Treats From Today’s New Calvinist Pulpit: Death Never Tasted Better
“And the promised results of the recipe are to die for: it makes the cross bigger.”
Truth is a delightful thing. Jesus said it sets us free, and it is the only thing that truly sanctifies (John 17:17). And when you bait an animal, you use its preferred food. Nothing wrong with the food, the food is good, but in this case the food is being used to bait the animal into an unfortunate demise. For the animal that is. Its death will supply a tasty meal for the hunter or a prized trophy above his mantle to display his hunting savvy.
Eve was a superior being, and the serpent clearly baited her with some truth. It was true; she wasn’t going to die—physically. And it was true; if she ate of the tree, her eyes would be opened, but not for the better. Satan stated specifically that her “eyes” would be opened, and the Holy Spirit used that exact same illustration to describe what happened when Adam and Eve ate the fruit.
The serpent also used some other truth to bait Adam and Eve. He understood the dynamic behind what it would take to bring about the fall. Notice: their eyes were not opened until Adam ate. The serpent didn’t go to Eve first because Adam was created as a smarter being; it’s more likely that Satan didn’t want to exclude Eve from the fall. Apparently, Adam was standing there the whole time observing the conversation, which I find perplexing, but I have to believe that the absence of immediate ill effect on Eve contributed to his decision to eat as well. Hence, another element of truth that the serpent excluded: when Eve’s eyes would be opened. Truth plus error (God’s motives for not wanting them to eat which also had an element of truth), and exclusion of the whole truth resulted in incomprehensible misery and suffering being foisted upon mankind. Satan excluded the whole truth about the results of their eyes being opened, partially misrepresented God’s motives, and excluded mention of when it would happen.
And the kingdom of darkness has not changed their mode of operation. Why in the world would they? The mode of operation that deceived two intellectually superior beings worked wonderfully; why change what works?
In fact, it works so well that in our day we have a hoard of pastors that are the heroes of death. Death has never looked better since Eve gazed upon the fruit hanging from the tree. I would like for you to think with me for a moment. Think about the long list of “premier teachers” of our day, as if they are hanging on trees everywhere. Go into any Christian bookstore of our day and thoughtfully observe. Now read your Bible; something doesn’t add up. The first century church was saturated with false teachers, and then we have the apostle Paul stating that the “latter days” would be “perilous” compared to their day!
That message doesn’t make the cheeseburger easy to swallow—even with a cold beer. It doesn’t make for pleasant conversation when meeting Christian friends at Applebees. Truth is looking and sounding good, coming from the pulpits via well-dressed, hip academics. Some even have sexy European accents. And regarding our pesky consciences tapping us on the shoulder regarding the cult of personality, these stalwarts of the faith assure us that they hate such, while continuing to wear it. They have thus spoken—all is well, move on to the “new Reformation” at hand. But their message is death in the same way that Satan preached to Eve in the garden. This ministry has noticed what seems to be an inordinate number of femitruthers in our day when compared to the men shining the shoes of the who’s who of today’s pulpiteers. I guess you can fool them once, but well, you know the rest.
With the same MO used in the garden, the hordes of New Calvinist pulpiteers in our day deceive the masses on a roadway to death. They use truth, and partial truth, and we now have a Christian subculture living on a steady diet of Esther Price recipes. Like in the garden, death comes by truth left out; death comes by the lack of the whole counsel of God’s word. In essence, let me employ the name of a desert you can get at Applebees: “death by chocolate.” Feed your children nothing but chocolate for a couple of months, and then observe what you have. But in turn, while observing the pitiful sight, ask them if they are happy. Assuredly they will tell you that they are for fear that you will change their diet. Such is the New Calvinist subculture of our day.
And what exactly is that diet? Well, but of course, the name of the diet must sound good. How about, “gospel-driven”? Or, “gospel-centered”? Or better yet, “Christ-centered”? Who would argue with that recipe? Yum, yum. But dare I ask the forbidden question of our day? “What’s in it?” Well, I have been called mentally ill lately by chocolate-fed-children because of my assessment of the recipe, so let me tell you what the New Calvinists themselves say is in the recipe. Fair enough? In fact, I will use the following illustration from a New Calvinist organization:
Primarily, the recipe has exposition of how great God is, “Yum, yum!” Hey, as Christians, we could listen to that every day and all day long, right? Secondly, the recipe will involve humbling us by reminding us of how much we fail God and are utterly unable to please Him with our own efforts . “You mean, the pressure is off me?” “No expectations?” Yes, in fact, to have expectations of living by a standard is works salvation, we must “get used to our salvation” by living a “gospel-centered life in the shadow of the cross.” Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum!!!
And the promised results of the recipe are to die for: it makes the cross bigger. Wow! Who would argue with that? Make the cross bigger and us smaller, yum, yum. New Calvinists say that the implications for marriage alone are over the top:
“Hey honey, I have some great news!”
‘What dear?’
“There are no longer any expectations in our marriage! You’re totally depraved, and I’m totally depraved, and change is a pipe dream. There is no longer any need to create tension in our marriage through expectations and efforts to please each other. We have a new goal for our marriage—to make the cross bigger by focusing on how sinful we are and exulting God’s greatness at church.”
‘But what about our testimony?’
“Oh yes dear, that’s very important, but we are called to preach the gospel, not be the gospel.”
‘So, what do we do?’
“Focus on the greatness of God and our own wickedness. That will result in spiritual formation. In other words, it’s not about what we do, but what Jesus has done. We can’t make ourselves better in the flesh, and we can’t make ourselves any better than what Jesus has already imputed to us. So we need to rest and feed on Jesus and let Him make the cross bigger in our lives.”
‘Wow! No wonder those New Calvinist couples always look so happy together on their blogs!’”
Christians should certainly focus on God’s greatness as can be inexhaustibly exegeted from the Scriptures; therefore, there is no lack of material that can be expounded on thereof by the likes of John Piper. Like the preaching of Satan in the garden, New Calvinist preaching has plenty of truth that Christians never get tired of hearing, especially from the lips of interesting characters. But what is missing can kill you, and what is missing is the whole counsel of God. That is why the apostle Paul went from house to house day and night teaching the WHOLE counsel of God—the life of the church depended on it.
And secondly. Like the deadly sermon in the garden, there is partial truth. Yes, Christians still sin, but we are not sinners. The difference between “sin” and “sinners” is very subtle, like the difference between the first death and the second death. Both are death, but the differences in the two are between the temporary and eternal. Satan told Eve she wasn’t going to die, that was the truth, he just didn’t expound on the complete subject.
Thirdly, like the sermon in the garden, a certain result is promised that is the proverbial snapping of the trap. We are led away from the whole counsel of God with the tastier portions including the promise that it will make the cross bigger. This leads to sin, weakness, and a DE-escalation of discernment. And eventually, death. As glorious as the cross is, man does not live by the cross alone, but every word that comes from the mouth of God. People only truly live by the whole counsel of God. To the extent that we live by the whole counsel of God, we are free.
A teacher that I used to deeply respect recently stated that the Christian life is always “sweet, never bittersweet.” You know, like chocolate. But the pure milk that we grow by is the whole counsel of God, the counsel that the apostle Paul expounded on day and night and from house to house. Pure milk is not only void of poison, it is not void of any ingredient that facilitates growth. It is the whole counsel of God, and not death by chocolate.
paul
2012 PPT’s Top Ten Heretics of Our Day
10. Ligon Duncan
Heresy: Sonship Theology
Denomination: Presbyterian
9. Paul Washer
Heresy: Gospel Sanctification
Denomination: Southern Baptist
8. Al Mohler
Heresy: Gospel Sanctification
Denomination: Southern Baptist
7. CJ Mahaney
Heresy: Gospel Sanctification
Denomination: Reformed Charismatic
6. David Powlison
Heresy: Sonship Theology
Denomination: Presbyterian
5. Elyse Fitzpatrick
Heresy: Antinomianism, Gospel Sanctification
Denomination: Reformed Evangelical
4. Michael Horton
Heresy: Progressive Adventism, Antinomianism, Gospel Contemplationism
Denomination: United Reformed
3. John Piper
Heresy: Progressive Adventism, Antinomianism, Gospel Contemplationism
Denomination: Reformed Baptist
2. Tullian Tchividjian
Heresy: Hyper-Antinomianism, Gospel Sanctification, Gospel Contemplationism
Denomination: Presbyterian
1. Tim Keller
Heresy: Contemplative Spirituality, Spiritual Mysticism, Gospel Contemplationism, Sonship Theology
Denomination: Presbyterian
An Open Letter to the President of the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors
“This is the apostle Paul’s disparaged 3-verse system to fix a lack of peace. It is the wonderful hope that obedience to God’s word seizes upon His promises. And that’s why many NANC counselors strip their victims of hope.”
“The cited letter reflects the same things often taught by many board members of NANC and BCC. Because this doctrine combines justification and sanctification, it makes sanctification like a minefield because what we do in sanctification can affect the justification that supposedly powers it. This does not lay a healthy foundation for counseling”
Dr. Street,
The National Association of Nouthetic Counselors website states the following about your organization:
NANC exists to help pastors and those who would be ministers of the Word of God by providing help and encouragement. NANC is first and foremost a certifying organization. The certifying process is rigorous but attainable by even the busiest pastor. The process consists of the completion of an approved training course, the completion of a theological and a practical counseling test, several references, and a minimum of 50 hours of supervised counseling experience.
Furthermore, your organization refers hundreds of “counselors” certified by your organization. The purpose of this letter is to publically confront you in regard to the fact that NANC has board members, Fellows, and hoards of certified counselors who openly promote a blatant false gospel. I will first establish this fact, in case you are not aware of it, and then beseech you to tell me why this acceptable.
Much data could be provided as I have been sent several articles written by NANC Fellows that contain outrageous teachings; and apparently, NANC thinks nothing of sending troubled people to antinomian mystics. But I only need to quote one of your present board members, David Powlison. Powlison performed a lecture at John Piper’s church while Piper was on a sabbatical to eradicate “several species of heart idols” that he saw in his heart. Apparently, they were of the 8-month type because he was able to return to ministry at the pre-appointed time. Powlison stated the following at Piper’s church:
This might be quite a controversy, but I think it’s worth putting in. Adams had a tendency to make the cross be for conversion. And the Holy Spirit was for sanctification. And actually even came out and attacked my mentor, Jack Miller, my pastor that I’ve been speaking of through the day, for saying that Christians should preach the gospel to themselves. I think Jay was wrong on that.
Jack Miller was the father of Sonship Theology, a false gospel that is presently wreaking havoc on Presbyterian churches. It has also been known as Gospel Sanctification and is the primary catalyst for the present-day New Calvinist movement which has turned orthodoxy completely upside down. The doctrine is best explained by a theological journal that was its source:
Unless sanctification is rooted in justification and constantly returns to justification, it cannot escape the poisonous miasma of subjectivism, moralism or Pharisaism…. Since the life of holiness is fueled and fired by justification by faith, sanctification must constantly return to justification. Otherwise, the Christian cannot possibly escape arriving at a new self-righteousness. We cannot reach a point in sanctification where our fellowship with God does not rest completely on forgiveness of sins…. Christian existence is gospel existence. Sanctification is justification in action.
Miller adopted the theology and coined the phrase, “We must preach the gospel to ourselves every day.” “The same gospel that saved us also sanctifies us” is the New Calvinist mantra of our day. I receive many links to articles written by NANC Fellows who clearly hold to this doctrine. In fact, How People Change, written by Timothy Lane and Paul David Tripp (and based on Powlison’s Dynamics of Biblical Change) is a Sonship/Gospel Sanctification treatise. Tripp and Lane are also on the board of the upstart Biblical Counseling Coalition. That board is the who’s who of Sonship/GS/ NC, including hyper-antinomian Elyse Fitzpatrick.
On a church level, here is the fruit of this doctrine:
To the Ruling Elders of Southwood:
On September 4, 2011, our daughter and her family from Atlanta were here and we attended the Sunday worship at Southwood. After the service, our 13 year old granddaughter, who is well grounded in scripture, stated that she was very confused by the message. She had come away hearing that every good thing she does is wrong. Why would she believe that? We have gone back and listened again to that message, entitled “Duh,” and here is what we found:
The message is from Galatians 3:1-6. Paul is chastening the church for falling prey to the persuasion of the Judaizers, exhorting them again that God’s love for them was not by any of their own works but through the miraculous work of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Jean seems to take the written word beyond its intent. He subtly changes ‘God’s love’ to ‘God’s favor.’ He changes legalism to performance. He takes Jewish law and extends it to almost any action one does. Here are some paraphrased quotes from the sermon. “To keep God’s favor, the Galatians were believing they needed Christ and a dash of obedience which looks like those things called Christian disciplines. Christian walk Christianity is from the Devil. Faithfulness is feeling condemned for work you haven’t finished (as contrasted with faith: resting completely in Christ). Faith is a litmus test for teachers and leaders; the difference between faith in Christ alone and faithfulness is like the difference between truth and falsehood, between Heaven and Hell. Faith alone is all we will teach.” (Here Jean says this is what Paul is teaching but he gives no supporting scriptures to support his interpretation.) “Discern as false any book, sermon, or Bible study where you hear a dash of self justifying obedience. Self justifying obedience is from Satan.
Jean’s statements, combined with the tone and inflections in his delivery, imply that he is scornful of Christian disciplines, preachers, Christian writers, the Christian walk, obedience, faithfulness, good works, and an individual’s efforts. This message can lead to the conclusion that everything we do is evil and, by extension, that God and the Holy Spirit can do nothing through us. The message lacks balance and leaves sanctification out of the equation. A new believer under this teaching would be moribund after accepting Christ, hidebound in fear that he can do nothing right. While it is true none of us have all pure motives, it is also true that God commands us to go forward and that the Holy Spirit will be with us. God says we are His instruments for spreading the Truth. We cannot do this if we are strapped by guilt; we can do this if we seek partnership with the Holy Spirit.
From here Jean goes back to Paul saying “…since you were 100% depraved when you were brought into the Kingdom by the Holy spirit and by no works of your own, why are you trying to be perfected by your own human efforts? You are being deceived by the Devil.” I believe Jean is paralleling Paul in this. Jean then goes on to “We are like alcoholics ; we use Bible study, prayers, small groups, etc. as a crutch and the church rewards our ‘addiction’ with its approval. How would you know if you were addicted? Stop everything. If you feel anxiety, then you are afraid of leaving your ‘fix.’” So we ask: what does God have us do? Jean’s answer is “rest totally in Jesus.” So in turn we ask, what does Scripture say about resting totally in Jesus? But we hear no clear answer from the pulpit.
The cited letter reflects the same things often taught by many board members of NANC and BCC. Because this doctrine combines justification and sanctification, it makes sanctification like a minefield because what we do in sanctification can affect the justification that supposedly powers it. This does not lay a healthy foundation for counseling, and as Timothy F. Kauffman recently stated in the Trinity Review, when justification and sanctification are combined, anything we do in sanctification is works salvation—even doing nothing. It’s eerily reminiscent of Christ’s parable concerning the slothful servant. When such a parable is considered and compared to statements by Elyse Fitzpatrick and her spiritual big brother Tullian Tchividjian, it should make the hair stand up on a deceased person.
Moreover, the unfortunate results of counseling that comes from this doctrine can be seen in the following statement by a pastor who oversees a NANC counseling center:
We read this quote from Paul Tripp in last week’s Biblical Theology Study Center. Amazingly, part of the quote was used again the following evening during testimony time from someone not in our class…someone who resonated with the quote in the midst of personal crisis. For those who are involved in biblical counseling, it can be really easy (and tempting) for the Bible to become little more than a 12-verse system designed to fix a life. Tripp reminds us that the Bible isn’t a how-to manual, but a place where we find hope in a Person.
Compare that statement with what the apostle Paul said:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
This is the apostle Paul’s disparaged 3-verse system to fix a lack of peace. It is the wonderful hope that obedience to God’s word seizes upon His promises. And that’s why many NANC counselors strip their victims of hope. That, and confusing children who love the Lord.
So tell me Dr. Street, why is this acceptable? Why not come out from among them? Besides, the evidence that this doctrine was concocted by a Seventh-Day Adventist who is now an atheist is overwhelming. The truth will come out, and will eventually be accepted as truth. Why stick around and look stupid? Or, you could fix the problem. I beseech you Dr. Street, stop sending troubled people to false teachers. This is something that none of us want on our resume.
Paul Dohse
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
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