Remorse

Is Stephan Joubert beginning to show signs of remorse for the unbiblical things he has said in the past? In one of his more recent contributions on e-church’s website he makes the following heartfelt plea.

You’re only as good as your last move on the chess board of life.

Rugby players are assessed on Mondays based on their game the previous Saturday. Preachers are evaluated based on their last sermon. A writer’s most-recent book determines his success. Ditto for an actor’s performance in his latest movie. This is not the way things should be. . . .

We can’t live with such short-term memories when it comes to the integrity of others. We shouldn’t dare write each other off or move each other aside based on something that didn’t impress us. The Lord’s love causes us to always start over and afresh with each other. We should believe and expect the best of each other as 1 Corinthians 13 teaches.

God expects us not to live with a judgmental attitude. That’s not on. We are called not to judge, but to accept, to write off mistakes, and to love. (emphasis added).

Is it true that preachers are evaluated by their last sermons only and are Christians commanded to love them in spite of their last sermons? Well, of course Jesus Christ expects Christians to love them but how should Christians apply their love? For example, how should they employ their love in circumstances where doctrinal error as opposed to personality errors or character deficiencies are at stake? Personality faults or character inconsistencies (which, incidentally, we all suffer from) are not necessarily dangerous in the sense that it misleads others onto paths that lead them away from God. Allow me to explain my gist with two passages in Scripture where love is the main subject but the application thereof is quite different.

Brother Peter said:

“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).

Voila! How can you argue with that? We are commanded to love one another in spite of our individual imperfections, faults and “little” idiosyncrasies. We all have these “little” bugs bugging us all day long, nibbling at us and chipping away at our characters. Let’s hone into one of these “little” idiosyncrasies – GOSSIP. Gossip-mongering or rumour-mongering or scandal-mongering are some of the most destructive character bashing abuses there are. In many cases gossip is not based on facts but lies and these lies usually spread like wildfire. A very pious and god-fearing preacher was once forced into a very awkward and difficult situation when a young woman placed her illegitimate baby on his doorstep with a note pleading with him to look after and rear her son. The first thought that sprung to his mind was “What will others and especially my flock say?” Nonetheless, God clearly convinced him that he should take care of the child. You don’t need to be a rocket science to know what happened then. The gossip-mongers spread the news that God’s messenger had an illegitimate child with one of the prostitutes in his community. You see, this man preached the Gospel to women in a neighbourhood of ill-repute. Despite the rejection, heinous character abuses, loneliness and the lies this man suffered, he forgave those who spread their malicious lies and chose to cover their multitude of sins with his godly love. However, it is necessary to remind ourselves that the “covering up of sins” was only in respect of the man who chose to forgive them and not in respect of God against Whom we all sin (Psalm 51:4). Their sins were not covered up as far as God was concerned. He is going to judge them unless they repent of their sins of gossip-mongering and lies and ask his forgiveness. God says: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:19).

We observe the same principle of “hiding a multitude of sins” in James 5:20 but here it is adjoined to a more profound and serious admonishment, i.e. to be converted from a path of error and a path from death to life.

Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins (James 5:19 & 20).

The above quoted verse from Scripture seems to be a more solemn and stern warning than the one in Peter’s first letter because it involves the conversion of persons who initially travelled the path of truth but strayed onto a road of error and death (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). Here again you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize that the putting into practice of love in this instance is not to judge the individual per se but his or her waywardness and apostasy from the truth. What does Proverbs (Stephan Joubert’s favourite Bible book) say? “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are lavish and deceitful.” (Proverbs 27:6) and “Poverty and shame come to him who refuses instruction and correction, but he who heeds reproof is honoured.” (Proverbs 13:18) and again “A truthful witness saves lives, but a deceitful witness speaks lies [and endangers lives].” (Proverbs 14:25). To remain silent in the face of all the lies that are disseminated in our churches is nothing else but the endangerment of other peoples’ lives. What kind of love are we talking about when you see your fellowmen being led astray on paths that lead to destruction and you do nothing? No! they say, true love is to know that we are not called to judge, but to accept, to write off mistakes, and to love. Nobody can argue with these winged words, especially when the repainted Bible of the Emergent Church makes it so clear in the book of Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 3:18 and 19 (The re-imagined and repainted version of the Bible) When I say to the wicked, You will surely die, you shall not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live because I have not appointed you to judge anyone’s spiritual journey or path. All I want you to do is to love them to death and to write off their insignificant mistakes (such as to mislead others away from the Truth). Those who lead others astray and the ones who are being led astray will not die in their iniquity and I will not require their blood from your hand. And yet, I will require the blood of those whom I have lovingly and compassionately allowed to follow their own hallowed spiritual paths (Remember! Everything is holy and there is no such thing as being in or out) from the hands of the fundamentalists who are forever judging others. Their egoic selves are so cluttered up, so intensely polluted and poisoned by the judgemental gene (a.k.a. my revered and honoured Christ-follower, Ron Martoia) they inherited from Adam and Eve, that they can do nothing else but judge, judge, judge. These poor wretched creatures think that they are doing others a big favour and by doing so that they are delivering themselves from my righteous judgments.

One of the most devastating lies ever to proceed from the mouth of a mortal sinner was “I know not: Am I my brother‘s keeper?” We all know that Cain said this to God after he had bludgeoned his brother, Abel, to death and God asked him: “Where is Abel thy brother?” Multitudes are being bludgeoned to death by Satan and his lies as well as those whom the Bible calls “deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:13). Do they really believe that, while the bludgeoning to death of millions continues unabated throughout the world, Christians should shrug their shoulders and ask: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Is this the kind of love they expect Christians to carry in their hearts? That is not wisdom and love that come from above but a devilish kind of wisdom and love.

God never gave us the mandate to judge persons. That’s God’s prerogative. However, we are commanded to judge (evaluate, inspect, discern) all things, especially the things men say in regard to religion and spirituality on public platforms and the church. In fact, God respects a Christian who judges all things.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him].

Breaking News – SA Archaeologists Find New “Dead Sea Scrolls” in Johannesburg

Several well-known South African archaeologists believe they have unearthed one of the most exciting documents of this century. Some of them even boast that it is of far greater importance than the 900 documents discovered between 1947 and 1956 in eleven caves in and around the ruins of the ancient settlement of Khirbet Qumran on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea in the present day West Bank. One of the leading archaeologists, who prefers to remain anonymous for the moment, said that the remarkably well-preserved document could probably “tsunaminize” (his own words) the entire Christian world. He elaborated by adding that it may even have an earth-shattering, earthquakish, kind of effect because billions of individuals in the Christian fold are going to change their present course from an old and tattered doctrinal road (which our most esteemed postmodern prophets, priests and apostles have been trying to deconstruct) to a new and fresh quest. Amazingly this quest, as archaeologists have since established from the document they found, was not inspired by Don Quixote’s well-known song in the Spanish author, Miguel de Cervantes’ novel, “The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha”  In fact, it is now believed that Cervantes copied it from the lips of  . . . yes, you’ve guessed it  . . . a Man called Jesus from (no! Not La Mancha) but Nazareth. One of the archaeologists explained it as follows:

The popular Christian notion that Jesus of Nazareth commanded his disciples to go into all the world and to preach his Gospel, to make disciples of all the nations and to teach them to observe everything He taught them, seems to have been a myth all along. In fact, some of our most distinguished biblical scholars assert that Christians should “not [follow Him] as the religious professional, as the guy with all the rules for right and wrong but as the Sage or Sophia from heaven.” [1] Post modernists have concluded that people no longer want to hear that they are lost sinners on their way to hell but that they already have the “imago dei” (image of God) imbedded in their innermost being. What they need to do is to get rid or let go of the constructed false self so that the pristine “imago dei” may shine through unhindered and that they may realize who they really are (also known as “self-realization” or God-realization”). This process of self-realization or transformative spirituality is not an instant and momentary experience; it takes up to forty years and sometimes an entire lifetime according to Thomas Keating. Therefore the radical pilgrim ought to brace himself for a long and protracted quest before reaching the unreachable star and the impossible dream.

This brings us again to our news breaking discovery of the document we have been discussing and which proves that Jesus never commanded his disciples or followers to preach the Gospel but to make them followers of Jesus, “not as the religious professional, as the guy with all the rules for right and wrong but as the Sage from heaven.” The words He conveyed to them was not said in an audible voice but He sang it for them in deep silent space of nothingness. This is his song called ‘The Impossible Dream.’”

This is my quest, to follow that star . . .

No matter how hopeless, no matter how far . . . To fight for the right, without question or pause . . . To be willing to march into Hell, for a Heavenly cause . . . And I know if I’ll only be true, to this glorious quest, That my heart will lie peaceful and calm, when I’m laid to my rest . . . And the world will be better for this:

That one man, scorned and covered with scars, Still strove, with his last ounce of courage, To reach . . . the unreachable star . . .

The site where the document was dug up, can be seen here.

Don Quixote, the man from La Mancha, could not be located for his commentary. However, we will keep you up to date as soon as we’ve found him. Rest assured, the quest for him is in full swing. As Lao-tzu, the Chinese philosopher, once said: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Our Emerging Church friends are probably possessed by a “Quest demon.” Read here for more information on this QUEST.

---

[1] Stephan Joubert: Mosaiëk Congress  You are invited on a spiritual journey . . .; 4 & 5 September 2009; Fairlands, Johannesburg.

To stay put or not to stay put: That is the question

A question often heard amongst Christians is “Where shall we go? We have nowhere to go. Our church has taken a wrong turn into contemplative spirituality. Sound biblical doctrines and teachings have been replaced by centering or contemplative prayer, labyrinth walks, deep silent meditation, and retraits. Shall we stay or shall we leave our church?” There are many disillusioned Christians who find themselves in similar situations in their churches throughout the world. As a result of their keen awareness of the paradigm shift that is taking place from a biblical to a contemplative style of worship, they feel ill at ease and have taken the liberty to speak out and warn their pastors. Sadly their legitimate concerns are most likely ignored or they are brusquely asked to leave the church by their authoritarian pastors. Could it be that these ”pastors” (hirelings) are acting out the warning in in Mathew 24:48-51?

48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Evidently the evil servants are those who have discarded the doctrine of Christ’s future parousia (Second Advent). Passages in Scripture such as John 14: “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” are allegedly jeopardizing their own agenda of bringing in the Kingdom of God on earth and must therefore be rejected or repainted (re-imagined). Similarly, the apocalyptic New Testament book of Revelation has either been shelved as a non-literal, symbolic narrative of the ongoing battle between good and evil or is perceived as a kind of novel that depicts scenes that have already been fulfilled in its entirety in 70 AD. Preterism, a reformed doctrine, which espouses the latter interpretation of Revelation has done more harm to God’s cause on earth than any other doctrine. I have always maintained that a wrong interpretation of eschatology usually leads to an eschewed doctrine of salvation. You only need to read Calvin’s “Institutes of the Christian Religion” and in particular his doctrine on predestination to see what I mean. I’m no prophet but I foresee that the doctrine of Preterism is going to bridge the gap between Calvinism and the Emerging Church. It is already happening (see Brian McLaren’s take on Preterism below).

It is a well-known fact that the Emergent Church is not particularly interested in the end-time prophecies of the Bible, especially those that are associated with Jesus Christ’s Second advent and his promises to establish God’s Kingdom on earth. In stead they believe that they have the expertise and will to inaugurate God’s Kingdom on earth and to introduce an euphoric era of peace, prosperity and goodwill amongst all men and their religions. Here’s what Brain McLaren, one of the foremost leaders of the Emerging Church movement said in an interview.

I think that many of us from Evangelical backgrounds grew up with a sense of hopelessness about human history. We were taught to expect the return of Christ very soon, which entailed the destruction of the earth as we know it, with some new beginning on the other side, a new beginning characterized by radical discontinuity with this history. To care about earth’s long-range future, then, became an act of unfaithfulness to God and the Bible. To invest in the earth’s long-term survival seemed like a “humanist” thing to do. Thankfully, some Christians found ways to counteract this attitude of abandonment toward the earth and its history even within the “left behind” interpretive framework, but others of us still weren’t satisfied.

By getting a fresh look at what Jesus meant by the kingdom of God – not an escape from this world, but the inbreaking of God’s will into this world, not the abandonment of earth, but a radical, self-sacrificing commitment to it – we find ourselves being able to gratify desires – Spirit-inspired desires, I believe – to care about God’s creation and its future.

Along with a fresh look at the kingdom, a number of people (from a variety of camps, many of which wouldn’t agree with each other on many points) are realizing that many of the so-called apocalyptic passages in the gospels and the New Testament as a whole seem to find fulfilment in three related realities: a) the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 67-70, which included the end of the Temple and priestly sacrificial systems, and the continuity of a multi-cultural, Spirit-filled, globally-concerned community of faith. Andrew Perriman finds fascinating connections to the phrase “Son of Man” from Daniel. Taken together, these insights suggest that the New Testament writers looked forward to something that we can look back on … which, I think, motivates us to get on with the work of mission in a full and integrated sense, so that evangelism and social justice and ecology and the creation of good art and serving the poor and forgotten are deeply integrated facets of our mission. This, for me, adds sacredness and purpose to all of life, and further breaks down the old sacred-secular dualism.

All of this helps us reconnect to a more healthy and robust theology of creation too. Since it doesn’t anticipate God discarding creation like a candy-wrapper, it gives us permission to love and cherish God’s world – all facets of it – forests, economies, wild animals, weather, history, art, language, architecture, and soil. Read the entire interview here). (Emphasis added).

You may ask: “Why is it so important to have a correct and biblical view of eschatology (end-time theology)? Couldn’t we  all just agree on making this planet a better place by focusing our energies on loving and respecting one another, irrespective of what religion or creed you adhere to?” If it had been that simple, the earth would probably already have been enveloped in a vapour of Edenic proportions.

I have already briefly mentioned the Emergent Church’s resolve to re-paint, re-imagine, re-think, re-hash, re-furbish biblical truths. Many, if not most, of the Emergent Church leaders, have repeatedly pledged to do just that.  As you may know, Brian McLaren has written a book called “Everything Must Change” which says it all. One of the major changes they believe we need to make is to transform our way of thinking with regard to the eternal destiny of mankind (heaven or hell) and rather focus on the here and now. (the so-called shalom of God as Ron Martoia calls it). Acclaimed author and Emergent church leader Brian McLaren states, “More and more Christian leaders are beginning to realize that for the millions of young adults who have recently dropped out of church, Christianity is a failed religion. Why? Because it has specialized in dealing with ‘spiritual needs’ to the exclusion of physical and social needs. It has focused on ‘me’ and ‘my eternal destiny,’ but it has failed to address the dominant societal and global realities of their lifetime: systemic injustice, poverty, and dysfunction.”

McLaren’s indictment that Christianity is a failure is actually an accusation directed at God Himself. Jesus Christ promised that He will build his church and not even hell itself will be able to quash its growth, but McLaren accuses the Lord of Lords and King of Kings of being a failure. Ironically, it is Brian McLaren’s and the Emergent Church’s brand of Christianity that will ultimately fail because it presents mankind with a temporary solution to its problems. It is an undeniable fact that several movements clothed in Christian garb have indeed failed many thousands of their followers of whom some, having been taught that they would prosper tenfold and a hundred-fold if they planted a seed in the Word of Faith ministries or be healed if they had faith in their faith, have eventually lost everything and even their lives after a long and painful sick bed. It may be true that many young adults have been disillusioned by many of these spiritual sorcerers, who marry and divorce their spouses at the drop of a pin. Sadly, however, many of these disillusioned young adults are being sucked into an even greater form of apostasy, believing that they have found a spiritual home in churches that promote mysticism in the form of centering prayer, labyrinth walks, silent meditation, lectio divina, stations of the cross, and much much more.

What kind of physical well-being and social stability and justice can Brian McLaren offer Christians who are martyred, tortured and murdered (by decapitation) in Islamic countries just because they love and follow Jesus Christ? Perhaps he can outdo Jesus Christ and alleviate the systemic injustice, poverty and dysfunction the persecuted Chinese Christians are experiencing in their own country because it is illegal to worship Jesus Christ? Their possessions are summarily confiscated and many are thrown in jail. Some have already lost everything: their homes, theirs wives, their children and even their own lives. Are the new Saviours of the world, the Brian McLarens and the Stephan Jouberts, going to teach them how to compromise their faith and follow their pristine examples? Is McLaren going to convince them to participate in Islam’s Ramadan festivities as he had done recently in “honour of God” or is he, like Stephan Joubert, going to convince them that their is truth in other religions such as Buddhism and therefore they do not need to remain so rigidly faithful to Jesus Christ and his doctrines? Are they going to persuade them that their own brand of abominable Christianity is the doorway to blissful happiness and success? I doubt it because the persecuted church (in these countries) does not regard physical well-being and systemic justice, alleviation of poverty and the eradication of dysfunctions as being successful. They know and have already experienced that allegiance to Jesus Christ and their faith in Him, even unto death, is not only successful but a triumphant victory over Satan and all his host. (Revelation 12:11). What would you say, Messieurs McLaren and Joubert, is the following witness a failure of biblical Christianity?

McLaren asks, “Shouldn’t a message purporting to be the best news in the world be doing better than this?” What he sets forth in this provocative, unsettling work is a “form of Christian faith that is holistic, integral, balanced, that offers good news for both the living and the dying, that speaks of God’s grace at work both in this life and the life to come, both to individuals and to societies and the planet as a whole.” I would like to suggest to Mr. McLaren that he and his emergent buddies (including Ron Martoia,  Stephan Joubert, Willem Nicol, Johan Geyser and Trevor Hudson) pack their bags and immediately set off for countries like Saudi Arabia and during the festival of Ramadan proclaim on the steps of their parliament that Jesus Christ is the Almighty God and not Allah. Subsequently, their  severed heads would probably be their best legacy or gift to the world, proclaiming in their last hours that biblical Christianity is the only religion that provides hope and salvation for a corrupt world, including the murderers who may have assisted them in getting to heaven so much the quicker. Indeed, those three pastors who were beheaded so utterly cruelly are now in heaven, gazing in awe upon the beautiful, serene and holy face of Jesus Christ. May God grant you (the gentlemen mentioned above) the grace to cease your compromise with other religions and to proclaim Jesus Christ openly and fearlessly in whatever dangers you may encounter. That my friends is real success — never to compromise your faith and to remain loyal to Jesus Christ and all his doctrines in the face of death itself.

What shall we do. . . leave our churches?

I have often heard Christians defend their decision to stay in their churches because Jesus and Paul as well as the other disciples remained in the Synagogue despite the persecution they suffered at the hands of the church hierarchy. This may be true but there is also a very stern warning, pertaining to the end-times, that God’s children should separate themselves from the one-world end-time church.

Revelation 18: 4-8 I then heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out from her, my people, so that you may not share in her sins, neither participate in her plagues. For her iniquities (her crimes and transgressions) are piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her wickedness and [her] crimes [and calls them up for settlement]. Repay to her what she herself has paid [to others] and double [her doom] in accordance with what she has done. Mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed [for others]. To the degree that she glorified herself and revelled in her wantonness [living deliciously and luxuriously], to that measure impose on her torment and anguish and tears and mourning. Since in her heart she boasts, I am not a widow; as a queen [on a throne] I sit, and I shall never see suffering or experience sorrow—So shall her plagues (afflictions, calamities) come thick upon her in a single day, pestilence and anguish and sorrow and famine; and she shall be utterly consumed (burned up with fire), for mighty is the Lord God Who judges her.

When God says “come out from her” He actually means “come out from her” and when He sounds the alarm to warn those who refuse to come out from her that they too will suffer the consequences of his righteous judgements, He actually means it. What are these sins of which the apostle John warns us? They may be summed up as follows:

1. Apostasy – the deadly sin of falling away from the faith that was once delivered to us by the apostles.
2. Compromise – the deadly sin of surrendering some of your Christian principles to accommodate the principles of other faiths. The most common form of compromise is to claim that there are truths in other religions equal to those in Christianity.
3. Deep ecumenism -  the deadly sin of taking hands with other faiths in a joint effort to combat AIDS, poverty, illiteracy, and the likes.
4. Denying that Jesus Christ is the only Saviour – all the above sins culminate in this one, the ultimate sin of them all.

Christians who take the above sins seriously may not and dare not remain in their churches who tolerate these things.