It would seem pertinent to this particular issue of the Emergent Church to bring to your attention that for a people who are so quick to tell us about the critical importance of finding ways to be “culturally relevant,” whenever internet websites and blogs are used to level criticisms toward this Emergent rebellion, why suddenly there seems to be an awful lot of whining in that convoluted camp about their relevancy. What? O come on now, if Jesus would approve of the use of movies like The Matrix and so-called “Christian” rock bands like P.O.D. in spreading “the word,” then don’t you think that our Lord would have also used this forum of the world-wide web to preach and/or defend His Gospel as well?

“I Know Something You Don’t Know!”

Believe it…or you’re not. I’ve spent much time in the Lord lately musing about this whole issue of the faulty philosophy of postmodernism. And beloved of God, you need to keep in mind that in reality that’s all it is, a philosophy. A view of our world that someone simply chooses to adopt, and in my Biblical view it falls beneath Colossians 2:8:

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

You…ahem…know, I also find it interesting that those who are so caught up in this delusion which has come emerging are the very first to tell us that one just cannot know something with “certitude.” O yes, it’s true…um, they think…or maybe not. But mighty and powerful men of God like Emergent Church pastor–oops, make that“communicator,” Dan Kimball tell us that we shouldn’t try and pretend that we “know” what God has said in given passages of Scripture. In fact, this is actually a large part of the reason for the existence of nifty Christian communicators like Rob Bell, because in their best estimation the Bible can only be understood in “community.”

That said, have you ever noticed that although someone who is Emergent says they don’t “know” for sure what God has said in His inerrant and infallible Word–the Bible, rather conveniently they do happen to know that those of us who say that we do know what our Master has said, are in fact, wrong. In–dare I say–fact, for people who believe that no one can really know much for sure, they sure do an awful lot of arguing. But be that as it may, and as you reach for the aspirin, we use this as our backdrop while I share with you some very socially relevant and insightful words from A.W. Tozer, who just happens to be someone most in the Emergent community will at least say they enjoy. Well, maybe that is…until now:

This we must remember: faith is not a noble quality found only in superior men. It is not a virtue attainable by a limited few. It is not the quality to persuade ourselves that black is white or that something we desire will come to pass if only we wish hard enough. Faith is simply the bringing of our minds into accord with the truth. It is adjusting our expectations to the promises of God in complete assurance that the God of the whole earth cannot lie!

As long as we question the wisdom of any of God’s ways our faith is still tentative and uncertain. While we are able to understand, we are not quite believing. Faith enters when there is no supporting evidence to corroborate God’s Word of promise and we must put our confidence blindly in the character of the One Who made the promise.

A man looks at a mountain and affirms, “That is a mountain.” There is no particular virtue in the affirmation. It is simply accepting the fact that stands before him and bringing his belief into accord with the fact. That man does not create the mountain by believing, nor could he annihilate it by denying.

And so with the truth of God! The believing man accepts a promise of God as a fact as solid as a mountain and vastly more enduring. His faith changes nothing except his own personal relation to the Word of promise. God’s Word is true whether we believe it or not. Human unbelief cannot alter the character of God! (Renewed Day by Day, Vol I, emphasis mine)

Some Shall Depart From The Faith

And how utterly reprehensible it is that these vipers like Brian McLaren and Tony Jones and Doug Pagitt have the unmitigated gall to actually presume to stand before people under the guise of orthodox Christian ministers and through their own unbelief literally teach them to deny the Truth of God’s Word, and within our Lord’s Own precious Church! And how nauseatingly pathetic is it that more and more influential evangelical leaders have themselves become bewitched by these Emergent men whose Contemplative Spirituality centered on self is the very same as the heathen, who do not know God (1 Thessalonians 4:5) and who obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

As further illustration, here is yet another example of the warped and toxic “fruit” produced by this convoluted “conversation” from Ron Smith who cared enough to share with me his quite poignant note of “love.” Let me also say here that my views on public opinion of my work are already contained in Another Perspective For Your Consideration. Those who are friends of AM know that I’m actually about one of the most easy-going people you’d meet. I don’t take this stuff personally because I’m already dead, and I live as Paul pointed out here as he asked – For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10, ESV)

However because I have no idea who Ron Smith is, when he personally made the decision to write me here at AM instead of posting a comment at Slice of Laodicea concerning my labor in the Lord there, he was the one who opened up this door. And so, for the possible edification of the Body of Christ I will now present to you–in its entirety–this stirring Emergent work that Smith simply calls, “Thanks.” Let me warn you; you may need the kleenex:

Man, all you do is b**** and complain on your website. That s**** man. Try being pro something in your life instead of being pro negative to everyone else. Cheers.

*wiping away a tear* Thank you Ron. Most touching, wasn’t it? You can just feel the love.

Men and women, you’d best know that the Lord has begun to pull down this false front of the pseudo-Christianity in the Emergent new evangelical rebellion against the absolute authority of the inerrant and infallible Word of the one true and living God. And as He continues to peel it away, layer by rotted layer, we will come to see revealed in all its serpentine squalor the true satanic source of the Emergent Church, a major pillar in the Devil’s Ecumenical Church of Deceit, the demonic daughter of his apostate Church of Rome.

Let us make note of divisive men (see–Romans 16:17) such as Leonard Sweet, Living Spiritual Teacher Richard Foster, his trusty sidekick Dallas Willard, Guru Brian McLaren himself and Rob Bell, the Elvis of Emergent, who have chosen to become theologians, mentors, spiritual directors and inspirational icons within the neo-liberal cult of the Emergent Church. Because they claim to be a part of the Body of Christ, 1 John 2:19 provides even more reason why man-pleasing deceivers like these woefully fail the test as true ministers sent by the Lord to those of us who have been given eyes that see:

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

Reversing The Reformation

If you are tangled up in the doctrines of devils spun by these seducing spirits of the Emergent Church and/or you have come under the spell of Bell, then I beseech you on the Lord’s behalf to pry open your eyes and prayerfully read Rob Bell Fails The Test. Perhaps you think I overstate just how deep the infestation of this Emergent menace has spread into the Church of Jesus Christ? Then consider this from the Emergent Village website:

“Affiliates” also support Emergent Village; those are organizations that stand in partnership with us. Below is a list of organizations who have voiced their support of Emergent Village and supported us financially in 2006. They are our “organizational friends,” if you will. If your organization would like to contribute to Emergent Village, you can do so here or contact us.

Abingdon Press
Amahoro
Baker Publishing House
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
InterVarsity Press
Jossey-Bass Publishers
The Journal of Student Ministries
Journey Community Church, Dallas
NCCUSA Faith & Order Commission
Wesley Theological Seminary
Zondervan Publishing House

O how utterly shameful for supposedly Protestant evangelical institutions e.g. Baker Publishing House, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, InnterVarsity Press, and Zondervan Publishing House now turning their backs on the Faith to give money and lend support to a movement which openly embraces the Roman Catholic Church as brothers in Christ. The blood of the Reformers cries out against these “believers” who can no longer believe in the doctrinal purity of our Lord’s Church.

Not Quite Believing Is The Same As Not Believing

And now let me draw you back to the very heart of the matter since there are so many in evangelical leadership positions today who are too spiritually obtuse to do so themselves. A.W. Tozer was dead on above when he said, “Faith is simply the bringing of our minds into accord with the truth.” Did you catch that? Tozer tells us faith is simple, it’s child-like, and trusting. And this itself is right in line with the Master’s Own perfect teachings on this critical subject. Here’s another thing Tozer teaches us about true faith which also echoes the Words of Christ Who told us that one is to love God “with all your mind.” (see–Mark 12:30) Tozer explains to us that faith is to bring “our minds into accord with the truth.”

And we can’t very well do that if we don’t even know what the truth is now, can we? So this tells you that these deceivers of the Emergent Church cannot possibly be speaking through the Spirit of God. O yes, you are quite correct; this is to make a judgment. Oddly enough the Emergent “follower of Jesus” has no trouble quoting the verses in the Bible about judging one another, and loving one another, but the truth is what I have just done here is also in line with the Words of Jesus Christ:

“Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.” (John 7:24)

Finally, here is why this despicable Emergent rebellion–headed as it is by counterfeit ministers claiming Christ–with the temerity to teach our Lord’s sheep to doubt the Word of Christ Jesus Who bought us on the Cross is such a very, very dangerous spiritual black plague in God’s House. Do you remember what Tozer also said above? “As long as we question the wisdom of any of God’s ways our faith is still tentative and uncertain.” Tentative and uncertain faith means that while “we are able to understand, we are not quite believing.”

Think with me here for a minute; if you are, “not quite believing,” then you have not yet believed. Friend, now I point you to the Holy Scriptures, the eternal Word of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who tells us most clearly, and in flat contradiction to these defiant Emergent wolves in sheep’s clothing, in no uncertain terms – whoever does not believe stands condemned already. (John 3:18) So now it finally comes emerging and maybe you can see what is at stake here? As far as the Gospel of Jesus Christ is concerned, you either believe it…or you’re not…a Christian. peace…

“…My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him…”