ARE YOU STANDING ON THE ROCK?

By on Oct 18, 2012 in AM Missives, Current Issues, Emergence Christianity, Emergent Church, Features

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24)

Eyewitnesses Of His Majesty

The Apostle Peter tells us something extremely important about the historic orthodox Christian faith and about the real Jesus of actual history. We live in a time of Christian agnosticism growing through the postmodern form of liberalism spread by the cult of the Emergent Church.

At the same time a rebirth of pietism is increasing through the Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism now so deeply embedded within the evangelical community so this information becomes all the more critical. In 2 Peter 1:16 Peter writes:

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

The Greek word here for myths is muthos and that’s exactly what it means,“myths.” The truth is the Christian isn’t the one following blindly after mythology, it is actually the unbelieving skeptic who is doing so. Now maybe these words from our Lord in the above verse will become even more alive for you.

Another eyewitness, the Apostle Matthew, gives us the following quote from Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Undoubtedly our Lord is the wisest Person Who ever walked this earth; in fact, He is the very Creator of this planet! Look carefully at what the Master Teacher says.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock”  on Christ, Who is God Himself and Holy Scripture; God’s inerrant and infallible Word. Verses 25 and 26:

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. (Matthew 7:25-26)

Sand is the wisdom of man, so-called “scholarship.” For example, that’s what the mystic mythology of men like EC guru Brian McLaren is derived from. The circus “big tent” progressive Christianity aka Emergence Christianity of the Emerging Church is based upon myths perpetrated by liberal scholars; nothing but sand.

And Christ Jesus tells us what will happen to all who those are on this broad road of trusting in themselves and in other men:

“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:27)

The question we all need to ask ourselves in this time of confusion is: “What am I building the ‘house’ of my life upon?” Is it upon Christ and the rock solid truth of God’s eternal Word in the Bible? Or instead are you building your life-house upon the ever shifting sands of man’s opinions, which are here today and then gone tomorrow.

You see Christianity didn’t originate in the fertile minds of some deceitful writers. No, the truth from history is that the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth was founded upon Him; and not simply upon His teachings as are all other religions of leaders such as the Buddha or Muhammad. Christ’s ultimate question is:

“What say ye about Me?”

The Absolute Truth of Jesus Christ

The ancient Christian Church grew from a real Person; and from real events that actually happened in front of real people, with the chief event being Jesus predicting His Own death on the Cross and His assurance that He would then raise Himself from the dead (cf. John 2:19). And this is what changed a timid band of uneducated fisherman, tax collectors and regular old everyday people into what the Jewish religious leaders in Thessalonica would call — “These men who have turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6).

That’s some kind of a change! And all of us who are Christians will testify to the truth of Christ’s Resurrection from the dead, to our own personal relationship with Him, and to His power to change men from within. Please know that the Bible says of the historic Person Jesus Christ of Nazareth:

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

The Emergent Church would do well to note this carefully. And if you have not surrendered your life to Christ as your Lord and Savior, then God’s verdict upon you is clear: “Guilty!” Holy Scripture, God’s eternal Word says — for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and further— For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23); condemned already (John 3:18; John 3:36).

However, there is Good News — the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). There is the Gospel of repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ Name (cf. Luke 24:47). Jesus says:

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. (John 10:27-29)

Listen; can you hear the Lord’s voice calling you today? Then won’t you come to Jesus? In the words of the great old hymn of the Church:

Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing,
Passing from you and from me;
Shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming,
Coming for you and for me.

Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

O sinner, I beseech you, come home before it is too late…for it is written:

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:31)

Further reading