Paul's Passing Thoughts

“In fact, what better example of Neo-evangelicalism is there in our day than the Resolved conferences?  MacArthur has appeared on stage with Mahaney at every Resolved Conference since its conception in 2005, and shockingly, even after the recent controversies surrounding Mahaney, will appear with him again in 2012!”

I like to peruse used book stores and look at what was written in earlier years. I bought a book by Charles Woodbridge published in 1969 entitled “The New Evangelicalism.” Funny, I no more than put the book down after finishing it to check my email and saw that I was sent a link to an article written by a friend of Charles Spurgeon, Scottish pastor John Kennedy.  An excerpt:

The essay here reprinted appeared in 1874 in the wake of an evangelistic campaign by Dwight L. Moody and Ira D. Sankey, whose 1873 tour wrought a revolution of sentiment in Scotland. Scottish pastors, wishing to think the best, and inattentive to the new trends of thought and practice, were caught up in the swell of excitement. Though Kennedy was temperamentally disinclined to controversy, he was constrained to raise his voice for a full-orbed proclamation of the biblical gospel.

What was the crux of Neo-evangelicalism according to Woodbridge? Separation verses infiltration. Supposedly, more people get saved if they don’t perceive divisions among Christians. Kennedy bemoaned the fact that Scottish pastors embraced Moody revivalism at face value. Supposedly, cooperation furthers the kingdom. Neo-evangelicalism called for a tolerance for anything that called itself “Christian.” The clear biblical mandate for utilizing God’s work in separation was dismissed for “love and unity” and a “humbleness that is teachable.”

The outcry against Neo-evangelicalism was ignored, paving a wide road for destructive doctrines like New Calvinism in our day. Tolerance for blatant error and New Calvinism certainly go hand in hand. Neo-evangelicalism has made stalwarts like John MacArthur little more than hypocrites. Of course, the prime example is the invitation to CJ Mahaney to speak at a Resolved Conference after writing “Charismatic Chaos.” John Piper worshipper Justin Taylor applauded the contradiction. In fact, what better example of Neo-evangelicalism is there in our day than the Resolved conferences?  MacArthur has appeared on stage with Mahaney at every Resolved Conference since its conception in 2005, and shockingly, even after the recent controversies surrounding Mahaney, will appear with him again in 2012! What happened to MacArthur’s supposed conviction that elders are to be “beyond reproach”? And I emphasize “supposed” convictions.

Another mantra of our day that finds roots in Neo-evangelicalism is certainly, “All truth is God’s truth.” Supposedly, there is wisdom in turning over every flat rock laying upon the Earth to find some truth God might have hidden underneath. Every book list is a good list, just “eat the chicken and throw out the bones.” “Take off the shelf what is good and leave the rest there.” Of course, books written by Adolf Hitler, who said agreeable things, is conspicuously missing from the list. Presently, that is.

Woodridge aptly points out in the book that separation is the key to protecting the truth and leading violators to repentance (Romans 16:17). This is Christianity 101. Just last night, a pastor shared with me how the separation of an individual from their church membership led to his repentance and the salvation of his live-in girlfriend, with appropriate actions following. Go figure. In another case I recently heard about, an individual who was only shunned by a small segment of his extended Christian family ran into a life shattering circumstance. Guess who he went to for counsel? Right, the small segment. Something made him think they took truth seriously. The counsel resulted in him giving his life to the Lord.

Woodbridge pointed out that it is supposedly unity for the sake of the gospel. Same deal today. New Calvinists believe that all truth is secondary to what they call “the gospel” and not worth fighting over. In MacArthur’s mind, “chaos” in the lives of God’s people is acceptable because that’s a sanctification thing. He is now part of the, “Beholding as a way of becoming” crowd.

paul