For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

It’s Time For You To Come Home

I’ve pointed out before that the Lord chose to raise up Apprising Ministries as an online apologetics and discernment work; as such, it’s a large part on my mission here to cover trends developing within the church visible.

Unfortunately we live in a time where, in my opinion, a tsunami of apostasy—likely driven by 1 Peter 4:17 judgments—is rapidly heading toward the mainstream of largely pretending to be Protestant evangelicalism.

Sadly, we’re watching the Reformation being undone as more and more people embrace corrupt Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism (CSM); which was spread as spiritual cancer by the sinfully ecumenical neo-liberal cult operating in the Emergent Church aka the Emerging Church. As a result, one of the trends developing as the above happens is a neo-reformed postmodern Calvinism that I touched upon e.g. in Mark Driscoll And Neo-Reformed New Calvinist Contemplative Spirituality.

It’s all leading to such syncretism that we’re watching the early stages of (at the very least) a falling away that will be momentous within spiritually spineless evanjellyfish. As a pastor-teacher I also try and bring you solid Gospel teaching when I can in an attempt to break up the spiritual filth that I have to cover. This is one such time. It’s tragic that the church visible is witnessing ostensibly evangelical pastors joining forces with heretics for so-called unity that they actually believe God wants. When in reality, its only the love of the self (cf. 2 Timothy 3:2).

We also see an evangelicalism raped by the Church Growth Movement and who now lusts for acceptance with the world. For example, consider the following from Dr. Gary Gilley in his The Social Gospel, Yesterday and Today – Part 1:

Francis Chan, in his wildly popular book Crazy Love, wants Christians to live as   simply as possible in order to give more toward the alleviation of “suffering   in the world and change the reputation of His bride in America.” I think one of the reasons Chan’s book has   been received with such enthusiasm is that he is not telling people anything   that our culture is not already saying.

When Bill Gates and Warren Buffett pledged much of their vast fortunes   toward the same agenda, the world applauded, just as it has for Chan.  Chan is concerned about the reputation of the   church in America, and not without reason.  However, the true church doing the true work of God (calling people to   Christ) will never win the world’s approval.

Our message is offensive (1 Cor 1:18-25) and once the world catches on   to that we are far more likely to be vilified and persecuted than we are to be   cheered – as Jesus promised (Matt 5:11-12).  We should find it a source of concern, not a reason for rejoicing, when the world likes us, as Christianity Today in its lead article in August 2011 affirmed it did. (Online source)

On a course to the same place is something I’m calling Furtickism as I discussed e.g. in Word Faith Pastrix Christine Caine Preaches Sunday Morning Sermon For Steven Furtick. In Steven Furtick Bringin’ On Word Faith And The Pastrixes I began to introduce you to Furtickism, which looks to be a new move. However, it’s not a move of God; but I think after Friday night’s Code Orange De-vival you will see Furtickism slither throughout the younger sectors of mainstream evangelicalism and the whacked Word Faith movement.

Prophet-Führer Steven Furtick excitedly introduced heretical Word Faith mogul T.D. Jakes as “The Greatest Preacher Of Our Time. Soon you see them all on stage together like this to “hear God’s voice” in the silence:

And what does this god say to these falling into Furtickism and this new contemplative-lite charismania? Well, let’s take popular Southern Baptist Bible teacher Beth Moore as an example: She’s had a literal vision that Jesus sees the apostate Roman Catholic Church is part of His Body; and she’s now become good friends with against rebel against God’s Word, the aforementioned pastrix Christine Caine.

Then in addtion Moore will be speaking at Hillsong Church, where pastrix Caine has been on the leadership committee for 23 years—Beth Moore To Speak For Hillsong Church. In closing this out, for now, another thing the hybrid Attraction/Word Faith of Furtickism obscures is the fact that the Gospel needs to be preached to the Christian as well. Rather than be lied to and told how God just dances in joy at our every move, we must be reminded that apart from Christ we are not the delightful creatures we like to think we are.

None of us does good; not even Prophet-Führer Furtick (cf. Romans 3:10-18). Trust me; he’s no prophet. Steven Furtick has no vision from God that he’s supposed to give a forum to heretics. The vision he needs to catch is that of repentance. Furtick isn’t worthy to untie the sandals of this Christian who tells us:

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (Romans 7:21-24)

So wrote the great Apostle Paul. This is who you are; this is who I am. Forget Fickle Furtickism; and listen to a real man of God. This is Charles Spurgeon expounding upon our text verse above; you will seldom hear this truth today:

Now this tendency is in every case the same, “the wages of sin is death” everywhere to everyone. It is so not only where you can see it operating upon the body, but where you cannot see it.

I may perhaps startle you when I say that the wages of sin is death even in the man who has eternal life. Sin has the same deadly character to the one as the other; only an antidote is found.

You, my Christian brother, cannot fall into sin without its being poison to you, as well as to anybody else; in fact, to you it is more evidently poison than to those hardened to it.

If you sin, it destroys your joy, your power in prayer, your confidence toward God. If you have spent evenings in frivolity with worldlings, you have felt the deadening influence of their society.

What about your prayers at night? You cannot draw nigh unto God. The operation of sin upon your spirit is most injurious to your communion with God.

You are like a man who has taken a noxious drug, whose fumes are stupefying the brain and sending the heart into slumber. If you, being a child of God, fall into any of the sins that easily beset you, I am sure you will never find those sins quicken your grace or increase your faith; but on the contrary, they will work you evil, only evil, and that continually.[1]

Feeling condemned; good, you’re supposed to. So the key question comes emerging: Who will deliver me from this body of death? Now, you’re ready for the only answer there is; God’s glorious Gospel — Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:25) This is what brings us real relief and strength; not platitudes from people-pleasing heretics like T.D. Jakes.

It’s not about you; it’s about Jesus. Dear Christian, you are beloved by God and you don’t have to stay in your sin. Come home. Jesus took your sin on the Cross; He paid it all, and He will give you the strength. Don’t fall for Furtickism and contemplative psychobabble. Embrace the truth; ask God to help you repent. Beware of sin…and come home. Now hear the Voice of God:

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”  (John 10:27-30)

Can you see now; the truth is, you never even left home…you only thought you did. God be praised.

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End notes:

[1] Charles Spurgeon, At the Master’s Feet [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005], January 23.

See also:

LET’S LOOK AT THE GOSPEL

THOSE WHO BURY THE GOSPEL WITH TRASH

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2012 WITH PROTHOLIC PETER SCAZZERO