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Does the Bible Actually Teach that we’re Not to Judge Others?

(Marsha West – Christian Research Network)  In the work I do I often name names. When I expose a false teacher, invariably someone will call me judgmental. When that happens it is always best to respond with Scripture: “The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. ‘For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’  But we have the mind of Christ.”

Some professing Christians become infuriated when those of us in a discernment ministry has the chutzpah to report on a false teacher by name, as if naming names is unbiblical.  High-profile leaders and bloggers who mention heretics by name are often accused of demonizing or judging them. 

Invariably someone will cite Matthew 18:15-17:

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Whenever I write about a false teacher, I’m frequently asked if I’ve gone privately to that person in an effort to correct him or her.  My response is “Of course not!”  Why?  For the reason that Christian celebrities are generally inaccessible.  Many are, in fact, akin to Hollywood celebs.  No doubt some of them rationalize that their popularity affords them certain privileges, one of which is to choose not to have a dialogue with anyone who “attacks” them.

Yet the Bible says that those who are in sin (false teaching is sin) must be admonished.  In 3 John 1:9 the Apostle John calls out Diotrephes and promises to publicly correct him upon his return; like we see in Galatians 2:11-14 Paul standing up to the highly esteemed Apostle Peter!   He chastised Peter for fearing false teachers. What resulted from Peter’s “fear of man”?:

And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.  But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, ‘If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?’ (bold added)

In context, Matthew 18 addresses how Church leadership is to discipline a brother or sister who have fallen into sin and provides the proper steps to take before excommunicating an unrepentant sinner.  First, we are to go to him privately. If he refuses to repent we must go to him a second time along with two or more witnesses.  If he remains unrepentant, the pastor must go before the church and proclaim his sin.  Ouch!

It is essential for Church elders to be involved in the process.

Likewise, Matthew 18 does not apply to doctrinal issues, nor does it apply to Christians who have put their work before the world.  Those who go public are fair game. Anyone in the public eye will get scrutinized, even unfairly criticized, for their work. Consequently, Christians who cannot stand the heat should not go into the kitchen.

Making A Judgment

Is it biblical for a Christian to judge another Christians teaching or their actions?  I’ll get to what the Bible teaches on this in a moment. But first, we are never to make a judgment without having as many of the facts as it is humanly possible to obtain. As well, we are not to judge self-righteously. Never judge a person’s heart or motives because you have no way of knowing for sure what is driving either of these. Moreover, it is always a good idea to examine your own motives. Is there a just cause for judging someone? Do you really want what is best for him or her? Are you driven by anger? Are you getting even? Are you jealous of the person?  Your motive must be that you want what is best for him or her.  Report only the facts. No gossip. No slander. No twisting his or her words.

In the work I do I often name names. As I previously indicated, when I expose a false teacher, invariably someone will call me judgmental. Whenever that happens, I respond to them with Scripture:

The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. ‘For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’  But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:15-16)

What?  You mean Christians have the mind of Christ?  Those who are regenerate do. To clarify this difficult concept, I’ll point you to Bible expositor Matthew Henry.  He writes:

The apostles were not guided by worldly principles. They had the revelation of these things from the Spirit of God, and the saving impression of them from the same Spirit. These things they declared in plain, simple language, taught by the Holy Spirit, totally different from the affected oratory or enticing words of man’s wisdom. The natural man, the wise man of the world, receives not the things of the Spirit of God. The pride of carnal reasoning is really as much opposed to spirituality, as the basest sensuality. The sanctified mind discerns the real beauties of holiness, but the power of discerning and judging about common and natural things is not lost. But the carnal man is a stranger to the principles, and pleasures, and actings of the Divine life. The spiritual man only, is the person to whom God gives the knowledge of his will. … And the apostles were enabled by his Spirit to make known his mind. In the Holy Scriptures, the mind of Christ, and the mind of God in Christ, are fully made known to us. It is the great privilege of Christians, that they have the mind of Christ revealed to them by his Spirit. They experience his sanctifying power in their hearts, and bring forth good fruits in their lives. (bold added — Source)

In short, it is the spiritual man (regenerate) who possesses the mind of Christ and has received the knowledge of His will which is laid out for us in Scripture.  Therefore, the believer who is truly walking with the Lord— in His will—has been given the authority to judge words and actions, especially when what’s being taught is unbiblical.

How do we know when someone’s teaching is unbiblical?  We are to test his or her teaching against the Word of God. If their teaching doesn’t line up with what’s in the Bible, then it’s not from God. And if a certain teaching is not in the Bible? Then it is coming from another source. To be specific, false teaching is inspired by the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places!

Bible teacher and expositor John MacArthur cautions:

It should be noted that [Matthew 7:1-5] has erroneously been used to suggest that believers should never evaluate or criticize anyone for anything. Our day hates absolutes, especially theological and moral absolutes, and such simplistic interpretation provides a convenient escape from confrontation. Members of modern society, including many professing Christians, tend to resist dogmatism and strong convictions about right and wrong. Many people prefer to speak of all-inclusive love, compromise, ecumenism, and unity. To the modern religious person those are the only “doctrines” worth defending, and they are the doctrines to which every conflicting doctrine must be sacrificed.  (Source)

In my experience, many professing Christians stubbornly stick to their position that those who expose the unbiblical teaching of Christian celebs are unfairly judging them. So they play the Matthew 7:1-5 card: “Judge not, that you be not judged” followed by a resounding rebuke from verse 5: “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye?”

It boggles the mind that Christians fail to grasp the notion that those who are Spirit-filled have the mind of Christ.  Only believers can make this claim — no one else can.

God’s ways and His Word make little sense to the unsaved.  Listen to what Paul says:

The natural person [unregenerate] does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

The only way to learn about the things of the Spirit of God is by reading the Bible. For believers, the Bible’s our final authority in all matters of faith.  2 Timothy 3:16 says “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” According to  2 Peter 1:21 “no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Every page of Scripture is God-breathed, yet a growing number of Christians choose to reject some of hard to understand Bible stories and Church doctrines.  Two examples are the Creation story in Genesis chapters 1 & 2 and our Lord’s teaching that hell is a place of fire, demons and everlasting torment. Christ spoke more on hell than anyone else in the Bible.

Today a growing number of professing Christians reject much of what is taught in the Bible even though they rarely study it.  They may attend church regularly but because they are biblically illiterate, they wouldn’t know if their pastor is teaching God’s truth or filling their minds with outright heresy. In many cases, professing believers would not know biblical truth if it walked up and bit them on the nose!

I regularly hear from Christians whose heart’s desire is to attend a healthy well-balanced church where they can be confident that they are hearing the gospel and receiving good solid biblical teaching.  They lament that they’ve searched high and low to find a gospel preaching church near their home, but to no avail.  So, they have become discouraged.  But the sad fact is that only a handful of ministers still preach the true gospel of Jesus Christ.  My advice to these people is not to give up searching.  Finding a biblical church is best left for another article.

Naming Names

Many ministers and so-called Bible teachers come to us via the airwaves. The term for them is televangelist. The televangelist’s lifestyle is clearly identified by opulence, luxury and riches. They assure viewers that you can live in the lap of luxury like they do if only you will apply certain principles to your life. We also have TV preachers who are CEO’s of mega churches. Worship services are interrupted by commercials for the purpose of promoting upcoming events and to sell their books. Buyer beware!  Many TV preachers also sell consumers a false gospel that saves no one. What they offer is a counterfeit Christianity.  Front and center is the word-faith/name-it-and-claim-it/prosperity charlatans such as Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes, Paula White, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar and Joyce Meyer, to name a few.

Be on the alert for the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) a heretical movement that holds to the view that God is restoring the lost offices of church governance such as the prophets and apostles.  The late “Super Apostle” C. Peter Wagner headed up the NAR and there are a swarm of so-called apostles and prophets worldwide.  The wolves in this movement believe they possess the same gifts as the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles.

Other apostates, false teachers, “frauds, phonies and money grubbing religious quacks” to be weary of can be found here.

Again, we’re not to judge a person’s heart or motives, but we can certainly judge the fruit they produce!  Jesus himself said:

Every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:17-20)

Believers who read and study their bibles are far less likely to blindly follow false teachers.  But it’s not out of the realm of possibility for mature believers who cease being Bereans to have the wool pulled over their eyes.  For this very reason John warned:

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1).

This article was adapted from “Does the Bible really say we’re not to judge others?”

Editor’s Note. This article was originally published at the Christian Research Network by Martha West and republished here with permission.

Categories
News

Karen Swallow Prior Makes Idiotic Comparison of COVID-19 and Abortion

(Guest Post) As with so many in today’s strange times, the COVID plannedemic scamdemic pan(dem)ic has brought about the further unveiling of many hearts, and not all of them are as uproariously funny nor as obvious as the likes of Kenneth Copeland curing bald spots via faith-filled words. 

In recent months, we have observed that virtue-signaling has expanded well beyond its original context, related to racism and feminism, into the mask and lockdown debate. When it comes to justifying governmental overreach and tyranny, one can count on the compromised within Big Eva to poke their heads out now and then to push the narrative leftward before scurrying back into their faux-conservative cloaks. Take this tweet by Karen Swallow Prior as not the first, and not the 100th, warning about who she really is and where her sympathies lie, as an example of the compromised evangelical-in-name-only:

Unbelievably, she attempts then to substantiate her claim with two tweets linking to her “evidence”. One to a New York Times (LOL) article detailing a claim of recent reductions in the national abortion rate.

The second to an ABC News (also LOL) chart indicating a death count of >260,000 in the USA. 

Without even thinking about the quality of her sources, it should be immediately obvious how inane this comparison is.

Abortion is the intentional murder of an image-bearer of God in the place where the Incarnation of Christ took place, where a baby should be at his or her safest and most nurtured. Instead, the womb in the modern USA is an extremely dangerous place for no other reason than that the hearts of the mothers and fathers in our nation are so often turned to murderous malice.

Abortive mothers and fathers know exactly what they are doing, they are almost never in desperate straits, and they are not victims. Their helpless children are the victims of being orphaned by their parents and ripped to pieces or poisoned to death by the hired hitman (the abortionist). To say that child sacrifice is our national sin is no overstatement. It is a massacre, and overall abortion attempts have a >99% success rate.  

On the other hand, COVID-19 is a virus with a >99% survival rate that has been leveraged for political purposes to enact enormous tyranny and destruction of God-given liberty in the USA and around the world. There exist numerous highly effective treatments, which numerous medical professionals employ to great effect, many with near-100% survival rates. 

You should know all this already. If you don’t, you are ill-equipped to face the storm before you. Get in the game.

But let’s talk about the underrated angle to Ms. Prior’s tweets. 

Why precisely is the appeal to the ABC News graph about COVID deaths so asinine? It is mostly because neither you, nor Karen Swallow Prior, nor ABC News, nor President Trump, nor I, nor anyone knows how many people have died OF COVID-19. It is very simple. The most important national-level medical agencies have gone on national TV and explicitly stated they are lying about the numbers. See Here and Here, with news stories abounding of the same.

Unless and until these reporting agencies fess up, repent publicly, and detail specifically how they have resolved their addiction to lying to the public, any claim that anyone makes about the death numbers OF COVID-19 are worthless and should be disregarded. 

And when you consider the fact that the lies, the inflated statistics, are obviously motivated by financial incentives, we should all just be laughing at the naïveté around us. Follow the money, people.

And that’s exactly why the pro-life movement, so closely tied to Big Eva, is such an utter morass. Follow the money. If you abolish abortion, as is being pushed in many states right now, notably Oklahoma and Texas, then you cut out the most direct fundraising avenue for all these Big Eva “ministry” groups. What use is a pro-life lobbying group (most of which are deeply in bed with the Whore of Rome) when abortion is already criminalized as murder? 

And that is why the pro-life movement will pretend they are winning, without ever actually winning. Ms. Prior’s cited “source” (again, the NY Times) has no way of knowing how many abortions are committed in the modern USA. Nobody does. Why? Because of the rise of chemical abortions that can be purchased by mail or over the counter at your local Walmart, not to mention the massive and massively-overlooked wickedness of In Vitro Fertilization and hormonal birth control. Abortion is on the RISE, not the decline, but there is no way to know for sure either way, just like there is no way to know how many the COVIDs have killed.

Do not get distracted. Mass murder is still being committed. The governments are shutting down churches and allowing strip clubs and abortuaries to remain open for business. Big Eva is busily reminding you to trust your television. Read your Bible and get the Gospel out into the culture, and don’t fear catching a cold.

Editor’s Note. This was a guest post written by Alan Maricle. Posted with Permission.

Categories
Critical Race Theory Evangelical Stuff Featured News Social Issues Social Justice Wars

Tom Ascol Helps Woke Ministry Leaders Save Face

(Christian Intellectual) Tom Ascol has once again helped ministry leaders who push ideas inspired by Critical Race Theory to save face through a proclamation about a private phone call.

Before, it was Matt Hall (Provost of Southern Seminary). Now, it is Paul Chitwood (President of the Internation Mission Board).

In both cases, after concerns about the men’s ministries went viral on social media, Tom Ascol came to their rescue by announcing that he had had a private phone conversation with them, and that there was nothing to be concerned about.

In this most recent case, with Chitwood, Conservative Resurgence Voices recently released an article containing the text of an email which Chitwood had sent out on behalf of the IMB. (Published in full below) The email included a number of alarming indicators that the IMB has been cultivating the Woke ideology of the world within the organization (see below for details).

Of course, this raised quite a few alarms among conservative Southern Baptists––including Tom Ascol. But then Ascol was graced with a private phone call from Chitwood, and afterward announced that there was nothing to be concerned about.

Specifically, Ascol’s tweet focused on the language of the email, saying “The IMB no longer uses the language in the email, recognizing it as problematic in our environment.”

Okay… But what about the ideas communicated through the language? The concerns being raised were not about semantics. They were about the radical ideas and assumptions laced throughout the entire email.

Here are just a few:

  • The email talks about the “current events in June” (i.e. rioting after the killing of George Floyd) as if the killing was racially motivated (racial injustice is the context of the email). But only those who have bought into the Woke narrative — that American police are systemically targeting black people, and that racism is the motive behind any instance of a black man dying at the hand of police officers — would think that.
  • It recommends this deplorable article on what it means to “belong.” Here’s an excerpt:
  • It promotes the idea, throughout, of actively “diversifying” the IMB at all levels of leadership. This means utilizing functional racial quotas which artificially give preference to people based on their race.
  • It promotes the idea that white people need to “listen” and “learn” — as if most white Christians are ignorant about racism (which is only true if it’s the Woke / Critical Theory type of “racism”).
  • It talks about new training programs on “Cultural Sensitivity” and “Unconscious Bias Sensitivity.” Chitwood may be telling the truth when he says they don’t use that language anymore, but are they still the same programs? What is being taught by the IMB to their leaders and their missionaries? Are we just supposed to take Tom Ascol’s word that Paul Chitwood has given him his word that there’s nothing to be concerned about?
  • There’s a new “TEAMS channel” devoted exclusively to people of certain races (racial segregation). Is this still going?
  • This all came about through certain “conversations” conducted over the course of months. If it really is “problematic,” what about the damage already done? Chitwood says the language is “problematic in our environment.” Why? And if the language is problematic, aren’t all these other things much more problematic? Tom Ascol needs to stop helping these guys hide behind private phone calls.

Based merely on the email alone, there appears to be a MASSIVE influence of CRT-style thinking invading all levels of leadership at the IMB. Until and unless, Chitwood does the following to fix it, the IMB should be defunded and condemned:

  • Explicitly retract all language of “unconscious bias” and the promotion of the other problematic things listed above.
  • Explicitly denounce the idea that America is presently systemically racist & the idea that George Floyd’s death was an instance of systemic racism.
  • Explicitly denounce the idea of racial partiality which favors “people of color” as an inherently racist and evil idea.
  • Explicitly define racism exclusively as race-based partiality, and denounce every contemporary attempt to redefine it as something less.

These are bare minimum steps the IMB needs to take in order to demonstrate that it is not, and will not be, influenced by the evil ideology of Critical Race Theory. The only reason a Christian organization would not do the above is if it was attempting to tickle the ears of both sides.

Until Chitwood does the above, he is just being a politician.

And Tom Ascol is helping him to save face.

Email in Full

From: Chitwood, Paul <redacted>
Sent: Tuesday, September 8, 2020 1:01 PM
To: Chitwood, Paul
Subject: Belonging

Hello Brothers and Sisters,

In Philippians 2:3, the Apostle Paul instructs us: “In humility, count others more significant than yourselves.” In Galatians 6:2, we read, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

As a father of an Asian daughter and a foster parent to a biracial son, I’ve seen up close the pain that racism and racially insensitive comments and behaviors bring. I don’t want to contribute to that pain, nor do I want our organization to do so. Knowing your love and passion for the beautiful mosaic of those from every nation, tribe, people, and language who will stand before the throne of God and before the Lamb, I know you agree.

Racism a direct consequence of the Fall and has infected every culture but the history of the US and, frankly, the SBC, is a tragic example of how God’s image bearers whose skin is black have endured unspeakable injustice, exploitation, and pain. In June, our company hosted a call for our employees who identify as Black, African American or Biracial to discuss current events, provide support for one another, and to introduce themselves to one another for the sake of creating new relationships. It was a beautiful time of fellowship and some have expressed a strong sense of belonging. What does “belonging” mean in this context? Here is a link to AN ARTICLE that explains the importance.

From this call, new friendships were formed, mentors were identified, and I am prayerful that some healing began. I want to share with everyone in our company family some insights from the participants so that all of us may better understand the feelings that were expressed and what we can do in response.

We asked the participants in August, “How are you feeling now?” and heard:

• I am encouraged, but I’m still waiting to see viable action to diversify our organization both on the field, staff, and leadership.
• I am encouraged that many in our organization, including our leadership, are willing to listen and look at what changes need to be made.
• I’m feeling focused. The lament was necessary, and the time together was healing. Now my attention has turned towards how we can move forward together.
• While there are more public conversations going on about the issue of racism, I can’t see in my personal world that there has been much change in terms of dialogue and personal conversations with others. The “silence” is still there, which makes me sad.
• Time has helped me process many things about what I was feeling and really come to terms with the sins that pervade life. Listening to others, reading articles, talking with others, and most importantly seeking what the Lord says in Scripture has helped tremendously.
• I think it would be great for our organization to continue the dialogue of how we can do better and be better leaders in this area.
• I’m excited to get on board with the ways that the IMB plans to move forward. Whatever that plan is, I plan to get behind and see how I can help to achieve the vision and goals.

We also asked, “How can your coworkers who are not Black, African American, or Biracial best support you now and in the future?” Some participants said:

• Several ways: Listen well. Educate themselves on how to understand and promote diversity. Learn to empathize with people as they walk through a crisis. There are Scriptural reminders, love others, treat people like you want to be treated, and bear each other’s burdens. Advocate for people when you recognize they are being treated unjustly.
• I have found “silence” to be a bit hurtful in the past. While I understand that race is an uncomfortable topic for many, it doesn’t feel like an “optional” topic of conversation for me, especially when tragedies occur.
• As intentional as each Affinity is in preparing their missionaries to engage their host cultures, I would like to see the same amount of intentionality in each cluster to receive cultural sensitivity training. It would be beneficial to have more intentional conversations and training on racial issues.
• Our coworkers can assist with this by seeking to learn from the People of Color around them and not just when something happens. It’s important to seek the perspectives of People of Color on your team to know what changes need to be made for a more effective and fruitful future.
• I want to be able to commend this company to People of Color knowing that the company at every level is committed to growing and welcoming and better supporting People of Color.
• Don’t assume that everyone with the company has the same perspective on the issue of racism. Let’s seek what the Lord want us to do to move forward. As a faithful organization of like-minded followers of Christ, we must continue to improve in our efforts, and I am personally committed to do so.

We are already taking some actions based on what we have learned:

• Our mobilization team is focused on improving our engagement and relationships with churches throughout the nation that are predominately attended by People of Color. We hope this will also yield more People of Color as missionaries in the future.
• We are in the beginning stages of rolling out two new training programs within GE and MOBI and plan to begin expanding to all in the near future:
◦ Cultural Sensitivity
◦ Unconscious Bias and Sensitivity
• We created a TEAMS channel for our employees who identify as Black, African American or Biracial to have personal conversations and support each other in the future. New employees are also given the opportunity to join this as they are hired.
• We are working to develop an Hispanic Employee Network
• We will continue our efforts to become more diverse in our representation of our denominational family, in our thinking and across our teams.
• In the spirit of celebrating diversity, we will begin to formally recognize two days on the calendar in 2021: Juneteenth and Hispanic Day.We will celebrate these days both internally and externally with communications via all online channels.
◦ Juneteenth, observed on June 19, is also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day, and celebrates the emancipation millions of people who were enslaved in the United States.
◦ October 12 is Hispanic Day. For almost 75 years, the descendants of nations emerging from the Spanish empire have embraced the word “Hispanic” to give a name to the family of nations, comprised of almost 400 million people who are united by the common bonds of culture, history, and language. Many of our home office staff, and a growing number of our overseas personnel and the fellowships we serve in the US are Hispanic.

Pray. Pray with me that hatred or injustice towards anyone because of racial differences will cease. Pray that the horrific acts of violence unfolding daily across the US will end. And pray that we will see healing and reconciliation across our land and around the world. No one is better positioned to model what that can look like than us. Our mission to serve the most diverse religious body in the US as approximately 20% of SB fellowships are African American or ethnic. Moreover, our vision and work included every nation, people, language and tribe! I want to express my sincere thanks to the Human Resources team for moving us forward and I am excited to see what God has planned for us in the future.

Blessings, Paul


Editor’s Note. This article was written by Jacob Brunton and published at the Christian Intellectual. Republished in full with permission.

Categories
Church Conspiracy Critical Race Theory Religion

LifeWay and the Crimson Tide’s Defensive Collapse

Last Saturday, the Alabama Crimson Tide’s defense played a historically bad game against Ole Miss.  The Rebels gained 647 yards against the Tide and put 48 points on the scoreboard.  Amazingly enough, the Rebels still lost by 15 points.  Their defense was even worse than Alabama’s.  Such a failing is expected in Oxford.  Ole Miss has not historically been known for its defense. 

This is not the case in Tuscaloosa.  Alabama has, especially under head coach Nick Saban, featured a dominant defense.  However, the wheels have fallen off and there is panic in T-town.  Bama’s defense couldn’t get off the field on 3rd down if the turf was on fire.  Yet no such story about Alabama’s defensive collapse can be found this week in The Capstone Report, a long-time Alabama sports interest blog that once grew to such a level of popularity that it was mentioned on the Paul Finebaum show. 

Alan Atchison, the founder of that blog, was too busy writing about a developing scandal at LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.  Instead of writing about million-dollar deals for Nick Saban’s coaching staff, Atchison was writing about a million-dollar payment from one LifeWay insider to another.  Things have gotten so bad in the Southern Baptist Convention that Captsone Report almost never publishes a story about Alabama Football anymore.  Almost all of Atchison’s writing is about the tragic downgrade in the Southern Baptist Convention.  Readers should take that to heart.  No one is more obsessive about their top-flight football team than Alabama fans.  The Southern Baptist Convention is in such bad shape that Alan Atchison would rather warn fellow Christians about it than write about Crimson Tide championships.

Just because Alabama’s defense used to be dominant doesn’t mean it is anymore.  The same can be said for the Southern Baptist Convention.  Metaphorically, it’s giving up 647 yards a game and is barely hanging on. Be wary.

Roll Tide and stop giving your money to the SBC. 

Editor’s Note. The following article was written by G. Seth Dunn

*Please note that the preceding is my personal opinion. It is not necessarily the opinion of any entity by which I am employed, any church at which I am a member, any church which I attend, or the educational institution at which I am enrolled. Any copyrighted material displayed or referenced is done under the doctrine of fair use.

Categories
News

Former ERLC Lobbyist Endorses Democrat Joe Biden for President

I don’t like to get political on this blog. I think doing so can distract from the mission. I want people to focus on Jesus and his church. This is a polemics blog and I don’t use it to polemicize political candidates on either side. Frankly, I think many Christians are more focused on the government down here than the Kingdom of Heaven. One of the only political articles I’ve ever written here is about how I didn’t vote from Trump in 2016.

I certainly didn’t vote for Clinton then and I certainly won’t vote for Joe Biden in 2020. The Democrats are the party of baby murder. It’s simply unacceptable for a Christian to vote for one. I’d like to think that all Southern Baptists would agree with me on that but I know it’s not true. 

For years I’ve been writing here about how awful the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention (ERLC) is. I’ve tried to tell other Southern Baptists how the ERLC is run by a progressive man who once wished for a wife like Hilary Clinton, a man who once worked as a Democratic Campaign staffer. I’ve tried to warn people that that man, Russell Moore, was getting paid Southern Baptist Convention money to lobby in Washington, DC.

In addition to warning about Moore, Pulpit & Pen has warned about the activities of the ERLC itself, most notably the MLK50 Conference.  Yet person after person and pastor after pastor has just plain ignored the problem.  Many have outright discounted anything written at Pulpit & Pen and even accused this publication of slander.  The ERLC couldn’t be as bad as Pulpit & Pen said.  The SBC couldn’t be as woke as this website reported. 

Well, Steven Harris just joined up with a group called “Evangelicals for Biden” to endorse the Democratic candidate for President. I bet you’ve never heard of Steven Harris.  Well, if you’re a Southern Baptist whose church gives to the Cooperative Program, you’ve been paying his salary.  He’s the man Russell Moore hired to be an ERLC’ director in Washington, DC.  Here’s the blurb about him from the ERLC website:

“Steven Harris serves as a Policy Director, with a particular focus on the U.S. Senate. In this role, he works with government leaders in the legislative and executive branches to advocate for the ERLC’s position on important issues, while also analyzing legislation and producing content for ERLC outlets. He holds a B.S. in Religion from Vanderbilt University, an M.Div. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, an M.A. in Religion from Yale University, and is currently a PhD student in the Study of Religion at Harvard University. Steven lives in the D.C. metro area with his bride, Sunni, and son, Jude.”

For some reason, the ERLC and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is attracting and hiring liberal, Democrat Ivy-Leaguers.  Seriously, does anything about Vanderbilt, Yale, and Harvard scream “conservative Bible-believing Baptist” to you?  Harris did, of course, come recommended by Ron Burns (the SBC pastor who was born in North Carolina and changed his name to Thabiti Anyabwile when he converted to Islam and then kept it that way after he converted to Christianity).  “Anyabwile” said of Harris:

“I’m thrilled about this appointment. Steven Harris combines a keen mind with a generous heart. A dedicated student of our changing cultural times, Steven is also an ardent defender of Christian truth. He’s the kind of guy you long for when you need a son of Issachar to help lead God’s people.”

Ron Burns’ “ardent defender of Christian truth” just joined with Jim Wallis to endorse the party of gay-marriage and abortion.  At least he left the ERLC first.  Open your eyes. Close your wallet.   These are the words Democrats are using to solicit the evangelical vote at their webiste:

“Join Sojourners founder Rev. Jim Wallis, Lisa Sharon Harper of Freedom Road LLC, author and social worker Jerushah Duford (granddaughter of Billy Graham), former Ambassador to the UN World Food Programme Tony Hall, Evangelicals for Social Action founder Dr. Ron Sider, Asian American Christian Collaborative Vice President Michelle Ami Reyes, former Bread for the World CEO David Beckmann, Dr. Jim Ball, former CNCS Board Member Hyepin Im, former Southern Baptist Convention ERLC staffer Steven Harris, and more for this special event! RSVP now and we’ll send the Zoom link closer to the date.”

They are using Harris’ position with the ERLC to give them Christian credibility. I get that Christians can disagree on economic policy, and big government (Democrats) vs. small government (Republicans) but we really can’t disagree on abortion (baby-murder).  The Democratic Party hates God.  Harris and Burns recommend people vote for them.

If you are a Southern Baptist then you paid for this man to lobby the Senate in God’s name…and you deserve him.  You were warned about the direction of the ERLC years ago.  You deserve him and you deserve the company man SBC pastor at your local church, who would rather die before he quit buying prestige in the denomination with your Cooperative Program money. I’m tempted the recommend a fix for you, such as eliminating the type of SBC entity that attracts people like Harris (for example, the ERLC and the Kingdom Diversity Department of SEBTS), but I’ll just say this. Enjoy your Democrat lobbyists, Southern Baptists.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you.  They certainly are enjoying your money. 

G. Seth. Dunn

*Please note that the preceding is my personal opinion. It is not necessarily the opinion of any entity by which I am employed, any church at which I am a member, any church which I attend, or the educational institution at which I am enrolled. Any copyrighted material displayed or referenced is done under the doctrine of fair use.

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New Book Examines John Piper’s Hedonism and Sam Alberry’s Homosexuality

An excellent book is now available that examines the teachings of two of the most influential figures among evangelicals today: “The Hedonism and Homosexuality of John Piper and Sam Allberry: Turning the Grace of God into Lasciviousness.”

In this definitive critique, author Enoch Burke shows that both men have introduced novel terms into the church, and he measures their teachings by the standard of the Reformers’ doctrine of Scripture. Burke issues a stirring call to Christians to take individual action in defense of the faith, and calls on the church to take hold of its mandate and recover its witness to the truth. Christians who love the word of God and care deeply for the welfare of the church will want to order and read this biblical critique.

Below is an excerpt from Burke’s book:

The ‘Same-Sex Attracted Christian’ an extract from The Hedonism and Homosexuality of John Piper and Sam Allberry by Enoch Burke

On February 15, 2017, Sam Allberry addressed the Church of England General Synod in London in a speech claiming to support the Christian doctrine on marriage. However, what distinguished his speech were the comments which he made at the outset regarding himself:

I am same-sex attracted and have been my entire life. By that I mean that I have sexual, romantic, and deep emotional attractions to people of the same sex. I choose to describe myself this way…

Allberry describes himself in the introduction to his book Is God Anti-Gay? as ‘someone who lives with homosexuality’ and elsewhere in the book declares ‘I battle with homosexual feelings’.

The use of the phrase ‘same-sex attracted’ by Allberry sets him apart from many in Christian ministry who describe themselves as having left a life of homosexuality. This phrase appears to have been coined by Allberry. In his introduction, Allberry seeks to justify his use of the phrase by claiming that it is different from the use of other words such as ‘gay’. In his book, Allberry argues that while ‘same-sex attraction is not a good thing’ yet he does not believe that to be same-sex attracted, i.e. to be tempted to engage in an impure relationship is itself a sin. This distinction is key, as it gives Allberry sanction to use the phrase in a whole variety of contexts, without any shame.

Allberry’s insistence on using and popularising the phrase ‘same-sex attracted’ must be examined carefully as it is central to his message. He uses the phrase widely throughout his book and in his speaking engagements. Before critiquing this phrase, however, it may be useful to consider the importance of language and its power for good or for evil.

The Role of Language
The purpose of language is to communicate by calling to mind an object, place, or idea. The King James version of Scripture speaks, in relation to Sodom and Gomorrah, of ‘the filthy conversation of the wicked’ and how it vexed Lot’s soul (2 Pet. 2:7). While the word conversation would be more generally comparable with conduct in today’s English, there is no doubt that it includes conversation, because the next verse records that Lot’s soul was vexed by what he saw and heard. Filthy conversation is when words are used to call evil activities to mind. Such conversation has become part and parcel of the world in which we live, estranged as it is from its Creator.

That Scripture would draw particular attention to the language of Sodom and Gomorrah serves as a reminder that language has a role in legitimising evil. The more a society indulges in evil conversation, the more it serves to legitimise the activities discussed. The wide vocabulary of terms for illicit sexual behaviour popularised in the last half-century have this effect. They call to mind activities and desires which fall into the biblical category of uncleanness. They serve no purpose except to legitimise the activity the more the word is used. Indeed, the use of unchaste language in television comedy shows, arguably, did more to break down society than any rational argument in defence of the indefensible homosexual lifestyle.

The church should always be wary of new language, especially when such language relates to sin or another of the core doctrines of Christianity, for it can serve as a conduit for false doctrine. Evangelist Dave Breese notes how, with the growth of neoorthodoxy after World War II, churches were infiltrated, and churchgoers deceived by the use of time-honoured phrases which had been invested with a new meaning:

The emphasis they [neo-Orthodox theologians] presented used many words and expressions well known and accepted by believing Christians. The trouble was that they gave these words a new meaning. Consequently, many true believers were deceived into thinking that they were listening to the grand old Christian faith, whereas in reality a new form of spiritual subversion came upon them.

In light of this, the use by Sam Allberry of phrases accepted by many believing Christians, such as ‘the Bible’s teaching’, ‘faithful to Scripture’ and ‘[Christian] sexual ethics’ should not be taken for granted, but investigated closely. Christians have a responsibility to recognise false prophets by a close examination of their fruits: ‘by their fruits ye shall know them’ (Mt. 7:20). ‘Know’ in this context means recognise and recognise with the purpose of avoidance. Is the new vocabulary of Sam Allberry, despite its claim to biblical orthodoxy, faithful to the message of the Scriptures?

A New Vocabulary
Perhaps the most serious error of Allberry’s use of the phrase ‘same-sex attracted’ is that such a phrase is without biblical precedent. Homosexuality in Scripture is never once merely described as a ‘temptation’ nor are homosexual feelings ever discussed without a link to homosexual conduct. Allberry may find such concepts elsewhere in the realm of psychology but they are alien to Christian theology. Not only so, such concepts are fundamentally at odds with the Christian teaching on conversion and the self-image of the Christian. To link such feelings so closely to a person’s persona, so that they become one of their main descriptors, as Allberry does, is antithetical to the teaching of the Scripture.

When it comes to sexual sin in Scripture, it is not the temptation but the actions, secret and open, which are primarily emphasised. The main passage concerning lust in Christ’s Sermon on the Mount describes illicit sexual desire in very tangible terms: ‘Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart’ (Mt. 7:28). Here Christ describes desire in terms of action – the look of lust is described as committing adultery in the heart – and it is this ‘looking’ which Christ condemns – a vivid action indeed. The look may be hidden, or even within the realm of the imagination, but it is a choice of the will. There is no discussion here of the temptation to sin but rather the focus is on the sin itself.

Throughout Scripture, emphasis is repeatedly laid on actions and choices of the will rather than ‘temptation’. Job declared ‘I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?’ (Job 31:1) – a clear rejection of wilful sins of the ‘eyes’ and the ‘thinking’. When Joseph was tempted, he boldly declared: ‘How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?’ (Gen. 39:9). For Joseph, adultery was an unthinkable evil and a sin, ultimately, not against Potiphar but Almighty God. When Christ discussed sin, He warned of the propensity of sinful desire to defile the whole person (Mk. 7:20-23).

Allberry’s use of the term ‘same-sex attraction’ is concerning because of the impression it gives that homosexual feelings are in some way to be excused. In so doing, it undermines the seriousness of sin, and, in particular, the sexual sin which is so rampant in this age. Indeed, as will be discussed in the next chapter, Allberry does not treat homosexuality with any particular opprobrium. Rather, the attitude which Allberry displays towards this sin in his book is somewhat trivial. This is seen, for example, in his chapter on ‘Homosexuality and the Christian’:

All of us experience fallen sexual desires, … it is not un-Christian to experience same-sex attraction any more than it is un-Christian to get sick.

At best, this is a gravely misleading statement on the part of Allberry, considering the judgment meted out on sodomy in the Scripture. Homosexuality, in all its forms, is to be shunned by the believer and Scripture is clear that evil desires constitute wickedness (Pr. 21:10). At worst, Allberry’s comment is a repudiation of the Christian doctrine of sin. Again, of course, Allberry’s use of the verb ‘experience’ (portraying the Christian as a ‘passive’ agent in the sentence) and the phrase ‘same-sex attraction’ cause ambiguity and render his meaning unclear to the average reader.

The concept of ‘sexual orientation’ has been widely used by the homosexual lobby to legitimise their desires and mollify the public. Discussing ‘temptation’ in this fashion, however, treads precipitously close to excusing sin based on the condition of the sinner. This is a diabolical path to tread (Gen. 3:1-5). Those who love the sinner will urge him or her to flee from sin to Christ. In Paul’s great letter to the Ephesians, where he urges them to ‘walk in love’ (Eph. 5:2), his command is immediately followed up with a fulsome rejection of even discussion of sexual immorality. Such discussion is, according to Paul, improper for believers (‘as becometh saints’ – v3) and out of place (‘not convenient’ – v4) and he warns in no uncertain terms that an ‘unclean person’ (v5) incurs the wrath of God and has no ‘inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God’ (v5). Discussion of sinful desire in a spirit of acceptance is forbidden in Scripture, for Paul warns that ‘it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret’ (5:12). Rather, the instruction given is threefold: to avoid partnership (v7, v11), remember past deliverance (v8) and reprove sin (v11) as one seeks what is pleasing to God (v10, v15).

The coining by Allberry of the term ‘same-sex attracted’ may be considered, by many, a totally legitimate phrase which brings clarity to the issue of homosexuality. One must consider, however, what is being sacrificed for the sake of a perceived ‘clarity’ – clarity which can only be obtained by a faithful preaching of the Scriptures. Allberry’s phrase, with all the ambiguity (not clarity) it introduces, has been received enthusiastically by many professing Christians, who now have just one more excuse not to rebuke sexual sin when they meet it.

Significantly, in the same chapter where Paul warns against sexual immorality, he warns of the power of language to deceive and distract: ‘let no man deceive you with vain words’ (v6). ‘Vain words’ are in a modern translation ‘empty words’ as the Greek word kenos (empty) lies behind the translation. Paul warned of words that served no purpose (see 1 Cor. 15:14, where Paul mentions ‘vain’ preaching or Phil. 2:16, a ‘vain’ running or labouring). If something is vain it is a waste of time. Paul’s warning here is that Christians would be deceived into wasting their time and losing their spiritual sharpness through discussion of things which ought not to be discussed and were contrived to draw them away from Christ. Paul elsewhere warns against Christians being ‘spoiled’ through ‘philosophy and vain deceit’ (Col. 2:8). The Greek word here does not mean spoiled as one would use it today, but the sense of ‘capturing’ somebody in a battle, rendering them useless in service for God. Sadly, this has happened to scores of minds in churches today, particularly those of younger generations.

Resisting the Conspiracy of Silence
Knowing God is not something that is evidenced in self-satisfaction or a mystic spirituality. Rather, Daniel 11:32 reminds us that true knowledge of God reveals itself in action: ‘the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits’. There is no room in Christendom for those who desire an easy life, or for those whose preference it is to sit out the battle with principalities and powers ‘on the fence’. Scripture divides the inhabitants of the earth with a simple dichotomy: ‘They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them’ (Pr. 28:4). Boldness in Christian service to take on the forces of hell (Eph. 6) should be the aspiration of every child of God.

Today, the inhabitants of Sodom, i.e. those that share the same interests as the men of that ancient city, are literally marching. The homosexual lobby realise fully that they are in a battle to influence the nation. Hence, their pride marches – public, intimidating, highly visible expression of pride in what Scripture says is a ‘dishonourable’ and ‘unseemly’ sin (Rom. 1:24, 27) – are carefully orchestrated to cause maximum impact. Pride marchers are not merely ‘enjoying themselves’ – they realise they are in a battle for minds and they are doing their best to win it.

When Christ was on earth, however, He depicted the church of God as marching in attack against the gates of hell (Mt. 16:18). What a tragedy that, due to the proliferation of false doctrine, many pulpits now preach compromise with all that Christ is against. Few are the voices raised in defence of a holy faith. Instead, the insidious teachings of Sam Allberry are permitted to circulate unchallenged and undermine the doctrines of truth. Those who would shake hell are becoming increasingly voices in the wind, while a vast majority of churchgoers refuse to stand against evil.

In 1887, the Baptist Union of Great Britain faced a battle within its own ranks known as the ‘Downgrade Controversy’. The English preacher Charles Spurgeon described the fight as one involving both modernism and worldliness. Writing in his magazine The Sword and the Trowel, he described the culprits as Baptist ministers who ‘scouted the atonement [and] derided the inspiration of Scripture’ as well as endeavouring to ‘unite church and stage, cards and prayer, dancing and sacraments’. However, his choicest words were for those Baptist church members who were claiming to be evangelical but whose voices were strangely silent:

Little as they [faithful Baptists] might be able to do, they could at least protest, and as far as possible free themselves of that complicity which will be involved in a conspiracy of silence. If for a while the evangelicals are doomed to go down, let them die fighting, and in the full assurance that their gospel will have a resurrection when the inventions of ‘modern thought’ shall be burned up with fire unquenchable.

To protest the error of the day, as Spurgeon knew, is not an option for those faithful to Christ, nor is it a great ask. It is but a ‘little’ service which marks one out as in no way joined to those who forsake God’s Word, but rather contending against them. The only other option, in Spurgeon’s eyes, was to be ‘complicit’ (i.e. an accomplice in crime) in the heresies of the day, betrayed by one’s silence. The temporal cost of a faithful stand did not bother Spurgeon, for he knew that he would be vindicated in the judgment of the final day.

In the face of rampant cultural immorality, and the infiltration into the church of activists who have made Christ the ‘minster of sin’ (Gal. 2:17), the church must reclaim its holy calling. Chastity of life must once more become the spotless garment of the people of God, condemning the vulgarity of rebellion against God and winning those who are impervious to a bare profession. Men of the calibre of Charles E. Macartney can once again call the church to its great and holy heritage, by, like him, condemning without hesitation the specific evils of their day. Such Christians will know the Word of God, walk in its doctrines, and faithfully proclaim its precepts without compromise.

The 19th century American poet Josiah Gilbert Holland made the appearance of such men his prayer. It is reproduced below, a sober call to God’s people to live above the fog of the age, repossess the virtue of true Christianity and, for the sake of God and man, live up to the glorious heritage of Christian duty.

GOD, give us men! A time like this demands
Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands;
Men whom the lust of office does not kill;
Men whom the spoils of office can not buy;
Men who possess opinions and a will;
Men who have honor; men who will not lie;
Men who can stand before a demagogue
And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking!
Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog
In public duty, and in private thinking;
For while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds,
Their large professions and their little deeds,
Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps,
Wrong rules the land and waiting Justice sleeps.

God, give us such!