You don’t have to give up Buddha, Krisha, Allah, etc., to follow the Cosmic Christ if you listen to John Piper. If you just believe in the Cosmic Christ then you will go to heaven. If you just embrace the Cosmic Christ you will go to heaven. It’s that simple. No need to deny anyone. Just place your little statue right next to the other ones.
I found this little gem of a video by John Piper. I think I am going to transcribe this (for those in poorer countries who can’t afford bandwidth - where paper is still a necessity and the printing press has not evolved yet). I don’t think John Piper would mind us spreading his message in an older format for all the millions of truth seeking Christians around the world.
John Piper says:
“In a pluralistic, multi-cultural, relativistic, shrinking world, like ours, this will be harder and harder, and harder to believe.
Because they’re not just in Africa, and Asia, they’re right next door. Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Jewish people.
You know them at work; they’re your friends for goodness sakes. And you want them to be!!!
And when they ask you, “Sooooo, you’re saying, if I don’t embrace your Jesus, you think, I’m going to go to hell?”
What are you going to say right there?
“Well it’s kinda complex, well there are disagreements, in the church, and there are a lot of scholars and a lot of opinions and…” Weasel, weasel, weasel!!! We got out of that last week, we are done with that! We are DONE WITH THAT!
We are REAL! With tears rolling down our faces! I don’t want to believe that about you. I want you with me. I’m just a beggar, I have nothing, I am nothing. Jesus came into the world to save everybody!
He wants Samaritans and Muslims and Jews, and Hindus and Buddhists and every race and ethnicity, socio-economic, he wants us reaching out. (Makes hand signs of bringing the world together).
I’m talking to you right now, I want you in heaven with me. Go there.
There is no argument. Go there.
Plead!! So that they see this is not an argument, Like, “OH which Mountain?” It’s not about Mountains!!!
It’s about Christ, God’s Son, came on a rescue mission to every religion!!
Which is why Paul, Jesus and Peter all laid their lives down to reach the nations, the religions.
All missions are going to places today where they don’t want you to come. Well they say, “well if they don’t want us to come then we shouldn’t go. Bologna!!” There wasn’t a city on the planet that wanted Paul too come to, that is why he spent half his life in Jail. Beaten with stripes, 5 times with rods, 3 times shipwrecked over and over. He went into synagogue after synagogue where they drove him out.
You don’t go where you are wanted. You go where you are needed!!!! And you die if you have too. In order to show who he is.” — http://www.youtube.com/v/EOc-l8mJ0Vw
—————–
Religious pluralism, a term used to describe the acceptance of all religious paths as equally valid, promoting coexistence
Right, let’s analyse this sermon.
1) It’s all great Piper speaking about our ‘Pluralistic’ world / Postmodernism -
But fails to mention what he means by that. Because biblically there is only ONE LIVING GOD, and there are also MANY DEAD gods – like Buddha, Krishna, Allah, etc. Now if you come to embrace the false Christ, you will automatically be embracing Buddha, Krishna and Allah and the Eucharistic Roman Catholic Christ because they are all one and the same false god just with different names.
2) What does he mean by “shrinking world”?
Is he speaking about the fact that the world is becoming very connected via technology and that countries are no longer secluded from one another. People from all over the world can instantly connect and speak to someone in Brakpan if they wished using platforms like Skype. This does make the world seem a lot smaller doesn’t it? But is this what he really means? No, he is also implying a world that is becoming one, a world were everyone will be equal and soon follow the same Christ
3) He says, “You know them at work, they’re your friends for goodness sakes. And you want them to be”.
Again John Piper fails to explain what he REALLY means by this. Firstly, when you are a born again Christian you do not hate people, and will never hurt anyone because of the Holy Spirit that abides in you. The 10 commandments were written in your heart as Jesus Christ the Son of God came to fulfil the law. One of them being ‘thou shalt not kill’ for eg.
There is a BIG difference between being friends with other ‘religions’ and being friends or neighbourly with ‘people’ of other faiths. So what does Piper really mean? 1) Does he mean we should celebrate Ramadan with Muslims (Like Brian Mclaren did) so they (the Muslims in this example) can come to embrace Christ? 2) Or does he mean that we are to speak to them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and if they don’t want to hear we are to leave them alone? Like the bible tells us in: Matthew 10:14 “And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.” Again we also need to make a distinction between having different people of different religions working with you at your work and being friendly with them, vs. trying to be like them in order to gain their favour so they embrace and accept your Christ.
3) He says, “if I don’t embrace your Jesus, you think, I’m going to go to hell?”
Again, why does Piper not clarify what he means by this? It’s all very well embracing this Christ he speaks about but fails to tell you that you HAVE TO denounce the false god(s) in your life. The reason why Piper can just leave this sentence as is, is because the false Christ can be embraced without one having to denounce the other gods in ones life. The false Christ is a neighbourly Christ who embraces everyone including all his fallen angels.
4) He says, “There is no argument.”
But of course there won’t be an argument. Goodness gracious John Piper, what planet have you been living on? Satan is not going to argue with himself. You present to people from different religions backgrounds a false god and of course they will accept him because they have been worshipping a false god anyhow. And as I said earlier; Allah, Krishna, Buddha etc, are all Satanic gods. Bring along the another false Christ and it will be a reunion.
5) He says; “OH which Mountain?” It’s not about Mountains!!!”
Oh YES it is! Using your metaphore, YES it is! As per New Age Occult teaching each of the Major religions are awaiting their false Christ to return. There are 5 major religions and 5 Messiahs for each one. Each false religion sees their god as being the the biggest mountain so to speak.
If we take 4 mountains and represent them as religious gods (Allah, Krishna, Buddha and the Messianic Messiah) and Piper comes along with his false Christ the (Roman Catholic Eucharist Christ) the mountains will all have to be exactly the same size because all the gods from all 5 religions are none other than Satan. There is however a mountain that overshadows these 5 pooofy, dead, mounds of sand passed off as mountains, and that is Jesus Christ the Son of God.
6) He says, “Christ, God’s Son, came on a rescue mission to every religion!”
No where does the bible say that Jesus Christ is going to rescue every religion and save them all! However the false Christ that Piper is speaking about is currently doing that right now; because Buddha is actually the anti-Christ, Krishna is actually the anti-Christ, Allah’s Messiah is actually the anti-Christ and the Catholic Christ is actually the anti-Christ, and the Jews who still await their Messiah will accept the anti-Christ (unless they accept the REAL Messiah who is Jesus Christ the Son of God). You see as per the New World Faith the false Christ is already in each of these religions, it’s the people who have not recognised him yet. But people are starting to recognise him and as time goes by more and more people are recognising him and at a faster rate as each day goes by. Right now, it’s spreading like fire.
7) Paul, Jesus and Peter, all laid their lives down to reach the nations, the religions.”
Has Jesus been demoted? Paul, Jesus and Peter all laid down their lives??? SHOCKER!
8) He says; “All missions are going to places today where they don’t want you to come. Well they say, “well if they don’t want us to come then we shouldn’t go. Bologna!!” There wasn’t a city on the planet that wanted Paul too come to, that is why he spent half his life in Jail. Beaten with stripes, 5 times with rods, 3 times shipwrecked over and over. He went into synagogue after synagogue where they drove him out. You don’t go where you are wanted. You go where you are needed!!!! And you die if you have too. In order to show who he is.”
Oh how men have elevated themselves to the height of Jesus Christ. Does anyone honestly think that laying down your life is going to change anything? No. But under a false Christ’s commandment… Yes. Because you are now dead, you were following the false Christ and he has got you permanently.
Deborah,
Love your heart,we need to be very careful not to see a demon behind every bush. I watched the clip and I didn’t see what you saw. I am not necessarily a Piper fan since I am not reformed, but I do think what he said in this clip has been twisted and blown out of proportion.
My own opinion is that you should re-watch this and probably remove it. I am praying for you.
Valerie
I have been told this via email. And as much as people are going to argue with me on this one… just watch and see. This sermon is very very sneaky – it’s so sneaky and sweet that no one can see that the Christ he is speaking of is not Jesus Christ of the bible. This is emergent bridge building talk.
Besides Piper is already ecumenical: http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2010/03/31/john-piper-taking-leave-and-asks-for-forgiveness/
You don’t have to look under stones to see what’s happening all over the place. Spirituality no longer needs to hide under a rock – it’s free to come out and has taken over the world.
Deborah,
I don’t doubt for one minute that Piper is on a slippery slope, and I watched it a few more times and re-read your posts.
I guess I can see where you could say that he is opening a door that he can walk through later by being vague.
I still don’t see him saying that Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Jewish people can enter heaven without putting their faith in Jesus Christ.
What I took away from this clip is that we as Christians are having a harder and harder time presenting the Gospel to those of other religions because they are our neighbors and co-workers and they are “nice, likeable people”. The same is true with homosexuals. It is always easier to proclaim the exlusivity of the Gospel to a stranger than to a friend or relative. But in saying that I am not saying that we don’t proclaim it, just that it really is harder.
I guess I would be more inclined to leave it that he is leaving the door open, than saying that he is promoting the Cosmic Christ.
By the way, what was the date of this clip?
Thanks for your reply and sharing more of your thoughts with me.
Valerie
>> I still don’t see him saying that Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Jewish people can enter heaven without putting their faith in Jesus Christ.
Exactly, but he is giving another version of the truth. He is saying they wont get into heaven without Jesus, therefore they need to ‘embrace’ (very mystic word) Jesus and that’s that. Nothing else needs to change. Imagine the conversation with a Muslim guy, “Sooooo, you’re saying, if I don’t embrace your Jesus, you think, I’m going to go to hell?” and the person answering says, ‘Yes, just embrace Christ, Jesus came into the world to save everybody! He wants Samaritans and Muslims and Jews, and Hindus and Buddhists and every race and ethnicity, socio-economic, he wants us reaching out. (Makes hand signs of bringing the world together) – It’s not about Mountains – It not about who worships where and how, get over that part. It’s about worshipping in spirit and in truth. Just embrace Christ who came to rescue all religions and then you will go to heaven.
That is so not the Gospel as written in the Word of God. This is the ecumenical version.
This type of thinking was already coined by the Emergents ages ago. It’s getting more difficult to spread the gospel so you have to change your strategy and story line and exclude the part about repentance and abandoning your faith.
In the email the person said, “notice some of the headings in the sermon such as: “No True Religion Without Jesus” and “No True Worship Without Jesus. Those headings alone hardly seem to be opening the door to other roads to God”
My answer: There is a One World religion which will be the ‘true religion’ and it will have it’s Christ at the helm and everyone will love him
Here is a link to an article I received in an email last night which is supposed to support this video: DATE: June 28, 2009
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2009/4026_Not_in_This_or_That_Mount_but_in_Spirit_and_Truth/
Is he saying that it wont matter where you worship God (if you have embraced Christ, you can worship Him in a mosque?) John Piper is trying very hard to give off the impression that if we worship in spirit and in truth it makes no difference where you worship.
Come on… Could you not understand that what he was doing? He was mocking the excuses people come up with not to share the Gospel with co-workers and friends of other faiths. He strongly proclaims that Jesus wants EVERYONE regardless of where you’re from or what your background is… Whenever we witness to any non-believer (as if we should ever bother witnessing to believers) the goal is for them to come to Christ… by inference this also means to do away with your old beliefs.
I really love John Piper for the fact that he brings the unrelenting truth in his sermons… I cringe to read some of his writings however as they can be unashamedly Calvinistic… which this sermon certainly seems to contradict.
Will4God
Do you cringe when you hear he has teamed up with Rick Warren?
And no, when someone says they must ‘follow Christ’ or ‘come to Christ’ or ‘embrace Christ’ or whatever…DOES NOT infer that you have to give up your old beliefs.
So many Christians I know, think Piper is a good preacher but that sermon of his definitely has all the ecumenical and “global spirituality markings. Remember the whole interreligious dialogue movement is being sold on this “false love” premise that actually preaching the gospel is too “offensive” which was predicted in the Bible. More of these so called evangelical and in this case Reformed preachers sound just like the Pope. There even seems to be a tinge of the so called “anonymous Christian” teaching in his words, the idea that “good” people of false religions already “know” christ even though they do not acknowledge him.
Thanks
Biblebeliever, and you are so correct. “the idea that “good” people of false religions already “know” Christ even though they do not acknowledge him” that is exactly is.
I have an article written by a muslin cleric she explains this in his own words. That Christ has been within Islam all along, but no one recognised him and now the Christ is showing himself to Muslims.
One can only hope that Piper’s “sabbatical” gives him a Damascus road experience to open His eyes.
Deborah, I’m sorry, but I think you have completely distorted Piper’s message.
To me, Piper is preaching against the view that there are many ways to God and saying that Jesus came to be the savior of the whole world, that other religions do not save, and that the gospel is for muslims, hindus, etc, just as much as it is for white americans. There is the belief today that all religions are equally valid, but Piper is saying no, people of every race and religion need to believe in Jesus. He is rejecting pluralism and saying that Jesus is the only way, and that God longs for all people, be they followers of another religion or no religion, to come to faith in Jesus.
Let me pick up on a couple of your points that seemed particularly far-fetched.
Your claim that he considers the “shrinking world” to mean a one world religion is just nonsense – it sounds to me like he’s referring to both modern communications, as you say, but also the fact that followers of other religions can now be found next door, rather than on the other side of the world.
And your comments on Jesus coming on a rescue mission to every religion are equally crazy. Jesus came and died for every single person on the earth, including those who follow other religions. That’s all – pluralists and liberals may say that Jesus isn’t for the muslims etc as they have their own way to God, and we should not evangelise them. Piper is saying the opposite, that their religion is false and they need Jesus.
I’m not sure you should be reading as much as you have into a 3.5 minute extract. Piper isn’t writing a book or giving a theology lecture – he isn’t going to devote ten minutes to explaining exactly what he means by a phrase like “embrace Jesus” in an attempt to satisfy people like yourself as to his doctrinal soundness.
I’m sure Piper would be horrified by the way you have misinterpreted his message. I have to say that way you twist his words suggests a degree of obsessive paranoia on your part.
Tony
I am sorry you think I have totally distorted Pipers ‘Embracing Christ’ message. Maybe you need to email Piper and ask him why he has emerged as one of Rick Warrens latests best friends? Let me know what he has to say to you and then come back and report the news here.
[EDITED: TONY aka ANDREW WILLIAMS (using another name?? silly)
Nah don't worry about emailing Piper. You yourself are untruthful and an Emergent. So yes you would stand up for him because you identify with the false Christ that Piper is speaking about.]
Deborah,
(1) I don’t follow Piper and I don’t agree with certain aspects of his theology, such as his calvinism – so I wouldn’t normally stand up for him, (2) I’m not sure what Rick Warren has to do with it – this video dates from 2009, well before he decided to invite RW, (3) I value my online privacy, hence the alias, (4) I’m not emergent and go to a sound evangelical church that belongs to one of the “traditional” denominations, and (5) most importantly I do not identify with any false christs – if anything I am extremely keen to encourage people to study the Bible and discover exactly who the real Jesus is.
Ask yourself this – what evidence do you have for your (mis)interpretation of this message from Piper? Is it substantiated by anything else he has written or said? Unless you can provide something, I think you should delete this article – it really is pure speculation of the worst kind.
Tony / Andrew Williams
LOL, delete this article? That will be the day, especially coming from you who said, “I primarily see myself as a follower of Jesus. I tend to avoid loaded phrases such as “born-again Christian” which carry all sorts of baggage.”
And then this comment: “I am not a fan of those “emergents” who seem to have deconstructed christianity completely. However, I am increasingly aware that there are many aspects of faith where there are multiple options within the boundaries of biblical doctrine. The fact is that we all see “through a glass darkly” and so we all have an imperfect understanding of faith. So I’m not sure that there is much point in endless arguments as to what the correct interpretation of the Bible is. I think there needs to be a balance between certainty on the essentials of the faith and flexibility in secondary matters.”
Or how about this comment, “There may well be only one valid interpretation of scripture (but God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts, so it could be something completely different to what any of us think), but the concept is of philosophical value only.”
Or this one: “All I am saying is that we need to realise that there are legitimate differences in Biblical interpretation amongst Christians. We therefore need to have the humility to realise that all of us have an imperfect understanding of the Scriptures. The approach that “I’m right you’re wrong” needs to stop.”
I’ll add the links to your comments a bit later…
So just carry on deconstructing Christianity bit by bit Tony like a half baked emergent, not like the real emergents who have dismantled it completely. lol
No need to link to any of those comments. I stand by every word. If you think that makes me “emergent”, so be it (it’s another loaded term). But you just seem to be attacking me rather than responding to my comments.
So let me restate my main concern, which I note you didn’t address – where is the evidence for your interpretation of Piper’s message?
Tony, I could not be bothered with what concerns you. Yes, emergent for you is a loaded term just like being born again for you is a terrible thought because Jesus Christ is the only ONE who can save you and you reject being born again.
Hi Deborah
I have not read through all this but I know John Piper is associated with:
Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of Salem Communications Corporation.
Other Salem Web Network sites include:
* Sign I am a Christian (beware it’s Billy Graham!)
* Christianity
* Christian Jobs
* Church Jobs
* Free Online e Cards
* CrossDaily.com
* Crosswalk.com
* Pastors
* LightSource.com
* Oneplace.com
* Southern Gospel Music
* More Southern Gospel Music
* Free Sermons
* Study the Bible
* Who is Jesus Christ
* Christian Music Radio
* Christian Colleges Now
* TheFish.com
* CCMMagazine.com
* ChristianMusicPlanet.com
* CMCentral.com
* Townhall Magazine
* Preaching.com
* Townhall.com
* Christian Book Self Publishing
* Youth Ministry
* MatchWise.com
Enjoy the websites of these Bible Study Tools sponsors:
* The Voice of the Martyrs (I’m shocked to see this!)
* Moody Bible Institute
* Christianbook.com
* Gospel for Asia
* Campus Crusade for Christ
* BillyGraham.org
* GoIsrael.com
* Liberty University
I emailed more than one of the above (Oneplace – John Mc Arthur was one of them) enquiring why they are associated with Billy Graham and nobody replied! I re-sent the emails many times…
I had to assume they are all false and I stopped reading their stuff.
I Googled John Piper and found a book on Amazon.com:
Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist
If someone would like to know what’s wrong with BILLY GRAHAM, check this out:
[Edit: link removed. Leon, the claims in the document are not backed by verifiable sources.]
Yea, I’m afraid there are more false teachers around than good ones…
My native languish is not English but even I can understand what John Piper means with his preaching.
I can’t see the youtube because I live and work in China but I have read John Piper and know that he is not someone that teach ‘all roads leads to God.’
I came over you site today and I what I understand with what I have read here is that you probably think that you are the only one who has the truth; Assemblies of God are false, the Faith Movement are from Satan but you are right.
Stop judge people and do something that can bring people to knowledge of God.
Patrick Ölund
No one can judge but God alone. There is however a Biblical way in which we are to judge. This article was placed here to heed warnings about false teachers/prophets in fact this blog is called Discerning the World. The word is Discernment.That is a subject that false teachers won’t teach about because they are wolves in sheep clothing.
Colossians 1:8-10 (Amplified Bible)
8 Also he has informed us of your love in the [Holy] Spirit.
9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [[a]special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the [b]full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [[c]in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things–
10 That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and [d]desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, [e]acquaintance, and recognition].
Matthew 24:3-5 (Amplified Bible)
3 While He was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and said, Tell us, when will this take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end (the completion, the consummation) of the age?
4 Jesus answered them, Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error].
5 For many will come in (on the strength of) My name [[a]appropriating the name which belongs to Me], saying, I am the Christ (the Messiah), and they will lead many astray.
2 John 1:6-8 (Amplified Bible)
6 And what this love consists in is this: that we live and walk in accordance with and guided by His commandments (His orders, ordinances, precepts, teaching). This is the commandment, as you have heard from the beginning, that you continue to walk in love [guided by it and following it].
7 For many imposters (seducers, deceivers, and false leaders) have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge (confess, admit) the coming of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) in bodily form. Such a one is the imposter (the seducer, the deceiver, the false leader, the antagonist of Christ) and the antichrist.
8 Look to yourselves (take care) that you may not lose (throw away or destroy) all that we and you have labored for, but that you may [persevere until you] win and receive back a perfect reward [in full].
Matthew 7:14-16 (Amplified Bible)
14 But the gate is narrow (contracted [a]by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.(A)
15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you dressed as sheep, but inside they are devouring wolves.(B)
16 You will [b]fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?
http://www.gotquestions.org/judge-teachings-leaders.html
Patrick
Thank you for commenting on this English blog.
Could you do four small things, please:
1) Read all the Bible passages which deal with judgement, especially one’s like Matthew 7:1-7, over and over until you can discern the important difference between, a) what is Biblically acceptable judgement and a Christian’s duty, and b) what is sinful and unacceptable to God, then comment again on that subject
2) Explain to us the hidden truth behind what it is you would like Christians to do to bring people to knowledge of God, in other words what would you like us to do that God can’t do well enough through His Word and His Spirit.
3) Don’t look for the truth with John Piper. Don’t look for the truth on this site. Look for the truth prayerfully only in the Word of God.
4) Don’t you judge people when you yourself only think you are walking in the Truth, how can you be sure when the Faith Movement is built on deception?
John Piper’s False God (3)
In answering some comments I came across some more crazy stuff from Piper on what he believes about his god and evil. Try this one on for size:
Piper’s god is a crazy sociopath, not the God and Father of Jesus Christ. I don’t feel like I’m making any sort of stretch in saying that.
http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/2009/08/24/john-pipers-false-god-3/
_____________________________________________________________
Mysticism Goes Mainstream
Published June 28th, 2010 by Christine Pack
A recent Crosstalk program discussed the “mainstreaming of mysticism” in today’s church, and how many of today’s pastors and authors are “speaking” the language of mysticism (Spiritual Formation, Spiritual Disciplines, Solitude and Silence, etc.), as well as selling books leading unwitting readers into occultic mystical practices- chiefly, mantra meditation. The book Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster, first published in 1978 and taught today in most seminaries as a “classic of the faith,” has probably been the one book that has been the most instrumental in bringing Roman Catholic/pagan mysticism into the church. Some of the more surprising names moving in this mystical direction are well-respected leaders in evangelicalism today:
Dr. John Piper
Tim Keller
Matt Chandler
Mark Driscoll
Rick Warren
http://christianresearchnetwork.com/?p=17938
Patrick
Well I am sorry to tell you, I do have the Truth. It’s called the Bible. And before you put all your eggs into your Swedish basket, please go and read this article here http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2010/03/31/john-piper-taking-leave-and-asks-for-forgiveness/ which blows your conclusion that Piper is not ecumenical out of the water.
Oh wait, I see that you believe the Word of Faith movement is biblical. Ok, don’t bother reading that article on Piper and Rick Warren – you’ll just be wasting your time.
WHAT? wow… and to think I constantly get slack from people telling me that Piper is a Godly man. pfff.
For the first I want to ask you, do you have all the understanding of the Bible? You understands everything that the Bible is saying and you are without fault? I don’t think so. If you believe that you know everything, you are wrong and full of pride.
Do you also know that all of us Evangelicals; if we are Pentecostals, Baptists, Congregationalists, from some Word of Faith church are also agree in almost every doctrine. Usually they say that we differ in only 8% of the doctrines.
My church affiliation in Sweden is close to the Pentecostals but I don’t think that the Pentecostals are right in everything they teach. I have a Masters in theology from a Baptist church in the US and I can tell you that in some things I agree more with the Baptists then with the Pentecostals. I agree with many from the Word of Faith Movement but not with everything. I made my commitment to follow Jesus in Word of Life in Sweden 1990 and I have never turned from Him since then. This church Word of Life is a faith church and I admire them for their work they have been doing since they started. I can tell you that they have done something for Sweden but not only for Sweden but for Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, India, China and many more countries. They are focusing on setting up Bible schools and training people in the Word of God and then send them out to be a Christian that spread the Gospel further. They were sending out doctors and nurses to Indonesia when the tsunami was hitting the country, when the disaster hit Haiti this church sent a team of doctors to help the people. They have started schools, hospitals, rehab, and much more.
I do not agree with the health and wealth gospel, or ‘name it and claim it’ doctrine but this faith church doesn’t teach those things.
I have some preachings from John Piper and one book from him where he speaks about pastors not being professionals. I agree with him in many things but I don’t believe in what you often are referring to her as TULIP.
Stop being so judgemental and do something that will be worth something when you finish your race. The only thing we can bring with us into eternity are souls so start doing something to give them Jesus.
Shall be…often referring to here as TULIP
Patrick Ölund
Your words:
According to your reasoning, if we cannot know, then neither can you. My question is which ‘Jesus’ are you giving them and for what purpose?
Amanda, your question to Patrick is a vital one. There are many counterfeit Christs from which people can and often choose.
Is it the false christ of the Mormons?
Is it the false christ of the Roman Catholic Eucharist?
Is it the christ minus the other persons of the Trinity?
Is it the christ of the Christian Science?
Is it the New Age christ of the universalists?
Is it the limpid christ of the seek-sensitive crowd?
Is it the all inclusive christ of the emergents?
It is important to follow the Christ of the Bible – the true, authentic Jesus Christ. The Bible gives clear warnings about this.
Patrick Ölund
You have repeated this, but you have not responded to the following, which was in response to your first posting:
Could you do four small things, please:
1) Read all the Bible passages which deal with judgement, especially ones like Matthew 7:1-7, over and over until you can discern the important difference between, a) what is Biblically acceptable judgement and a Christian’s duty, and b) what is sinful and unacceptable to God, then comment again on that subject
2) Explain to us the hidden truth behind what it is you would like Christians to do to bring people to knowledge of God, in other words what would you like us to do that God can’t do well enough through His Word and His Spirit.
3) Don’t look for the truth with John Piper. Don’t look for the truth on this site. Look for the truth prayerfully only in the Word of God.
4) Don’t you judge people when you yourself only think you are walking in the Truth, how can you be sure when the Faith Movement is built on deception?
I hope you all will come to know Christ. This was the last time I was writing here.
Patrick Ölund
You were very quick to voice your alternative religious opinion, which you are welcome to do. But, as you surely can appreciate, New Age thinking would have met with resistance from Biblical Christians writing here.
The only thing you leave here though, is an understanding that you are unable to answer simple Biblical questions.
If you do not wish to stand for the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ of the Christian Bible, and want to believe in a different gospel, that is your decision.
Your judgmental attitude is not Biblical, neither is the basis for your opinion.
Burning Lamp and Grant
When discernment is outlawed, then they have no choice but to accept all of the above mentioned christs and they achieve unity with the world. I am not sure if Patrick meant to define himself outside of Christianity, but according to his words, he has left the body of Christ. The division is becoming more apparent day by day. It would have been quicker if only they had given a new name to their religion of ‘giving Jesus’ to the people through good works.
Patrick, maybe you need to come back and try again?
I’ve noticed that Piper often does not support his preaching with Scripture! I watched a couple of his videos on YouTube and I was convinced he’s tricky.
Chika
The latest craze is to use metaphores, poetry and riddles when preaching. It’s a very Emergent thing to do if you want to keep in the in crowd. When the said minister is finished, you actually have no idea what he was really saying…except for those who are wide awake.
‘the latest thing is to use metaphors, poetry, and riddles when preaching’
i bet pharisees said the same thing when jesus taught in parables. emergent, i guess. thanks for pointing that out to us.
back to arguing…