CREATIONAL MONOTHEISM, DR. GERRY BRESHEARS, AND POLYTHEISTIC PASTOR JOHN MARK COMER
By Ken Silva pastor-teacher on Feb 4, 2013 in AM Missives, Current Issues, Features
Through the fad of corrupt Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism, with its do-it-yourself mythology, syncretism is now beginning to rule the evangelical roost and with it a veritable Iceberg of Apostasy is slowly surfacing.
For example, the other day Apprising Ministries brought to your attention something which is known as “creational monotheism” in Dr. Gerry Breshears Endorses Evangelical Polytheist Pastor John Mark Comer.
John Mark Comer’s friend Dr. Gerry Breshears, ((http://bit.ly/VwxqHu, accessed 2-4-13.)) happens to be professor of systematic theology at Western Seminary as well as co-author of many books with New Calvinist Elephant Room co-host Mark Driscoll. ((http://bit.ly/VwxqHu, accessed 2-4-13.))
Comer is pastor of a multi-site megachurch in Portland, OR called Solid Rock Church (SRC), which has an attendance of some 7,000. He has other friends in high places like Emerging Church author Donald Miller:
(source)
One issue at hand involves Comer openly teaching polytheism. The other would be that Comer implies he’s getting this idea, in some part, from Breshears as evidenced e.g. by this picture and tweet from John Mark Comer:
(source)
Then in his January 13th sermon Yahweh Elohim Comer also credits heretical Open Theist Greg Boyd’s book God at War (GaW) as being another source which has helped him come to believe this creational monotheism. ((You can read Boyd’s definition of creational monotheism from GaW in DR. GERRY BRESHEARS ENDORSES EVANGELICAL POLYTHEIST PASTOR JOHN MARK COMER))
It’s interesting to note that Gerry Breshears has actually come to his friend’s defense in the combox of Seeker-Driven Pastor Brings Polytheism into the Mainstream by Erin Benziger and insists Comer is not a polytheist.
However, look closely at what Breshears says:
John Mark is not denying monotheism in the sense that there is one true God, YHWH, the only eternal triune creator of all things, the one who said “you shall have no other gods before me.” (source)
Notice Breshears says Comer’s “not denying monotheism” in a sense; then he is denying monotheism. And the fact is if one believes there is more than one god, they have denied monotheism, which makes them a polytheist.
Now Breshears himself doesn’t appear to hold Comer’s position because here’s what Breshears wrote with Mark Driscoll in their book Doctrine:
First, there is only one true God. The Old Testament contains a number of clear statements that there is only one God. Likewise, the New Testament clearly states that there is only one God. Together, the unending thunderous chorus of Scripture from beginning to end is that there is only one God. Scripture also clearly teaches that there is no one like God. Scripture teaches that any claim to be like God is a satanic lie.
Practically, this means that in addition to there being only one Trinity and no other, there is no other God who is eternally existent and uncreated, all-powerful, all-knowing, or all-present. The biblical emphasis on the existence of only one true God raises the question of what is to be made of other “gods” that are worshiped by people in various religions in the days of the Bible and in our present day. The Bible states that these “gods” are very powerful fallen angels who rebelled against God.
They hate Jesus and seek worshipers, whom they reward if they serve them well. They perform powerful signs, wonders, and miracles that can deceive people into thinking they are equal with God. Practically, this means that there are incredibly powerful demons—with names such as Baal, Chemosh, Molech, Brahman, Allah, Mother Earth, Mammon (money), and Aphrodite (sex)—that are wrongly worshiped by multitudes as gods.
From the very beginning the people of God have lived with constant pressure to accept other religions and “gods” as equally worthy of worship as the God of the Bible. Too many times people are like Solomon and divide their devotion between God and the “gods.” To help embolden us, the Bible presents stirring stories of faithful followers like Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel who would not compromise and who never wavered in their devotion to one God even in the face of great opposition and persecution. ((Driscoll, Mark / Breshears, Gerry (2010-03-19). Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe (RE: Lit) (Re:Lit: Vintage Jesus) (pp. 13-14). Crossway Books. Kindle Edition.))
In closing this, for now, you’re about to hear John Mark Comer himself below. This short video by Comer is called Creational Monotheism and is taken right from the You Tube account of Comer’s Solid Rock Church. ((http://bit.ly/14AMGUa, accessed 2-4-13.))
Uploaded just today, notice that John Mark Comer actually begins with a flat-out denial of monotheism. He also says that Jesus didn’t hold the world-view of monotheism either. However, Comer’s in hopeless contradiction.
Beyond any reasonable doubt, God’s Word teaches monotheism:
To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him… For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens… “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.”
Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god… Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any… I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God.” (Deuteronomy 4:35; Psalm 96:5; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6, 8; 45:5)
All Comer’s last power point slide succeeds in doing is to actually make Yahweh the prince of demons:
[mejsvideo src=”https://www.apprising.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ComerCreMon.mov” width=640 height=360]
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