Paul's Passing Thoughts

The Church big-dogs have issued another statement on stuff going on in the church because, you know, they have authority from God and we, therefore, should take their opinions about truth seriously. NOT.

And of course, other church big-dogs disagree with the statement. Right, I read through it and there are ideas in the statement that Luther and Calvin would have problems with.

Here is a basic problem: the America thing. You see, and we will say it again, Protestantism was born in a church-state and for the express purpose of a church-state, and is fundamentally a political animal. Back in the day, paying the church bills and philosopher king payroll was easy because going to church, and tithing, was the law. America screwed that up. Now, paying the bills is very tricky business and demands political manipulation of the highest order.

This will necessarily demand compromise on social issues in order to keep the church in business and all the drama following. However, there is orthodox precedent for compromising; Tim Keller’s doctrinal arguments for accepting social misfits into the church have orthodox merit because regardless of what you think of Keller, he has a deep and accurate understanding of Protestant doctrine.

Nevertheless, church came forth from the womb speaking lies, and lies about everything. I will go through the major points of the document and point out the major lies.

Scripture: Per the usual, the document states that Scripture is the church’s final authority. That’s a lie. What the church authorities say the Bible says is the final authority.

Image Bearing: The document states that humanity has value because every individual is creating in God’s image. That is NOT Protestant orthodoxy.

Justice: The document states that Christians are to live justly (moral behavior) in the world and seek justice (fairness) for others. That is NOT Protestant orthodoxy.

Law: Here, the church’s false doctrine of justification by faith is revealed, so I will go into more detail.

We affirm that God’s law, as summarized in the ten commandments, more succinctly summarized in the two great commandments, and manifested in Jesus Christ, is the only standard of unchanging righteousness. Violation of that law is what constitutes sin.

We deny that any obligation that does not arise from God’s commandments can be legitimately imposed on Christians as a prescription for righteous living. We further deny the legitimacy of any charge of sin or call to repentance that does not arise from a violation of God’s commandments.

Oh, where to even begin. First, the ten commandments and the two great commandants are BOTH classified as summaries of the SAME law. Mark it, this is indicative of why justification by new birth is a false gospel that denies the new birth. The two commandments FULFILL THE WHOLE LAW; they don’t “summarize it.” This is the Spirit’s second use of the law for those born again that excludes the “righteous demands of the law” that Protestants proudly proclaim they are under (the Spirit’s first use of the law). Hence, Protestants proudly proclaim to be “under law” which is a very huge problem. Of course, how they say they are not under law while saying they are under its “righteous demands” is coming.

“…and manifested in Jesus Christ,”

Got it? ALL righteous is being performed by Christ, NOT you (although that is implied, and is deliberate deception), through realm manifestation. Like realm manifestation, “unchanging righteousness” is also a Platonist/Gnostic principle which we have written about extensively and will not revisit here. Obviously, this contradicts the previous implications in the same document that Christians actually perform good works. Furthermore, because of love, God made changes to the law for love application. The change in divorce law is one example. God’s law is NOT “unchanging.”

Notice also that the law, and a single perspective on law, is the standard for justification and not the new birth which changes the Christian’s relationship to the law. If you understand Romans 7 and 8 and 1John 3, you understand why “Violation of that law is what constitutes sin” is a view that denies the new birth.

Also note, “We further deny the legitimacy of any charge of sin or call to repentance that does not arise from a violation of God’s commandments.” Note that so-called “Christians” need to continually repent of violating the law because “Christians” of the church variety are still under law. Unlike justification by new birth, violation of the law is not a failure to love, but necessitates a revisiting of  same gospel repentance that saved us in order to keep ourselves saved. And of course, the “ordinary means of grace” (read, “salvation”) can only be found in the church institution.

Sin: No different in “Christians” or unbelievers. Both remain unregenerate. This IS orthodoxy, but note the contradiction in the initial statements.

Gospel:

We affirm that the gospel is the divinely-revealed message concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ—especially his virgin birth, righteous life, substitutionary sacrifice, atoning death, and bodily resurrection—revealing who he is and what he has done with the promise that he will save anyone and everyone who turns from sin by trusting him as Lord.

We deny that anything else, whether works to be performed or opinions to be held, can be added to the gospel without perverting it into another gospel. This also means that implications and applications of the gospel, such as the obligation to live justly in the world, though legitimate and important in their own right, are not definitional components of the gospel.

Notice that the gospel is ALL about what Jesus did and is doing and NOT anything we do before or AFTER salvation. BOTH salvation and Christian living is substitutionary. You do the math. Note that His resurrection was only to prove who He was and is, not so we can be resurrected with Him.

The implication of  “…he will save anyone and everyone who turns from sin by trusting him as Lord” is that of a onetime event which is an implication that is a deliberate lie. This can be seen in the statement that Christ’s death is an “atonement” which is a mere covering for sin, not an ending of sin.

And note, “This also means that implications and applications of the gospel, such as the obligation to live justly in the world, though legitimate and important in their own right, are not definitional components of the gospel.”

Viz, our works have nothing to do with the gospel, but don’t they tell us to “live by the gospel”? Right, again,  you do the math.

EVERYTHING these guys say is a deception.

Salvation: Onetime final act implied, and again, this implication is deliberate deception. Justification by faith is progressive justification which denies the new birth and applies a single perspective on the law. It can only condemn, and show us our continual need for Christ’s atonement.

Church: The only place where worship takes place and the “means of grace” are found.

Heresy: Determined by church authorities.

Sexuality and Marriage: “Salvation grants sanctifying power to renounce such dishonorable affections as sinful and to mortify them by the Spirit.”

We have written extensively on the Protestant doctrine of mortification and vivification. The implication here is that people can change. This is a church selling point that is deliberate false advertising. Church orthodoxy does not hold to real personal change. In fact, ANY sin whatsoever is an opportunity to glorify God by returning to the gospel. This is why there is doctrinal precedent to accept all manner of people groups into the church because, “We are all just sinners [continually] saved by grace [saved by more and more salvation].” Since church folks are continually referred to by church leaders as a “train wreck” and the church as a “hospital for the sick,” why would any ill behavior be denied from church membership?

Complementarianism: Seems to indicate equality, but different roles. Well, the woman’s role in complementarianism is to submit to the husband. This one also indorses the false Bride of Christ doctrine.

Race / Ethnicity, Culture, Racism, Skip.

paul