Remember two days before the end of 2009 when Tricky Warren sent out an urgent letter crying about how his church was $900,000 in debt? Remember how he not only got it, but then some ($2.4 million to be exact)?
Well, well, well, just a few short months later they suddenly have the funds to try to purchase 20 acres of Robert Schuller's empire.
Do you think its a coincidence he pleaded poor boy on December 30, 2009 only to put in a bid for the 20 acre Crystal Cathedral retreat property a few short months later? He was using his minions to get money to buy more property.
Wake up folks. He really is a huckster.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
David Jeremiah Endorses Emergent Erwin McManus's Latest Book
Lighthousetrails Research reports:
Quote:
If you attended Shadow Mountain Community Church this weekend, then according to an email we received, you would have heard the second part of Pastor David Jeremiah’s series called Journey with Jesus. But the title of this series is a bit misleading – Jeremiah isn’t just talking about Jesus; he is discussing a book called The Barbarian Way. The book is written by Erwin McManus, who is pastor of Mosaic Church in California. In Friday’s email, Jeremiah stated:
This weekend, I will be sharing the second message in our Fall Journey With Jesus. The title of the message is “The Manliness of Jesus.” I am praying that it will fire you up as much as it has me. It’s a major paradigm shift from our normal thoughts about Jesus. This week, I have read a book by Erwin McManus called THE BARBARIAN WAY. In it, he says something that should prepare our hearts for the weekend message.
While the quote from the book is benign, the book is not, and if any mention of the book is made by Jeremiah, it should be one of warning. If you have been following Jeremiah’s slip toward what we might call contemplative/emerging Christianity, his promotion of McManus’ book probably won’t be too surprising. Last year, we mentioned on a radio program that Jeremiah was going to be speaking at the Lead Like Jesus conference with Ken Blanchard (whose conference it was). Shortly after this airing, Jeremiah pulled out of the conference and then Blanchard canceled the conference all together.
Jeremiah then wrote a letter to Lighthouse Trails and made it public. He defended Ken Blanchard who had been and still is promoting the New Age, particularly New Age mysticism. After researching Jeremiah’s 2003/2005 book, Life Wide Open, it made a little more sense why he would have no trouble with Blanchard’s New Age proclivities. A special report on that book said:
David Jeremiah’s 2003 book, Life Wide Open, has a subtitle of “Unleashing the Power of a Passionate Life.” In the introduction of the book, Jeremiah tells readers that “A Small handful among us have discovered what the rest of us would pay dearly to know: How can we bring real, living excitement into this life?” Jeremiah goes on to tell readers that “This book is a map to the life of passion and purpose, the life wide open…” Who are these small handful of people who have discovered the secret? Well according to Jeremiah’s book, his list includes Rick Warren, contemplative, feminine spiritualist Sue Monk Kidd (When the Heart Waits), contemplative Calvin Miller (Into the Depths of God), Buddhist sympathizer Peter Senge (The Fifth Discipline), emerging church leader Erwin McManus, contemplative Michael Card, and Brother Lawrence (Practicing the Presence of God).
Jeremiah had also written an endorsement on the back cover of Erwin McManus’ book, Seizing Your Divine Moment. We contacted the publisher (Thomas Nelson) of that book after we learned that Jeremiah’s name was going to be removed (because of negative publicity). An editor at TN told us that the book would be repackaged and re-titled, which it was (now called Chasing Daylight). Although Jeremiah has made no public statement renouncing his previous endorsements of contemplative and New Age authors, and never had his book Life Wide Open pulled from the market, it seemed like his endorsement removal of McManus’ book was a good sign. But now it has become very confusing. Why was his name removed from one book of McManus’ only to have him endorse another McManus book to his church family this weekend?
So what exactly is this latest book Jeremiah endorsed about? In The Barbarian Way, McManus tells readers that the story of the Crusades “awakens within me a primal longing that I am convinced waits to be unleashed within everyone who is a follower of Jesus Christ.” But McManus has an unusual definition of “follower of Jesus Christ.” He says: “When asked if they [Barbarians] are Christians, their answer might surprisingly be no, they are passionate followers of Jesus Christ.” This might sound OK on the surface, but it is part of the new missiology and the new evangelicalism that Rick Warren and others proclaim, “God doesn’t care what religion you are, just add Jesus to what you already have.” Thus you can be a Buddhist with Jesus, a Hindu with Jesus – that’s OK. McManus clarifies this when he states: “The greatest enemy to the movement of Jesus Christ is Christianity.” He elaborates more:
They [Barbarians - who he tries to convince readers they should be] see Christianity as a world religion, in many ways no different from any other religious system. Whether Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, or Christianity, they’re not about religion; they’re about advancing the revolution Jesus started two thousand years ago (p.6).
While some may think McManus is talking about some kind of true revival, he’s not, not a revival towards the Jesus of the Bible anyway. McManus’ Jesus is all together different.
End quote.
Quote:
If you attended Shadow Mountain Community Church this weekend, then according to an email we received, you would have heard the second part of Pastor David Jeremiah’s series called Journey with Jesus. But the title of this series is a bit misleading – Jeremiah isn’t just talking about Jesus; he is discussing a book called The Barbarian Way. The book is written by Erwin McManus, who is pastor of Mosaic Church in California. In Friday’s email, Jeremiah stated:
This weekend, I will be sharing the second message in our Fall Journey With Jesus. The title of the message is “The Manliness of Jesus.” I am praying that it will fire you up as much as it has me. It’s a major paradigm shift from our normal thoughts about Jesus. This week, I have read a book by Erwin McManus called THE BARBARIAN WAY. In it, he says something that should prepare our hearts for the weekend message.
While the quote from the book is benign, the book is not, and if any mention of the book is made by Jeremiah, it should be one of warning. If you have been following Jeremiah’s slip toward what we might call contemplative/emerging Christianity, his promotion of McManus’ book probably won’t be too surprising. Last year, we mentioned on a radio program that Jeremiah was going to be speaking at the Lead Like Jesus conference with Ken Blanchard (whose conference it was). Shortly after this airing, Jeremiah pulled out of the conference and then Blanchard canceled the conference all together.
Jeremiah then wrote a letter to Lighthouse Trails and made it public. He defended Ken Blanchard who had been and still is promoting the New Age, particularly New Age mysticism. After researching Jeremiah’s 2003/2005 book, Life Wide Open, it made a little more sense why he would have no trouble with Blanchard’s New Age proclivities. A special report on that book said:
David Jeremiah’s 2003 book, Life Wide Open, has a subtitle of “Unleashing the Power of a Passionate Life.” In the introduction of the book, Jeremiah tells readers that “A Small handful among us have discovered what the rest of us would pay dearly to know: How can we bring real, living excitement into this life?” Jeremiah goes on to tell readers that “This book is a map to the life of passion and purpose, the life wide open…” Who are these small handful of people who have discovered the secret? Well according to Jeremiah’s book, his list includes Rick Warren, contemplative, feminine spiritualist Sue Monk Kidd (When the Heart Waits), contemplative Calvin Miller (Into the Depths of God), Buddhist sympathizer Peter Senge (The Fifth Discipline), emerging church leader Erwin McManus, contemplative Michael Card, and Brother Lawrence (Practicing the Presence of God).
Jeremiah had also written an endorsement on the back cover of Erwin McManus’ book, Seizing Your Divine Moment. We contacted the publisher (Thomas Nelson) of that book after we learned that Jeremiah’s name was going to be removed (because of negative publicity). An editor at TN told us that the book would be repackaged and re-titled, which it was (now called Chasing Daylight). Although Jeremiah has made no public statement renouncing his previous endorsements of contemplative and New Age authors, and never had his book Life Wide Open pulled from the market, it seemed like his endorsement removal of McManus’ book was a good sign. But now it has become very confusing. Why was his name removed from one book of McManus’ only to have him endorse another McManus book to his church family this weekend?
So what exactly is this latest book Jeremiah endorsed about? In The Barbarian Way, McManus tells readers that the story of the Crusades “awakens within me a primal longing that I am convinced waits to be unleashed within everyone who is a follower of Jesus Christ.” But McManus has an unusual definition of “follower of Jesus Christ.” He says: “When asked if they [Barbarians] are Christians, their answer might surprisingly be no, they are passionate followers of Jesus Christ.” This might sound OK on the surface, but it is part of the new missiology and the new evangelicalism that Rick Warren and others proclaim, “God doesn’t care what religion you are, just add Jesus to what you already have.” Thus you can be a Buddhist with Jesus, a Hindu with Jesus – that’s OK. McManus clarifies this when he states: “The greatest enemy to the movement of Jesus Christ is Christianity.” He elaborates more:
They [Barbarians - who he tries to convince readers they should be] see Christianity as a world religion, in many ways no different from any other religious system. Whether Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, or Christianity, they’re not about religion; they’re about advancing the revolution Jesus started two thousand years ago (p.6).
While some may think McManus is talking about some kind of true revival, he’s not, not a revival towards the Jesus of the Bible anyway. McManus’ Jesus is all together different.
End quote.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Are You Listening To Those With Discernment Or Are You Just Irritated With Them?
This is from A.W. Tozer:
“For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” Acts 20:29-30
Within the circles of evangelical Christianity itself there has arisen in the last few years dangerous and dismaying trends away from true Bible Christianity.
A spirit has been introduced which is surely not the Spirit of Christ, methods employed which are wholly carnal, objectives adopted which have not one line of Scripture to support them, a level of conduct accepted which is practically identical with that of the world — and yet scarcely one voice has been raised in opposition.
And this in spite of the fact that the Bible- honoring followers of Christ lament among themselves the dangerous, wobbly course things are taking…
The times call for a Spirit-baptized and articulate orthodoxy. They whose souls have been illuminated by the Holy Ghost must arise and under God assume leadership. There are those among us whose hearts can discern between the true and the false, whose spiritual sense of smell enables them to detect the spurious afar off, who have the blessed gift of knowing. Let such as these arise and be heard.
“Lord, may I be one of those ‘whose souls have been illuminated by the Holy Ghost.’ Grant to me ‘the blessed gift of knowing.’ And then be pleased to use me for Your glory today. Amen.”
“For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” Acts 20:29-30
Within the circles of evangelical Christianity itself there has arisen in the last few years dangerous and dismaying trends away from true Bible Christianity.
A spirit has been introduced which is surely not the Spirit of Christ, methods employed which are wholly carnal, objectives adopted which have not one line of Scripture to support them, a level of conduct accepted which is practically identical with that of the world — and yet scarcely one voice has been raised in opposition.
And this in spite of the fact that the Bible- honoring followers of Christ lament among themselves the dangerous, wobbly course things are taking…
The times call for a Spirit-baptized and articulate orthodoxy. They whose souls have been illuminated by the Holy Ghost must arise and under God assume leadership. There are those among us whose hearts can discern between the true and the false, whose spiritual sense of smell enables them to detect the spurious afar off, who have the blessed gift of knowing. Let such as these arise and be heard.
“Lord, may I be one of those ‘whose souls have been illuminated by the Holy Ghost.’ Grant to me ‘the blessed gift of knowing.’ And then be pleased to use me for Your glory today. Amen.”
Seminary Teaches And Trains Students To Become Muslim Imams In US
Excerpts from: [bold is my emphasis]:
Quote:
Muslims who want to become an imam in the U.S. can now train at an institution founded in the 18th century by members of the Congregationalist denomination to prepare pastors and other Christian ministers for service.
Hartford Seminary is launching a new "Graduate Certificate in Imam Education" program this spring, with help from the seminary's Duncan Black MacDonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, the Fairfax Institute and the Fairfax Institute's parent, the International Institute for Islamic Thought, or the IITT
The Hudson Institute's Hillel Fradkin says he's concerned about the move, because the IIIT is a front group of the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhood, which spawned most of the leading terrorist groups, including al-Qaida and Hamas.
Christopher Holton of the Center for Strategic Studies in Washington agreed the IIIT represents a radical version of Islam.
"IIIT is a Wahhabi organization. The Wahhabi sect of Sunni Islam is among the most intolerant, hateful and aggressive religious cults in the entire world. The Hartford Seminary has been snowed due to their apparent ignorance, and this is a disservice to America, as well as peaceful and tolerant people of all faiths," he said.
He called the move "an unfortunate continuation of a disturbing pattern of misguided American Christian leaders choosing to do interfaith outreach with jihadist Muslim Brotherhood organizations."
He said it isn't the first time a Christian leader has taken such a step.
"First we saw the Rev. Rick Warren speaking at ISNA's (Islamic Society of North America) convention last summer, and now we have this episode. Choosing the IIIT for interfaith outreach is a betrayal of Christian principles." Holton said.
Hartford Seminary was founded in 1833 when a group of Congregational ministers opened a school that later assimilated several other institutions and became a founding member of the American Association of Theological Schools.
It features the Hartford School of Missions, which train missionaries.
The seminary opened its doors to the first Muslim on its core faculty in the 1990s, shortly after a decision had been made to pursue "Christian-Muslim relations."
Now it is advertising on its website the new program as a way to prepare men to be spiritual leaders in an Islamic community or mosque. School spokesman David Barrett said the goal is to help leaders understand their faith.
"Education for imams, as well as education for any religious leaders, is important to help them understand their faith better and to ground them in the context of religion in America," Barrett said.
"Obviously, at a seminary we teach education and religion. We believe that if you are educated you will be better able to be a religious leader in whatever faith you are in," Barrett said.
He said the IIIT came to the seminary with the suggestion for the outreach.
"We thought that made sense. And yes, they are a partner with Hartford Seminary, because they bring their own expertise with them," Barrett said.
Holton warned, however, that the program ultimately has national security implications.
"In choosing jihadist entities for interfaith outreach, people like Rev. Warren and institutions like Hartford Seminary enable our adversaries and grant them undeserved legitimacy," he said.
"This can only further the goals of the Muslim Brotherhood to insert Shariah law into the United States – a theo-politico-legal doctrine diametrically opposed to American ideals of liberty."
Fradkin said the most militant of the Muslim Brotherhood's front groups is the Muslim Student Association, the MSA.
The MSA, he pointed out, was "the original expression of the Muslim Brotherhood in this country."
"Muslim students set it up as a student organization, but the founders were all Muslim Brotherhood," Fradkin said.
The MSA is established on many campuses, and in the absence of any other Muslim student group, they have the affiliation of all of the school's Muslim students, Fradkin said.
"One of the most egregious is the chapter and the University of California-Irvine. They've been particularly active and radical," he noted.
"The Muslim Brotherhood's stated goal is to turn every location where it exists into an Islamic state, including the United States," he said.
The Brotherhood's aims are documented in reports from the NEFA Foundation, established to fight against terror through research, analysis and dissemination of information.
The NEFA Foundation quotes from a 1991 Muslim Brotherhood document entered as evidence in the trial of the Dallas-based Holy Land Foundation, which was convicted in 2008 of funding Hamas and other terrorist groups. In the document, the Brotherhood was clear on its plan for the U.S.
"The Ikhwan (the Brotherhood) must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and 'sabotaging' its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and Allah's religion is made victorious over all other religions," the report said.
Fradkin noted the director of Hartford Seminary's Muslim chaplain training program is listed as Ingrid Mattson, who also is president of ISNA.
End quote.
Let's get it stright.
The first and foremost problem is that Hartford is NOT a Christian seminary. It has committed treason against the King of Kings and that started long ago. The biggest problem isn't political, but spiritual.
Secondly,Tricky Ricky Warren is NOT the first "Christian" to take such steps. The first was his mentor, Robert Schuller back in the 90's, when he spoke in a Mosque and proclaimed they and "Christians" worship the same god. Then Bill Hybels invited an Imam to teach Islam to his congregation at Willow Creek.
Fuller Theological Cemetary also has promoted a "Christian"-Muslim relationship program (you paid $1 million dollars via a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice), which cautioned "Christians" to NOT prostylize the Muslims, some years back. "The project will build on work led by Fuller professor Glen Stassen and other Christian scholars to develop a peacemaking theory that features practical ways to reduce conflict in the United States and abroad." "They also said that pledges against proselytizing one another's communities would apply only to the two-year peacemaking project and would not prevent either side from sharing their respective faiths during that time in what Fuller scholar J. Dudley Woodberry called gracious evangelism."
I personally know a professor of Old Testament at a seminary who also thinks that "Allah is a perfectly legitimate name for God--lingquistically speaking." He also claims, along with his wife, that the Muslims HAVE GOD ON SOME LEVEL, but that their view of God is only partially correct. Both of these notions are diametrically opposed to Scripture, where God declares His name "I AM" (YAHWEH), and
1Jo 2:23 "No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also."
Eph. 2:12b"....having no hope and without God in the world."
Joh 8:42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me....47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."
This teaching of Islam as a valid religion, as if having some Truth in it, as if they have God on some level is heresy, but its INSIDE THE RANKS OF EVANGELICAL CHURCHES AND SEMINARIES.
Back in the article,Barrett said that they are teaching people of other faiths to help them better understand their faith, seems to get his cue from the Theresa of Calcutta playbook, where she claimed to not prostelytize others, but help Hinds be better Hindus; Catholics to be better Catholics; Buddists to be better Buddists. The Roman Catholic Church also states:RCC catechism # 841 The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."
"The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions [Hinduism, Buddism]… The Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself, merciful and all-powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth..." ~ Nostra Aetate # 2&3 given in Oct. 1965 by “Pope” Paul 6th
Until Christians are willing to deny the lie that truth is in everything, unless they are willing to avoid ALL FORMS of evil, unless they understand and obey the fact that Scripture says "no lie is of the Truth" and to be separate from these false religions (see 1Cor. 6), they will commit treason against the King of kings and Lord of lords for a fake unity that lifts its hands against the Sovereign King. Loyalty to Christ at ALL costs, and that means reject half-truths, mixing the old with the new (see Mark 2:22), and submit to the Lordship of the Lord.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Wife of prosperity gospel televangelist Benny Hinn files for divorce in California
News story here.
Don’t worry, the Hinnster will keep his rightful place as the anointed Necromancist on TBN. Likely the devil made his wife do it and all this is merely an attack by the devil on the Hinnster’s ministry ’cause he’s so important.
Funny how the miracle healer couldn’t heal his own marriage.
Regardless of the reasons for the divorce —we’ve yet to hear the facts on why–which will be revealed in due course-- this couple has been so destructive and such a tool of Satan, that its pitiful (remember Hinn’s wife telling his critics we need a “holy ghost enema!”?).
Divorce is not a surprise here–rather its just another symptom.
Don’t worry, the Hinnster will keep his rightful place as the anointed Necromancist on TBN. Likely the devil made his wife do it and all this is merely an attack by the devil on the Hinnster’s ministry ’cause he’s so important.
Funny how the miracle healer couldn’t heal his own marriage.
Regardless of the reasons for the divorce —we’ve yet to hear the facts on why–which will be revealed in due course-- this couple has been so destructive and such a tool of Satan, that its pitiful (remember Hinn’s wife telling his critics we need a “holy ghost enema!”?).
Divorce is not a surprise here–rather its just another symptom.
Reformers Tim Keller and Matt Chandler Continue Their Involvement In The Emergent Church Movement & Its Leaders
Matt Chandler continues to be part of the Emergent scene. He shares the Emergent platform with Ed Stetzer, Alan Hirsch, Dan Kimball and feminist pastor Linda Bergquist.
Tim Keller also continues his Emergent endorsement as one of the framers of the emergent "missionshift" manifesto alongside those I just mentioned above.
What is missionShift? Go here to find out.
Tim Keller also continues his Emergent endorsement as one of the framers of the emergent "missionshift" manifesto alongside those I just mentioned above.
What is missionShift? Go here to find out.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Brian McLaren, Emergents, and Jesus
Ken Silva's latest on Brian McLaren: --he just might turn away some of his Emergent fans. However, the way I see it, Evangelical mentality is to find truth in everything, so there's no need to totally jettison a false teacher. No, rather they will take the "good" from anyone and anything, ignore the bad, and consider themselves spiritual and fair and balanced, and most of all, loving and tolerant.
Scripture of course, teaches just the opposite. Matthew 7 tells us to reject false teachers. Here are some thoughts from John MacArthur's latest book, “The Jesus You Can’t Ignore” p. 206-208:
Excerpt Quotes:
1Th 5:21 “but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.”
John7:24 “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."
We are also called to be soldiers for the cause of truth. The spiritual conflict between the forces
of darkness and the truth of God is, after all, WAR.
That means, among other things, we have some fighting to do. As we have seen throughout this
book, the popular notion that conflict is always to be avoided is simply wrong. There are timeswhen we MUST be confrontive rather than collegial. Tit 1:10 For there are many who areinsubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 Theymust be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain whatthey ought not to teach. “
If you wince at that or think there’s no way such an aggressive attitude could possibly be a sanctified response to doctrinal error in a postmodern culture, you need to review and rethink what the entire NT says about false teachers and how Christians should respond to them—especially from Jesus’ point of view.
In His final recorded messages to the church, given to the apostle John in a vision of several decades after Christ’s ascension into heaven, we see that the silencing of false teachers was still one of our Lord’s primary concerns, even from His throne in heaven. He addressed seven churches….Only two of the churches, Smyrna and Philadelphia, were commended for their faithfulness without any qualification or hint of rebuke. Both of them had remained true to Christ despite the influence of “those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan”(Rev. 2:9). All five other churches received various measures of rebuke, based on how corrupt, unfaithful, or spiritually lethargic they were.
A prominent theme in practically all Jesus’ messages to those seven churches is the issue of how they responded to false teachers and rank heretics in their midst.
It is clear from those letters to the churches in Revelation that battling heresy is a duty Christ expects every Christian to be devoted to. Whether we like it or not, our very existence in this world involves spiritual warfare—it is not a party or a picnic. If Christ Himself devoted so much of His time and energy during His earthly ministry to the task of confronting and refuting false teachers, surely that must be high on our agenda as well. His style of ministry ought to be the model for ours, and His zeal against false religion ought to fill our hearts and minds as well.
End quote.
Scripture of course, teaches just the opposite. Matthew 7 tells us to reject false teachers. Here are some thoughts from John MacArthur's latest book, “The Jesus You Can’t Ignore” p. 206-208:
Excerpt Quotes:
1Th 5:21 “but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.”
John7:24 “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."
We are also called to be soldiers for the cause of truth. The spiritual conflict between the forces
of darkness and the truth of God is, after all, WAR.
That means, among other things, we have some fighting to do. As we have seen throughout this
book, the popular notion that conflict is always to be avoided is simply wrong. There are timeswhen we MUST be confrontive rather than collegial. Tit 1:10 For there are many who areinsubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 Theymust be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain whatthey ought not to teach. “
If you wince at that or think there’s no way such an aggressive attitude could possibly be a sanctified response to doctrinal error in a postmodern culture, you need to review and rethink what the entire NT says about false teachers and how Christians should respond to them—especially from Jesus’ point of view.
In His final recorded messages to the church, given to the apostle John in a vision of several decades after Christ’s ascension into heaven, we see that the silencing of false teachers was still one of our Lord’s primary concerns, even from His throne in heaven. He addressed seven churches….Only two of the churches, Smyrna and Philadelphia, were commended for their faithfulness without any qualification or hint of rebuke. Both of them had remained true to Christ despite the influence of “those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan”(Rev. 2:9). All five other churches received various measures of rebuke, based on how corrupt, unfaithful, or spiritually lethargic they were.
A prominent theme in practically all Jesus’ messages to those seven churches is the issue of how they responded to false teachers and rank heretics in their midst.
It is clear from those letters to the churches in Revelation that battling heresy is a duty Christ expects every Christian to be devoted to. Whether we like it or not, our very existence in this world involves spiritual warfare—it is not a party or a picnic. If Christ Himself devoted so much of His time and energy during His earthly ministry to the task of confronting and refuting false teachers, surely that must be high on our agenda as well. His style of ministry ought to be the model for ours, and His zeal against false religion ought to fill our hearts and minds as well.
End quote.
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