-77

Did They Really Say That?!?

“Well, just because the Bible says that God framed the world with things that were not seen, that does not mean that He framed this world out of nothing.  It simply means that He framed the world out of something that you could not see.  In other words, He didn’t go out here and pick up something - a few raw materials - and then sling a world together.  No, the raw material or the substance that God used to frame this world was His faith and His Word - His faith and His Word ... The way that He created the world was, first of all, He conceived something on the inside of Him.  He conceived; He had an image; He had a picture.  God doesn’t just sling things into existence without first of all conceiving it first.”

Jerry Savelle, Framing Your World with the Word of God, part 2, audiotape #SS-36, side 1. Cited by Hank Hanegraaff in Christianity in Crisis, 21st Century, p.374-375.

This is the sort of nonsense one can expect from false teachers.  This is the “fruit” of their teachings; that faith and God’s Word are material substances that God joined together for creation.  The Bible says that God just spoke it all into existence; created everything out of nothing -- ex nihilo.  God doesn’t have faith, because God has all knowledge and has nothing for which He needs faith.   Jerry Savelle, and all of his Word of Faith ilk, are false teachers -- and their teachings are spiritually dangerous.  Avoid them like the plague.

Random Aberrations, Apostasies, and Heresies

This week I’ve read lots of things about Roman Catholicism, so I’ll start with those articles, which you should find of interest.

Elizabeth Prata has an excellent article examining some of the teachings about Mary.

Then the Pope himself posted a “tweet” about being able to “turn to the Mother of God and find protection and care.”  I really would like to see where they find this nonsense in the Bible.

Quite a while back one of my RA&H articles linked to an article about Roman Catholic Womenpriests, a liberal feminist movement to ordain Catholic women.  Of course they do not do it with the sanction of Rome.  The movement is still going strong.

Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry had four articles about Romanist teachings:

1.  Salvation by works.

2.  The Gospel according to Rome.

3.  Responding to the question about whether Catholics are Christian.

4.  The Catholic view of the god of Islam.

In addition to articles about Romanism, CARM also had a synopsis of the basic  teachings of Mormonism.

Another cult I learned something new about this week is the Jehovah’s Witness.  I was reading the weekly email from Midwest Christian Outreach and there was a report about a meeting with a JW.  The author gave an example of part of the conversation:
She mentioned she believed Jesus is HER (personal) mediator just as the Bible teaches. I said I agree w/her! but then I showed her pg.10 of the WT book Worldwide Security Under the Prince of Peace in which the WT teaches:

"Jesus Christ, is not the Mediator between Jehovah God and all mankind. He is the Mediator between his heavenly Father, Jehovah God, and the nation of spiritual Israel, which is limited to only 144,000 members."

Mind you, this is a citation from an official JW publication!  I had never read this before - had never known that they saw Jesus as the mediator for ONLY the 144,000.  And yet this cult claims to be Christian!!

Another really false teacher is Todd Bentley.  Not only is he a false teacher, but he is dangerous to peoples’ physical well-being because he likes to kick and punch them for “healing.”  Pastor Justin Peters confronted Bentley this week; read this report to see what happened.  (Hint - false teachers don’t like to be confronted.)

More on the “bridal eschatology” of the International House of Prayer.  This cult actively seeks the youth, so be very careful to protect the young people you know from this self-centered and perverse false teaching which leads to arrogance on behalf of those at IHOP.

Psychotherapists Are Wolves

The most obvious counseling error is for a church to refer a believer to a professional counselor, be it a clinical psychologist, marriage and family counselor, or a psychiatrist who practices psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, if you are not aware, does not deal with medical issues; rather it is "talk" therapy drawn from some of the more than 500 concepts that professional counselors employ. ...

Yet here, in brief, are our fundamental problems with referring believers to those trained in psychological counseling: 1) The basic concepts were conjured up by those who were atheists and anti-Christians. Scripture tells us in Psalm 1 that believers are not to walk in the counsel of the ungodly. 2) The foundational belief of psychological counseling is that mankind is inherently good. Jeremiah 17:9 states the opposite. 3) It is an intimidating myth that psychological counseling is scientific and that only professionals are equipped to counsel. 4) Since nearly all issues related to counseling are symptoms of sin, psychological counselors have no basis for addressing sin. 5) All Christian psychologists attempt to integrate psychotherapeutic concepts with the teachings of Scripture. 6) Referring believers to professional counselors is a shameful denial of the authority and sufficiency of God's Word. It is a matter of shepherds turning their flock over to hirelings at best--wolves in disguise at worst.


T.A. McMahon, "How Does Your Church Counsel?", The Berean Call, June 2014

Random Aberrations, Apostasies, and Heresies

As a follow-up to the Liberty University fiasco of having Glenn Beck teach Mormonism, Mormonism Research Ministry’s blog has a two part article explaining the problems with the incident.  Part 1 and part 2.

Rick Warren’s support for Roman Catholicism is nothing less than apostasy.

The Emergent/Emerging movement has also been playing around with Roman Catholic mystical teachings, including the heretical idea of the RCC’s Eucharist.

Lighthouse Trails Research has a good reference source for identifying organizations promoting the contemplative/mysticism movement.

The latest target of Tim Challies’ series on false teachers is Creflo Dollar.  He’s another of those wealthy Word of Faith teachers who have gotten rich off of suckering his followers.

James MacDonald has a book out, which Gary Gilley reviews, exposing MacDonald’s false teachings.  MacDonald has succumbed to the popularity cult.

About 2 1/2 years ago I wrote a series about how the psychology and psychiatry industry was diametrically opposed to Christianity.  Answers In Genesis has posted an excellent article, “A Christian Response to the Crisis in Psychiatry,” which I think is a good follow-up.

Arch-heretic Jim Wallis and his cronies have always claimed to be Christian while at the same time teaching opposite of what the Christian faith teaches.  Their primary focus has been on the “social gospel” and promoting every left-wing political agenda.  Now they’ve “come out” unabashedly as pro-homosexual.

Wallis and his ilk promote the idea that there can be such a thing as a “gay Christian.”  Answers In Genesis has a good response to this oxymoron.

With many “churches” succumbing to the homosexual agenda, it is important that we, as true Christians, continue to stand fast on the Word of God and what it says about homosexual behavior.  While some suggest that there can be a neutral stance, Albert Mohler explains why there is no “Third Way.”

A World-Mirroring Church?

"I think that the church in America today is so obsessed with being practical, relevant, helpful, successful, and perhaps even well-liked that it nearly mirrors the world itself.  Aside from the packaging, there is nothing that cannot be found in most churches today that could not be satisfied by any number of secular programs and self-help groups."

Michael Horton, Christless Christianity: the Alternative Gospel of the American Church, p.16-17

What Is Christian?

Over the past 6.5 years that I’ve had this blog, various Christian commenters have accused me of deciding who is or is not a Christian, or what denomination is or is not Christian, all based on my “particular interpretation of the Bible.”  (This is a common attack on every apologist and apologetics ministry I’ve encountered.)  A virulent atheist who has had discussions with me on other blogs (and who really hate’s fundamental Christians) has stated, “You live in this fantasy bubble where Glenn E. Chatfield is the sole arbiter of what the Bible says and means.”

Well, I maintain that my “interpretation” of the Bible agrees with what has been taught by Christians for 2000 years.  I don’t have any particular interpretation - I practice good hermeneutical principles of exegesis.  And I have NEVER maintained or even intimated that I am the “sole arbiter” of anything.

This same atheist asked, “Tell us Glenn. Which denomination is the True Church?”  This is a common question by atheists who have no real understanding of Christianity; the “True Church” is all believing Christians.  It is not a particular organization or denomination - it is the believers!

When I declare a particular denomination as apostate or heretical, I do so based on comparing what the denomination teaches versus what the Bible says.  And I DO NOT declare members of those denominations themselves to be apostate or heretical because I can’t possibly know their personal beliefs unless they’ve been stated openly.

Also, those sects which are considered as un-Christian cults, are considered so by all Biblical scholars and apologists; so it isn’t just MY opinion that they are cults, rather I agree with the scholars!  Cults do not adhere to the non-negotiable doctrines of the historic, orthodox Christian faith.  Let me give some examples:

1.  The historic faith says that Christ is one member of the triune God.  If a sect says that he was created, they are worshiping a Jesus not identified in the Bible.  If they say he is one of three gods, was not born of a virgin, was only a good man, etc, then they are worshiping a Jesus not in the Bible; or, as Paul said in 1 Cor. 11:4, “ a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached.”  The Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists (although SDA has enough truth that many have found it and became saved), Unitarians, Christian Scientists, et al, worship “another Jesus.”

2.  Historic, orthodox Christianity says that God is uncreated and eternal, and that He created everything else.  The Mormons say that God was once a sinful man who earned his way to godhood.  They are worshipping a false god.

Members of apostate or heretical Christian denominations - i.e., denominations which have always been accepted as Christian until they fell into apostasy or heresy - may or may not be Christians.  Many believers find the truth in these denominations and are indeed saved, all the while remaining deceived in some way so that they are burdened with beliefs that make them ineffective in working for the Lord.

If a person is a member of a cult, where there is no truth of the gospel to be found, then that member is not a Christian.  But if a person is a member of a denomination which has gone apostate or heretical, that person may or may not be a Christian based on their PERSONAL beliefs.  After all, no one is required to have all their doctrinal ducks in a row, or have full understanding of all Christian doctrine in order to be saved.  What is the requirement for salvation?  Try Romans 10:9:  “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  No works needed, no clear understanding of all doctrines needed, just the simple understanding that you are a sinner in need of a savior, and that Jesus is that Savior who you confess to be Lord of your life, and that you believe that he died for your sins and rose again from the dead.

So a question was put to me, “Are Catholics Christians?”  Too many people say that they are not, including a Christian commenter I encountered on a friend’s blog.  I say that the Roman Catholic Church apostatized from the true faith of Christianity when they added heretical traditions of men.  As noted in my commentaries on the RCC, these traditions include the veneration of Mary, the perpetual virginity of Mary, the veneration of icons and saints, purgatory, indulgences, the Mass with its idolatrous transubstantiation, the papacy, etc.  The Roman Catholic organization, directed by its popes, have committed horrendous crimes against humanity throughout its history, including the murder of Christians who had the audacity to disagree with the leadership!  However, when it comes to the individual Catholic, many have become Christians in spite of the teachings of the RCC.  The true gospel can be found with the RCC if one is seeking.  The true believer will many times leave the RCC once they are saved, while other times they will stay because they like the liturgy, or they have family connections, or they still feel some of the legalistic practices are necessary.  I get this testimony from many Catholics and ex-Catholics I have known over the decades, as well as from many testimonies I have read by ex-Catholics.

What about examples of apostasy, which lead to the label of “apostate” for some denominations?  If you look under the various labels for churches in the column on the right side of this blog, and read what I say about them, you will find your answer.  However, some examples of apostate beliefs are:

Placing women in pastoral/elder positions.
Supporting homosexuality and same-sex fake marriage.
Supporting abortion.
Teaching evolution instead of creation.
Low view of Scripture, including mythologizing Genesis.
Teaching the social gospel.
Emergent teachings.
Mysticism, including contemplative prayer, labyrinth, visualization.

I think you get the idea.  Of course heretical churches are those that deny any of the non-negotiable doctrines of the faith, such as the United Pentecostals who deny the Trinity.

I am not the arbiter of what is or is not true Christianity; this was established during the first century and was the teachings during the first couple hundred years before corruption entered the church and man-made traditions became doctrines.

Whether or not an individual is a Christian must be determined by his or her professed beliefs or observed actions.  No one can judge the heart but God.  Every Christian has the duty to judge whether or not someone is a believer based on comparing their beliefs with what the Bible actually says.

Random Aberrations, Apostasies, and Heresies

Notice that I changed my heading for these weekly reports; it was due to someone pointing out an item wasn’t really a heresy, and there could be some debate as to whether it was even an apostasy.  So I decided to add “Aberrations” and let YOU decide which label best fits.

First up, a hat tip to Erin Benziger for pointing me to this one.  Perry Noble, a bonafide false teacher, has “Four Things That Are Essential For a Healthy Children’s Ministry”; and please note that the teaching of the Gospel isn’t included.   Well, what do you expect for a seeker-sensitive, entertainment-oriented emerging church like Noble’s?

I have quite often dealt with pacifist Christians who really like to twist what Jesus said about turning the other cheek.  These people use the reference to refuse to join the military, for example.  I worked with a fellow believer who said if someone broke into his home and was attacking his children and his wife, even sexually, he would not try to defend them because that would be using violence!  It is impossible for me to accept such rationale, let alone using Jesus’ words to support it!  At any rate, here is a good teaching on what Jesus meant.  Perhaps you will find it beneficial for the next time you encounter someone abusing this passage of Scripture.

Whatever happened to the Mennonites having mostly fundamental doctrines?  How in the world did they get to the point of teaching contemplative prayer to children?!?

Two years ago I linked to an article at Sola Sisters which reviewed the horrible book by Ann Voskamp, “One Thousand Gifts.” Sola Sisters has posted another article about this book, which demonstrates the bizarre sexuality/sensuality that Ann teaches about her relationship with God.

Charismatics have a lot of aberrational teachings in general, and addressing such nonsense was really what the “Strange Fire Conference” was all about.  Hip and Thigh has a good article exposing some of these really aberrant teachings.

What about the apostate teachings of the mystical movement, including lectio divina.   Tim Challies explains the danger of such teachings.

Finally, again in reference to Mormonism, Liberty University is actually defending its stance in regards to allowing Mormon Glenn Beck to speak there.  Let me address some specifics.
This is the excuse given for allowing Beck to preach a sermon (for that really is what it was): “College is about learning. How can you defend what you believe if you don’t understand what others believe?”  The problem here is that the students DIDN’T understand what Beck believes because he sounded just like a Christian!  Let’s look at some of Beck’s teachings in this sermon:

1.  “I am Mormon and share your faith,… Training Champions for Christ.”  NO, a Mormon does NOT share the same faith as Christians, so they cannot train anyone for Christ.

2.  “Days before Joseph Smith was martyred he was taken out by the sheriff;…”  Smith was not martyred.  He died in a shoot-out.  Martyrs don’t shoot back.  This is one of the big fables that Mormons like to teach to show how they have been persecuted.

3.  “Later in his message, the Mormon talk show host told the students that ‘no one in the Grand Councils’ sent them to earth just to make a living. Beck was referring to the Mormon belief that human souls pre-existed in heaven, and that a gathering of heavenly beings known as the Grand Councils, send certain individuals to earth to accomplish a special purpose.  ‘You didn’t come down for a job. You came to this university maybe thinking, “I have to have an education to get a job.” You need this education from Liberty University because of your only true job, the purpose you were sent here for.’”

Beck is actually teaching them nothing less than the Mormon doctrine of eternal progression!  Why was there no rebuttal given?!?!

The article claimed that there were those who believe Beck has had a “born again experience.”  Since Beck still teaches LDS doctrine, I’d say that is impossible for him to be “born again.”

Beck later made a typical Mormon whine about those who disagreed with his speaking there: “This is why your churches are dwindling.  You think you’re standing for something, when indeed, you’re standing for hate and bigotry. I think Jesus was hanging out with prostitutes and sinners, wasn’t He?”

So it is “hate and bigotry” to make a truth statement that having a Mormon preach a sermon at a “Christian” university is wrong?!?  Yes, just marginalize the opponents as hateful and bigoted so you don’t have to actually deal with their arguments.  And just what does the fact that Jesus was “hanging out with prostitutes and sinners” have to do with allowing a sermon full of false teachings being taught at a Christian university - does Beck really believe Jesus would have thought it was okay for a pagan Canaanite to be teaching in the temple?

If Beck had been there simply as a conservative commentator, and made no references to religion, then there would have been no problem.   Read James Duncan’s statement in the last couple paragraphs - he sums up the problem quite nicely.

Did They Really Say That?!?

[T]he first step in faith is to stop thinking about God at the time of prayer... Choose a single, sacred word...repeat the sacred word inwardly, slowly, and often.

Brennan Manning, Signature of Jesus, pp.212, 218.  Cited by Brian Flynn in Running Against the Wind, p.171

And here I thought the whole idea of prayer IS to be thinking about God!

Question: Since when is repeating a word over and over a "prayer"?  Perhaps Mr. Manning should read Matthew 6:7:  "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." (NIV).  Or, perhaps the KJV is more pointed:  "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."

Brennan Manning teaches much New Age ideology and should be avoided at all costs.