Eternal Approach

I am sick of people using the term, “legalism”, to silence those who defend doctrine or defend solid biblical positions. Or using the term, “Pharisee”, in the same way.

I find it dishonest when they do that. I would also say it is laziness for leaders and laypeople to use this tactic. 

Calling people, “Pharisee” or “Legalist”  has become the default position for Evangelicals to diminish doctrine in favor of an emphasis on “love”. This is a popular tactic used to force fellow Christians into subservience to the “love-is-all-we-need” mentality.

The Sugary, Sappiness of it All

There is no doubt in my mind that the general Evangelical mentality has shifted away from a faithfulness to what the word of God says to a conscious willingness to sweep most anything under the rug that doesn’t advance their agenda. Especially anything which might create controversy within the general “unity” of the church.

Evangelicals just don’t like controversy.

Everything is supposed to have a kind of creamy mellowness about it these days. We are all supposed to just love one another and get along and get to work doing whatever the church leadership has concocted for us to do.

To just focus on being servants to one another. To help one another. And to avoid creating any turmoil over biblical teaching that may not be “perfect” according to us “elder brothers” (You can find a deeper explanation of “elder brothers” in an upcoming series of posts).

Frankly, I am getting sick of it. Sick of the sugary-sappiness of it all. And of the general undertone of “keep-quiet-and-fit-in” mantra that is being pushed down our throats.

The Old Influence of the New Evangelicalism

In like manner, the general, secular culture has also been clamping down on free speech. But, I am amazed at how quickly and dramatically it has plunged into political correctness. Into the censoring of free speech with a vengeance.

One reason for this shift in the general culture became more clear to me just the other day; when I was looking at Christianity Today Magazine at out local library. I do this every few months just to keep up with what is going on in the Evangelical world.

I am disgusted with that magazine. It’s only value, as far as I’m concerned, is as a horse’s- mouth resource. It tells me clearly what religious people are saying and what they are doing.

CT Magazine, founded by Billy Graham, has always been the mouthpiece of the New Evangelical Movement; with its consistent corrupting focus on ecumenicalism and cooperative evangelism with apostate religious groups.

But these days, it has moved farther down the road to be a kind of “voice in the wilderness”; as a prophet preparing the way for the Emergent Church; which is spreading its unbelieving doctrines throughout Evangelicalism.

CT Magazine would deny this, of course. But it has become very apparent to those who have seen the names, issues and positions so consistently heralded in its pages. Even while Billy was still alive and participating.

This corrupting influence has deeply affected the general culture.

Instead of being salt and light to the world, this leaven of compromise has spread into the educational, entertainment and political arenas of our society. This leaven has helped to create fires of fervency underneath causes that once were more academic. We are now seeing a new, dangerous and volatile spiritual zeal in what were once more civil political causes.

This has pushed the general culture to become increasingly intolerant of biblical truth; just like the apostate churches who have fostered this thinking for generations.

So what does all this mean?

As the Church, So Goes the Culture

That the general culture of the world is simply taking its lead from the apostate churches. Modernist churches have been promoting the Social Gospel, to replace the biblical gospel, since way back before 1956 (the year CT Magazine was founded).

And the apostate groups have been trying to replace the biblical gospel even in Evangelical churches. By replacing or diminishing truth and doctrine with social-justice teaching and culturally-compromised outreach programs.

And the Evangelical churches have been rolling over and allowing this influence to spread.

Their modus operandi has been to marginalize those who place biblical faithfulness as the top priority. Calling those of us, idolaters, who place the word of God on a pedestal. Who continue to defend the absolute inerrancy and accuracy of God’s words.

Today, we are told to focus on “Jesus” and not doctrine. To focus on “love” and not narrow interpretations of scripture.

We are being snookered by a shell game. By religious leaders moving the pieces around so we will forget where truth is and where it is found.

And it is working.

So, when they tell you to, “Just focus on Jesus”, here’s the answer. . .

The only way to love Jesus and to focus on Jesus is to love His word. To know His Word. To keep His word. To obey His word. To defend His word.

If you are being manipulated this way, hang in there! You are not alone. There are many of us still out there fighting the good fight right by your side.