Author: petebeck3

Pete Beck III ministered as a pastor and Bible teacher in Burlington for over 34 years. He is married to Martha, with whom he has four children, ten beautiful grandchildren, and four amazing great grandchildren. He ministers in his local church as a Bible teacher and counselor. He has published two books - Seeing God's Smile and Promise of the Father - as well as a wide variety of Bible-related articles which he has compiled into books in PDF form.

Overcoming Fear & Legalism

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many people may need to overcome some obstacles before receiving the baptism in the Spirit. My previous article in this series illustrates how to overcome ignorance. This one looks at two additional hindrances and shows how to get past them.

 

Fear

Fear is often a subset of ignorance. We often fear and reject what we do not understand.

Advances in knowledge and understanding are often met with stiff resistance. The Anabaptists were put to death by Protestants and Catholics alike for practicing believer (adult) baptism, as opposed to the practice of infant baptism, which had been the acceptable mode in the church for centuries. Infant baptism was considered to be the means for children to enter the church, similar to infant circumcision in the Old Covenant. It was part of the sacramental system, which teaches that grace is communicated through the sacraments, rather than through the direct personal work of God’s Spirit. If a child were not properly baptized and should die, it was feared that he or she would be consigned to either hell or a place called limbo, a kind of shadowy unbiblical ghost-like existence away from God’s presence. Through sacramentalism the church maintained an iron grip upon the people, who believed they had no direct access to God. Only the priests, another Old Covenant construct that was improperly transferred to the church, were able to minister the sacraments. This rendered the common people (the laity) dependent on men instead of God. When the Anabaptists introduced the radically new practice of believer baptism, it upset this long established tradition and belief system, bringing incredible wrath upon its practitioners. Today much of the church, including the part with which I associate myself, accepts believer baptism as the normal way of doing things, but not then. The rest of the church accepts or least tolerates the practice today. God restored this long lost truth regarding water baptism to the church during the Reformation. Since the early 20th  century the Lord of the harvest has been restoring truth about the baptism in the Spirit.

Truth is usually resisted at first, but wins out in the end.

Today many are afraid of the baptism and gifts of the Spirit because they seem unfamiliar and strange. Their church leaders may have never taught them about these things, or, even more sadly,  may have taught them lies based on man-made theology and traditions. Jesus warned us about using doctrines of men to block obedience to God’s Word.

And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 7  'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.' 8  "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." 9  He was also saying to them, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. Mark 7:6-9 (NASB)

The Jewish leaders feared Jesus, because they did not understand him and feared what he would do. Their idea of the Messiah did not mesh with who he really was and is. They were afraid he would upset their traditional way of handling things; therefore, they hated and rejected him, eventually putting him to death. Satan always resists the advancement of truth. He fears the truth and the power of God, and instills that fear into his followers. If you have allowed fear to stand in the way of your receiving God’s blessing of the baptism and gifts of the Spirit, be careful that you are not following the traditions of men or simply allowing your fear of the unknown to block you from God’s best.

Satan cannot stop God from blessing you, but your fear and unbelief can.

Repent and ask God to remove fear and open your heart to him and his truth.

Legalism

Legalism is a man made attempt to gain or maintain a right standing with God through our own efforts, instead of believing and receiving what Jesus did for us.

Regarding the baptism of the Spirit, legalism shows up in our thinking that we are not yet good enough or holy enough to receive this remarkable gift.

We may think that we must clean up our lives or overcome some particular sin first. It may be that we do need to repent of a sin prior to receiving from God, but that can be done instantly.

Legalism wants us to delay things until we feel that we are good enough.

That will never happen. We will never be good enough on our own. Jesus made us worthy to receive all God’s blessings and love.

The baptism in the Spirit is designed to be one of the first experiences a new believer has with God.

The Holy Spirit comes into our lives to make us more like Jesus. He will take care of remaking us in Christ’s image, which is a lifelong endeavor. First things first! Now simply receive God’s blessings. Later we can cooperate with the Spirit in the transformation process. Now we need to simply open our hearts to God and receive his blessings by faith.

The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? Galatians 3:2 (NET)

Both fear and legalism indicate that we do not yet fully trust God. Isn’t time we let go of these two things and simply receive his wonderful blessings?

Want to know more? I have written a book on this very topic, which is available on Amazon. Click here to find out more.
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Irrefutable Evidence

Evidence is what we see, hear, or otherwise apprehend directly and personally, not secondhand or by hearsay, which helps to demonstrate the truth of some assertion. Evidence must be something objective and external to us, rather than inward feelings or conjecture. It is something that can stand up in court. Evidence does not cause something to happen. It proves that something did happen.

The Bible says that the evidence of the baptism in the Spirit is speaking in tongues and prophecy.

This teaching is limited to the evidence of speaking in tongues, since that is more common than prophecy as an initial evidence. When we observe someone speaking in tongues, we have irrefutable evidence that he or she received the baptism in the Spirit. If the person does not speak in tongues, but says he knows he has received the baptism in the Spirit by faith, even though it may be true, we cannot corroborate his statement because we have no evidence.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Unfortunately, we often read into the scriptures our own prejudices and experience. This is called eisegesis, as opposed to the proper task of exegesis, which is extracting from the Bible what it means. While it sounds very noble to claim that we do not practice eisegesis, we all are influenced by our own experience, traditions handed down to us, and a priori beliefs. Only the Holy Spirit can properly interpret the Bible since he is the Author or Inspirer.

But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. 1 John 2:27 (NLT) —

It is a misguided endeavor to limit our interpretation of the Bible to what scholars determine was the human author’s intention and meaning when he wrote, especially when it comes to prophecy, since we are told that it was the Holy Spirit “carrying them along” (2 Peter 1:21) when they spoke and wrote, often about things regarding which they had limited understanding at best.

This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. 11 They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward. 12 They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. 1 Peter 1:10–12 (NLT) —

Knowing that we all tend to approach Scripture from the frame of reference of what we already think, have experienced, or have been taught, we should be careful when interpreting those things that are outside of our own experience.

Humility keeps us open to receive more from God and does not insist that truth conform to our own theology or experience.

Another big obstacle is bad doctrine. Some Bible teachers have done a great disservice to the body of Christ by disseminating false teaching regarding the baptism and gifts of the Spirit. Overcoming such indoctrination is often quite a challenge, especially if we love, respect, and trust our previous instructors.

Just because someone knows a lot about the scriptures in general does not mean he or she understands everything.

While a bachelor can teach on marriage from the Bible, a married person will probably have much more insight and wisdom about life as a couple from having experienced marriage firsthand. A person may know what the Bible teaches about the new birth, but until we have personally experienced it, we cannot properly understand it. Likewise, well-intentioned Bible teachers have taught on the baptism and gifts of the Spirit without ever having received or experienced them, often because they have rejected that they are for today.

Jesus said we must obey the Word to understand it.

Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.  John 7:17 (NLT) —

Spiritual strongholds are lie-based logical arguments we embrace that block us from believing God’s revealed truth and receiving the attached blessings.

We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.  2 Corinthians 10:4–5 (NLT) —

If we are taught and embrace a lie about the baptism or gifts of the Spirit, it sets itself up in our minds to keep us estranged from one of God’s biggest blessings – the Promise of the Father. Sowing lies is one of the devil’s primary strategies to hinder people from first coming to Christ and then, after we become Christians, to keep us from advancing in our faith and devotion to Christ. Overcoming lie-based strongholds requires us to embrace God’s truth, even when it opposes our previously held beliefs.

Traditions of men cannot be allowed to stand between us and God’s blessings.

The Record from Acts

Luke’s record of how the Holy Spirit worked through the early disciples of Christ in the years following his resurrection is found in Acts. We should allow the record to speak for itself instead of superimposing our own understanding and traditions on top of the Bible’s clear testimony.

Unfortunately, over time, unexperienced truth can be lost and buried like old ruins.

Thankfully, God has restored much to the church regarding the baptism in the Spirit over the last century beginning at Azusa Street, continuing through the Latter Rain Movement, and the Charismatic Renewal. In addition, over the past decades, God has restored our understanding and experience of apostles and prophets, two of the more neglected components of the Five-Fold or Ascension Gift Ministries described in Ephesians 4:11-12.

The first example of people being baptized in the Spirit is found in Acts 2.

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2  And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3  And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4 (ESV)  

The word Luke used in the above passage to describe what happened to the disciples is that they were “filled” with the Holy Spirit. Jesus told his followers that they would be “baptized” in the Spirit.

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5  for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4-5 (ESV)

We should not be confused by the overlapping terminology. The “filling” recorded in Acts 2 was the ‘baptism” promised in Acts 1. The important thing for us is that this was another experience with the Holy Spirit, different from the new birth. This baptism in the Spirit filled those men and women to overflowing with the power and boldness of the Holy Spirit, to equip them for preaching the Gospel and ministering in Christ’s name.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (ESV)

Speaking in tongues is the supernatural overflow of this filling or baptism in the Spirit.

Jesus taught that we speak out of whatever fills our hearts.

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45 (ESV)

We all talk about the things that excite us. If we are football fans, we love to speak about football. If we are fans of cooking, we share recipes. If we love nature, we talk of the outdoors. If we are filled with God’s Spirit, we will talk about Jesus. In some cases, we do so in other languages inspired by the Spirit of God.

When we overfill a pitcher of water, the overflow comes out of the spout. When God overfills us with his Spirit, the excess spills out in various ways, usually in verbal form. Our mouths are sort of a pressure relief valve.

Paul wrote the following.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19  addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, Ephesians 5:18-19 (ESV)

Why should it surprise us that people begin speaking and singing when filled with the Spirit? The only real surprise is that we can and often do express our joy and excitement by speaking in unknown languages.

Here are some more examples from Acts.

While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45  And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46  For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God... Acts 10:44-46 (ESV)  

And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. Acts 19:6 (ESV)

When Peter and John visited Samaria on the heels of Philip’s preaching the gospel there for the first time, they laid hands on the new believers because, even though they had believed and been water baptized, they had not yet been baptized in the Spirit. How did the apostles know? The most reasonable explanation is because they had not yet spoken in tongues.

When Peter and John prayed, something so remarkable happened that Simon the Magician begged to be given the power associated with laying on of hands. Most probably he heard the people begin to speak in tongues, just as happened the other times people were baptized in the Spirit in Acts.

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15  who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16  for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17  Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. 18  Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19  saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Acts 8:14-19 (ESV)
Conclusion

The record of Acts clearly shows us that the first disciples received the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues and prophecy. This irrefutable evidence allowed Peter to argue successfully that he had to water baptize the Gentile Cornelius, since God obviously demonstrated his acceptance of him by giving him the baptism in the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

There was no difference between what happened to the first disciples on Pentecost and what happened to Cornelius and the others later.

For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47  “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ... Acts 10:46-48 (ESV)

We should desire and expect no less for us who live today. God is the same, the promise is the same, and the need is the same.

Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”  Acts 2:38–39 (NASB95) —

To access this entire series, click here.

Want to know more? I have written a book on this very topic, which is available on Amazon. Click here to find out more.
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Feeling Hopeless? Try This.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hopelessness shrivels the soul and saps our vitality and joy in living. If things get dark enough, we may be tempted to give up entirely. Suicide is the last decision made by some who conclude that death is preferable to continuing on without hope. There are many ways to commit suicide that don’t involve actively ending our physical lives. We can self-medicate and “check out” with drugs, alcohol, sex, sports, entertainment, etc. We can withdraw into a hollow shell of our true identity, alienating ourselves from those who love and can help us. Some people become angry and lash out. People who have no hope can be very dangerous. What do they have to lose?

Have you ever been in what seemed to be a hopeless situation? Is that where you are right now, or maybe you know someone who is despairing? If so, this article can help.

The Origin of Hopelessness

When Adam and Eve sinned, they alienated the human race from the life of God and gave the keys of authority and dominion on the earth to Satan. Since then, the devil, who is the father of lies, has stolen, killed, and destroyed, keeping untold millions in a dark prison of hopelessness.

But even though Adam and Eve rejected God’s rule in their lives, the Lord did not abandon them or us their descendants. In that time of seeming hopelessness, God injected hope into the human story by promising that someone in Eve’s line would rise up to defeat Satan.

The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.  15  I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:14-15 (ESV)

When Jesus was born to Mary and Joseph, the Son of God infiltrated a hopeless and dying planet full of spiritually dead people infected with a terminal disease called sin. He came as the fulfillment of the promise God made to Eve in the Garden of Eden. The light of hope was finally dawning on humanity!

the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned. Matthew 4:16 (ESV)

Jesus understood that his mission was to liberate the prisoners of hopelessness.

And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,  18    “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me  to  proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,  19    to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  20  And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.  21  And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:17-21 (ESV)

Jesus came to lay down his life for those who had no hope. He surrendered to the hopelessness of death, but, when he rose again, he lit a torch of hope that burns brightly to this day.

All who put their faith in him, will always have hope, no matter how bleak things may get because Emmanuel, God with Us, is alive eternally.

The Gospel is a beacon of hope to those in darkness. We who follow Christ, are messengers of hope to those around us, who live in darkness still.

For those of you readers who may not yet know Jesus, the Restorer of Hope, today is your day to finally surrender your heart and hopelessness to the only one who can help you. What is stopping you? Don’t be like the Jews who could not and would not acknowledge his right to rule.

Once we surrender to the God of Hope, hopelessness will be finally and forever extinguished!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13 (ESV)

Or perhaps you are already a follower of Christ, but you have slipped in your faith. All you need to do is repent and once again declare your resolve to fully trust Jesus in every situation.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, I repent for living a self-directed life all these years. I now surrender to you as best as I am able. Holy Spirit help me to do this! I acknowledge your right to rule my life, and I receive all the blessings you died to give me – hope, forgiveness, eternal life, the Holy Spirit, and the privilege of being your child! I exchange my hopelessness for the joy of trusting you. Thank you that you rule over all things and are working all things in my life for good. I now know that you are the God of good endings. Hopelessness has no place in my life. Amen!

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Don’t Let Disappointment Ruin Your Life

 

Everyone experiences disappointment. When we set our hearts on something, and it fails to materialize, it does something to our hearts, where faith lives.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12 (NASB)

The reason we are disappointed is because our expectations are not fulfilled. The higher our expectations, the greater the possibility of disappointment. Some try to avoid disappointment by lowering expectations. This is not a good idea because our God is the God of hope. (Romans 15:13)

Hope is the ability to continue to maintain the high expectation that God will fulfill his promises, no matter how long it may take.

Many people claim to have faith because they have pushed the fulfillment of God’s promise into the indefinite future. It is a kind of reverse version of evolutionary thinking. Evolution claims that the complexity of life randomly developed from chaos over eons of time. If enough time is allowed, all things are possible, even the impossible. “Future” faith believes that “one day” God will keep his promises, but not right now. This is the kind of faith Martha had when her brother Lazarus died. Jesus was going to raise her brother from the dead “now,” but her faith was limited to the distant unforeseeable future. (John 11:23-27)

Restricting the fulfillment of God’s promises to the distant future allows us to avoid exercising our faith in the here and now, which can lull us into thinking we have faith when we do not.

Faith receives “right now” the promises of God, even if the fulfillment is yet to come.

Hope depends on “now” faith. It cannot exist by itself. Hope is stretched out faith. “Now” faith knows that God has already answered our prayer, but it is willing to wait for the manifestation of that answer, no matter now long it takes. It maintains an attitude of expectancy during the waiting period. This is very important.

If we have no sense of expectancy, we probably lack faith.

Rather than lower of expectations, which is another way of saying we do not believe, a better way to ward off the debilitating effect of disappointment is to submit our expectations to God.

My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. 6  He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken. 7  On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Psalm 62:5-7 (NASB)

King David wrote this when he patiently waited for God to keep the promise to make him king. Saul was trying to kill him. Things looked bleak, but David refused to cave in to unbelief and hopelessness or grow hard and bitter. If those things are allowed to happen, disappointment becomes toxic and will likely ruin our lives. If we place our hopes and dreams in God’s hands, waiting patiently for him to fulfill his promises, we will be able to guard our hearts.

The life of Joseph provides us with one of the best biblical examples of properly handling disappointment. He began life with many advantages. His father loved and God favored him. He received a couple of amazing dreams that fueled an expectation of coming greatness. But his brothers’ jealous hatred caused his life to take a sharp turn into disappointment. He was betrayed, sold as a slave, falsely accused, imprisoned, and forgotten for years. In the midst of those disappointments, he kept his faith in God and refused to succumb to unbelief, hopelessness, self-pity, or bitterness. Eventually, after much waiting and suffering, God fulfilled everything and he was elevated to a very high position in Egypt’s government and was restored to his family.

The Psalms provide an interesting insight into his experience.

Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character. Psalm 105:19 (NLT)

God allows us to encounter disappointments in life to test and develop our character.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5  And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3-5 (NLT)

If we rely on God during difficulties, the Bible says we will not be disappointed. That is good news.

Our disappointments can become appointments with God. If we turn to God, we will discover that his grace is enough.

God will help us refashion our expectations without sacrificing our faith. Then our expectations will match his plan for our lives. He will use our disappointments to develop Christ-like character in us. We can learn to glorify God in the midst of difficulties rather than slide into unbelief, self-pity, or bitterness. The choice is ours.

Prayer

And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:5 (NLT)

Lord God, please forgive me for becoming disheartened and disappointed when my expectations are unmet. Help me instead to keep my eyes upon you. You promise that if we trust in you we will never be disappointed. Help me, Holy Spirit, to live by faith in your faithfulness, no matter how things turn out in the short run. Amen.

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When Life Gets Crazy, Go Here

 

He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel. Psalm 103:7 (NASB)

There is a big difference between observing a person’s activity and understanding his or her reasoning and motivation.

When we merely observe what God does, we may never mature in faith; whereas, if we know God’s heart and ways, we more easily come to trust him and get in step with his purposes in our lives.

When we do not know God’s heart, we will likely misread what he allows to happen to us and those we love. We may find ourselves at cross purposes with God and harboring resentment against him, neither of which is good. What can we hang on to when life gets confusing and crazy?

King David was a man who endured a lot of serious adversity in his life. At times, his life was severely threatened. He learned to retreat into a secret place of faith. Being a big time worshiper and song writer, he penned this prayer:

Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Psalm 25:4 (NASB)

If we love God, we will naturally desire to know him better, which means we will grow in our understanding of his ways and purposes. Thankfully, our Lord is more than willing to share his heart with us, as is revealed in these inspired words written by David.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. 9  Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, Otherwise they will not come near to you. Psalm 32:8-9 (NASB)

Jesus said that his sheep will hear his voice. (John 10:27) Followers of Christ can be sure that God will always guide us in life. The Good Shepherd leads us in the paths of righteousness. (Psalm 23:3) Our responsibility is to trust that God always will faithfully lead and keep us, even when we are not sure where he is taking us or why.

The ability to eventually see the deeper purposes of God in any situation depends on our trusting him implicitly.

When God withholds understanding…

Man’s steps are ordained by the LORD, How then can man understand his way? Proverbs 20:24 (NASB)

Sometimes God deliberately does not tell us what he is doing in our lives in order to develop our faith in his faithfulness; nevertheless, we can always have an understanding of his ways to keep us properly oriented.

We know from Scripture that God is working in every child of God to transform him or her into Christ’s image. If God is doing nothing else in my life, he is doing that.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29  For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren... Romans 8:28-29 (NASB)

From God’s perspective, which is the only one that really counts, God uses everything in life to demonstrate his love and wisdom and move us toward the goal of our bringing him glory. In the process, he transforms us from the inside out, making us more and more like Jesus in words, thoughts, and actions.

The Humility Factor

One of the most essential character qualities that God works in his children is humility. He has fashioned things so that only the humble can thrive in his kingdom. Those who always want to be “in charge” and “in the know” will be frustrated. Those who are humble enough to trust God during confusion, fear, and adversity bring glory to God by maintaining faith and joy continually.

God asks us to cooperate with him in the process of forming humility in our character. One way for us to do this is to discipline ourselves to trust and praise God at all times.

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2  My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice. 3  O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:1-3 (NASB)

Praise is a sure sign of our trust in God. Faith leads to praise. Praise also builds faith. I find that, when I give thanks to God for difficult things that he has allowed in my life, my faith rises to the occasion. Faith allows us to trust in the Lord at all times, even when it is difficult to understand why.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NASB)

If we know nothing else, we can bank on these truths.

  1. God is sovereign and working all things to his desired ends.
  2. He loves us past comprehension and is working things for our good.
  3. If we humbly trust him during times of trials and testing, even when we don’t know exactly what he is doing, it will bring him glory and us joy.
  4. The more we learn to trust in God’s faithfulness, the greater our transformation into becoming like Jesus.
  5. If we choose to make the sacrifice of praise during difficulties, it will glorify God and strengthen our faith.

So there we have it! When things go crazy, we should retreat into the confidence that God is still in charge and is working things for our good.

If we choose to praise God during the worst of times, we bring glory to him and faith will arise in our hearts. People who have confidence in God in difficult times are what the Bible calls overcomers. Why not start becoming one of those today?

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Proclamation versus Petition

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; Isaiah 61:1 (NASB)

 

Insight

There is a big difference between a petition and a proclamation. A petition entreats someone in power to grant a favor. A proclamation is an announcement that something has already been done. Both are important types of prayer, and it is important to know the difference and when to use each.

Most people who pray use petitions. They often have a list of things to ask God to do for them or others. The Bible tells us that when we ask for things in accordance to God’s will, he will hear us and answer our prayer.

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. 1 John 5:14-15 (NASB)

A proclamation is more like a prophecy. It is an announcement or a faith declaration of what God has done or certainly will do.

Rather than ask him to do something, we declare that he has already done it and/or that it will certainly come to pass.

The gospel is such a proclamation. We do not tell people that they should petition God to forgive their sins, as if Christ had not already perfectly and completely accomplished this. Rather, we announce that if people put their faith and allegiance in Christ, their sins will be forgiven. Christians do not need to petition God to raise them from the dead one day. Instead, we boldly declare that he will do that for each person who trusts in him.

I remember once I was on a trip to West Africa with a friend to visit missionaries and participate in a church conference. I had a large sum of money to give our friends there that many believers had contributed. We unwittingly got caught in an Air France strike and were told that we would not be able to get through for over a week. My friend began to petition God and engage in what he called spiritual warfare, rebuking the devil’s attempts to thwart our trip. I had just read an inspirational book about how God works all things for good (Romans 8:28). God had elevated my faith so that I believed nothing would be able to stop us from getting through. I began to praise God for working our situation out for good and declared his victory over our circumstances. Within a few hours we were on board a plane for our destination, a true miracle.

When God shows us that something has already been done, it is time to make faith proclamations as our preferred form of prayer. Such prayers act as prophetic declarations that release God’s power and authority to accomplish his declared will.

When our faith and God’s promises link together, amazing things take place.

Prayer

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NASB) 

Rejoice always, 17  pray without ceasing, 18  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

Abba Father, I praise you and believe that you are working all things out for good in my life because I love you and am called according to your purpose. I surrender myself once more to your will and plan for my life. May I bring you glory and pleasure by trusting and praising you at all times. Praise you, Father, because you chose me before you created the world, and you appointed me to be transformed into the image of your Son, which you are accomplishing each day. Thank you, Father, that you made me a part of your family. You reconciled me to yourself and gave me a right standing before you through your Son. Thank you that have appointed me to share in Jesus’ glory.

And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the LORD to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15 (ESV)

As King Jehoshaphat of old, I declare that you have already won the victory. (Fill in the blank for your particular situation.) It is done. I rest in you and your promises. I let go of all striving and worry. (Psalm 46:10) Now I will watch and wait for what you will do. Amen.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4 (ESV)
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Prayer of Praise When the World Has Gone Crazy

"This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. 33  "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. 34  "For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: 'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, 35  UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET."' 36  "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified." Acts 2:32-36 (NASB)

The Gospel is the true story of how God reclaimed for himself authority and dominion over his creation. The Bible teaches that Father God is the Creator who made all things through the agency of his Son and the Holy Spirit.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  He was in the beginning with God. 3  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. John 1:1-3 (NASB)

In addition, God sustains his creation moment by moment; otherwise, it would fold up like a cheap tent.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16  For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:15-17 (NASB)

Adam and Eve gave to Satan the authority and dominion God has invested in them, opening the door for satanic oppression to warp and destroy God’s beautiful masterpiece. Only by sending his own Son as the Lamb of God could Father God regain dominion over his creation and reverse the horrible process of death and destruction sin introduced. Jesus willingly offered his life as a perfect sacrifice to atone for our sins. In so doing, he liberated us from the shackles of death.

Three days later he rose victoriously from the tomb as Lord of lords and King of kings. All authority and power was put in his hands. Forty days later, he ascended into heaven, where he sits upon his Father’s throne, waiting for his enemies to be thoroughly and finally defeated through the agency of his church. On Pentecost, as Lord of the Harvest, Jesus poured out his Spirit upon his disciples to equip, empower, and embolden them to spread the Good News of his reign to all the earth, making disciples as they went. The kingdom of God began to spread throughout the earth as leaven does in a lump of dough.

Still Jesus waits in heaven for his enemies to be made his footstool. What remains? What is our responsibility in the matter? God’s initial command to his newly created first couple is still in effect.

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28  God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Genesis 1:27-28 (NASB)

We have been given a dual responsibility: we are to multiply and rule in the natural realm and the spiritual. Just as we realize that we must reproduce children in the natural, we must also do so in the spiritual through the preaching of the gospel. Just as we nurture and prepare our children to become responsible adults, we must also disciple people to be responsible reproducing followers of Christ. Just as we realize we must take dominion in natural areas of life, we must do so spiritually. We are to be involved in government, not politics per se. The government is upon Christ’s shoulders, and we are his representatives. Jesus is coming back for a dynamic involved church, not one that is defeated and passively letting the world go to hell in a hand basket. (Romans 16:20)

We can know for a fact that all things are working toward God’s glory, which shall fill the earth. We who know God are also assured that things are working out for our good. (Romans 8:28) Therefore, we are always able to praise God as we participate in his end game for the ages.

  • God is Creator and sovereign over his creation.
  • God is Sustainer. Everything and everyone depend on his power to uphold us. Therefore, nothing can happen that he does not allow. He can pull the plug on evil at any moment he desires. Evil does not nor ever will have the upper hand.
  • Jesus is Redeemer. Those who put their trust in him are safe.
  • Jesus is Lord. When Jesus rose from the dead, he assumed authority over all creation. Every knee will bow to him and confess his lordship. All of history is moving toward that climactic event called the Last Judgment. All things must bow the knee as history moves irreversibly toward God’s will for his Son to be glorified. We can count on that.
  • We are destined to co-reign with Christ, both here and in the final state of things. We are to be active, not passive, filled with faith, not fear, giving praise, not complaining.
  • All things are also working for our good; so, we are able to praise him even when, especially when, we cannot see yet how that will come to pass. This gives God much glory and us much joy.

Prayer

Lord, I give you thanks and praise that you are my Creator God. I am here because you willed it so. I praise you that you sustain your creation moment by moment. The reason I have my breath is because of you. It is so easy for you to control the outcomes of world events since you are the Sustainer. If you remove your support, no one can continue. We are totally dependent on you, despite our bravado and blustering. Thank you, Jesus for dying for me so that I might be forgiven and receive eternal life. Thank you that I am part of the family of God and my destiny is to rule and reign with you. Thank you that you conquered death for our sake so that we no longer have to fear. Thank you, Jesus, that when you rose from the dead you took command over all things, even though it does not yet appear to be so. It is so. Everything is aligning with your ultimate will. Every person eventually will acknowledge your lordship and rule. I do so now. Thank you, Jesus that you are working all things out for our good and your glory.

I pray for my government, as Paul commanded us. I pray that you will work through our leaders to provide just government to our nation. Help me to be involved at whatever level you choose. Lord, you are sovereign in power and overflowing in mercy. You know that evil people are scheming and working to accomplish their plans at the expense of those who love your name because they hate you and your rule. Don’t let their evil plans succeed. Work things out to be a blessing for your people and for your glory instead. Let the plans of evil people backfire on them. Let truth prevail and liars be exposed. Uncover the hidden things of darkness so that truth wins and your Son is glorified. In the midst of your judgments, have mercy on those who are willing to repent. Open their eyes to believe the Gospel. Strengthen those of your people who are suffering persecution for your sake around the world. Have mercy on the persecutors. Bring justice to the poor and oppressed. Let your people always be praising you. Amen.

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Why Evolutionary Materialism Is Blasphemy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bible opens with these words…

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 (NLT)

Before all else, from our human perspective, God is the Creator. Everything in the universe derives from him, is sustained by him, and will ultimately glorify him.

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." Revelation 4:11 (NIV)

The rebellion that began in the Garden was a rejection of God’s benevolent authority over his creation.

Satan tricked Adam and Eve into doubting their Creator’s love and good intentions for them. They opted for a self-directed life in place of one of worshipful and loving dependence on the one who made and sustained them. Over time man’s rebellion progressed to an outright denial of God’s existence, which has been codified in many modern philosophies, one of which is evolutionary materialism.

Evolutionary materialism is the theory that matter got here by itself and everything in the universe, including life, can be explained completely by naturalistic processes.

Sin blinds our reasoning ability. It robs us of seeing God’s hand in everything he made. Those who arrogantly dismiss God rejoiced when Darwin developed his theory of evolution, realizing that it gave a plausibly “scientific” cover for their atheism. Those who have chosen to adopt this “faith” position, for it cannot ever be proved, haughtily dismiss those of us who adhere to the biblical creation view as being backward and unscientific. The education establishment forbids the teaching of the creationist point of view, using their dominance to poison the minds of generations of young people against God, fueling the fires of mankind’s rebellion. Unless they repent, they surely will reap the judgment they deserve. Paul wrote:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19  because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21  For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Romans 1:18-21 (NASB)

Godless humanity continually replicates Adam’s sin by insisting we are self-created and self-determinate beings.

Nothing could be further from the truth. We are created, dependent beings, who live to bring glory to our Creator. If we miss that, we miss everything. Evolutionary materialism is blasphemy, pure and simple.

The suppression of the truth that God exists and is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe of the beginning of all deception and lies.

What Then Must We Do?

If you now realize that you are guilty of dismissing God as your Creator, here is what you can do.

  • Ask Him to forgive you on the basis of Christ’s death on your behalf.
  • Make the choice to surrender all of your supposed rights to self-determination by acknowledging that Jesus is your Lord. Water baptism is the way we publicly declare our allegiance to Christ.
  • The third step is to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit and join Christ’s intrepid band of disciples who are spreading the Good News to as many people as will listen.
  • Become part of a Spirit filled local church that takes the Great Commission seriously.
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The Seven Mountain Prophecy: Unveiling the Coming Elijah Revolution

 

 

by Johnny Enlow

Thanks to Covid19 and the recent election and the turmoil that has followed, I have become more aware of a “stream” within the river of God called the Body of Christ that has captured my attention. It seems that the prophetic voices that have been most hopeful and full of faith almost always come from what is called the “seven mountains” movement. Time will tell if they are right in their assessment of where we are in this nation regarding God’s timetable and plan. In the meantime, I thought I would look in more depth at the teachings coming from a significant leader in this movement, Johnny Enlow. No one person of group has complete understanding, especially when it comes to current events and eschatology; however, some leaders seem to be more “in tune” to what God is saying and doing. I just completed Johnny’s book, which was written in 2008. I find his insights extremely relevant for right now, which is amazing, considering how much water has gone under the bridge since then and how much was then unforeseeable to the natural mind. I have summarized below what I consider to be some of the highlights of the book. I hope that what I have written will make you think and maybe even rethink about your views of these remarkable days in which we live.

The Introduction lays the theological framework for the book. The author quotes Revelation 5:1-12, which says in part: “You…have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.”

The “seven horns” represent seven foundations of power that the Lamb has because of His awesome act of redemption on the cross. It is why Jesus said after His resurrection, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” (See Matthew 28: 18.) He had now paid the price not just so souls could be rescued from hell, and not just so a few could receive healing— but He had proven that He was worthy to recover all ground that had been lost in the Garden of Eden. …That is why He followed His “All authority is mine” declaration with the great commission to “make disciples of all the nations.” (See Matthew 28: 19.) The Great Commission has always been about much more than what most of us have imagined. (pp.8-10, Kindle Edition)

I believe that it is not necessary to accept that the seven horns represent Christ’s power and authority on the “seven mountains” of influence in the culture. What seems irrefutable to me, however, is that Christ’s mandate to disciple the nations is much more than cultivating the best and brightest in our churches to understand the Bible better, live moral lives, and serve in the church in some capacity. While we have been discipling our converts to be better churchgoers, Satan has been wielding influence in the cultural and governmental power centers and discipling entire nations and directing world events. This is not surprising, since Paul called him the god of this world. (2 Corinthians 4:4) I believe the church, in general, has “dropped the ball” by retreating into our Christian enclaves and by default leaving government, education, the media, the arts and celebration, and the economy and business largely to the devil. Instead we have focused mainly on the “religion” mountain and the family, while wondering why our culture is going down the drain. I believe the Lord is waking up the church to our responsibility to be salt and light and to be “players” on the mountains of influence to whatever degree the Lord allows. This will fulfill the mandate issued in the Garden so long ago that was reiterated in the Great Commission.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28 (ESV)

It is Enlow’s position that a lack of vision and a faulty eschatalogy are behind the church’s failure to embrace her mission.

Enlow believes that a mighty tsunami like movement has been released in the earth by God which he calls the Elijah Revolution. The reason for using this descriptor is because Malachi prophesied that Elijah must return before the coming of the Lord. (Malachi 4:5-6) Enlow wrote

…this Elijah Revolution tsunami will sweep through both the world and the church, and it will leave no doubt as to who God is. (p.18)

He believes prophecy will be a major thrust which will clarify things that seem ambiguous now.

It will…

…eradicate stagnation and the status quo. Things will never be the same again… it will bring about a “drastic and far reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving.” (p.20)

This is extremely interesting to me in light of the last year and a half. The draconian measures taken by governments around the world have altered how people think about many things, especially in the church. I have heard it said by more than one person that things will never be the same. The essence of repentance is to “change the mind,” to move from being self-absorbed and self-directed to coming under the lordship of Christ. Enlow says that…

The tsunami will either resurrect churches of bury them. (p.20)

We are seeing that play out before our eyes.

Enlow believes this Elijah Revolution will precede the Lord’s Second Coming. He quotes Acts 3 as his theological base.

"Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20  and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21  whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. Acts 3:19-21 (NASB)

His understanding of this passage may be different from yours, but it is worth considering.

That word restoration— apokatastasis in the original Greek text— is very powerful. It means “restoration of a true theocracy” and “restoration of original intent.” The implications of this scripture are, of course, huge. Jesus is retained in heaven until Elijah’s Revolution. Even as John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus to come, the Elijah Revolution will prepare for His final return. We know John the Baptist’s revolution didn’t go far enough because it brought repentance but not a restoration of all things. His and Jesus’ deaths, however, became the seeds for the coming restoration of all things that will precede Jesus’ return. An original plan and design of God will triumph and will establish Him as Ruler of the nations. Exactly how that will look is debatable, but it clearly entails the crushing of Satan here on Earth before He returns for His bride. (p.23)

Previously I always assigned such things to after the Second Coming. Enlow has introduced me to the possibility that some of it may happen before Jesus returns. If that is the case, the doom and gloom scenario of an impending “great tribulation” may be premature. We may be in for something spectacular from God that will be so momentous that it will create the spiritual tsunami Enlow prophesied. Interesting, years ago more than one person in our church saw a vision of a coming great wave that will bring many people into the kingdom of God. Could we be on the verge?

Enlow believes Jesus is…

… coming for an overcoming, conquering, love-motivated bride who has made herself ready by fulfilling her mission. (Revelation 19:7) The Elijah Revolution is the catalyst for all these things. (pp.24-25)

He believes the church must transition out of its survival mode of thinking, as if we were Israel in the wilderness, into a overcoming mode, as when Israel entered and conquered the promised land. The church has yet to conquer as Jesus intends. This leads to quite a different mindset from the passive acceptance of the dominance of evil that many Christians have adopted.

Another key idea Enlow floats is that we should differentiate between what he calls a gospel of salvation and the gospel of the kingdom. He believes the church has reduced the gospel to only being about the salvation of individuals, without embracing the larger mandate of extending his lordship over all creation. Once again, many believers have relegated this expanded rule of Christ to after the Second Coming; but, what if we are to be engaged in that now? That would change everything!

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19 (NASB)

The Great Commission was to “make disciples of all nations.” It was not to “make disciples of all souls.” God is interested in the nations— a word mentioned over three hundred times in the Scriptures. (p.40)

Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever." Revelation 11:15 (NASB)

History won’t conclude, then, until Matthew 24: 14 is fulfilled: “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” All nations will have to hear and see— to witness is to see— this gospel of the kingdom before Jesus returns. The gospel of saving souls will not suffice— it’s the gospel of the kingdom that must get out. That means the message of His Lordship over everything must be followed by a demonstration of His Lordship over everything. (p.41)

Now it will come about that In the last days The mountain of the house of the LORD Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. 3  And many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:2-3 (NASB)

Enlow believes that the church has a very important role to play in extending Christ’s rule in a practical way in the nations. This means disciples of Jesus will have to get involved in practical ways in all aspects of society in order to be salt and light. (Matthew 5:13-14)

This approach, of course, is a radically new concept for most Christians. We have long assumed that evangelistic crusades and mass conversions are the key to taking a nation (if the thought of taking a nation even occurred to us). We have ignored entire mountains, or sectors of society, because they’re “of the devil.” But the Lord is now saying, “You must take these mountains.” This revelation is an earthquake that the Lord is releasing into His body. The shock waves of the revelation are beginning to sweep through Christian society, creating the tsunami waters upon which the Elijah Revolution will coming crashing upon the nations. (p.45)

Beginning in Chapter Five, Enlow addresses each of the “seven mountains.” He gives an explanation of what they are, how Satan has dominated, and what must be done to effectively displace his influence and rule. I will not take time to go through each of these, but let me assure you that each chapter is loaded with insight. Please do not fast forward through these chapters. The order he covers these “mountains” are as follows: the news media, government, education, economy, religion, the arts, and the family. What he wrote about the family was very good and helped me see how Baal worship is destroying the foundations of society through alienation, sexual perversion, and abortion.

The last chapter begins with a quote from Deuteronomy.

The LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, Deuteronomy 28:13 (NASB)

IT IS IMPORTANT that we, God’s blood-bought people, realize that it has always been His will for us to be at the top of the mountains in a place of preeminence and blessing. He is not a sadistic God who loves seeing His people struggle and barely survive. Nothing could be further from the truth. He has always sought to motivate us with a promised land of unlimited abundance— body, soul, and spirit. He wants to give us that for two reasons. First, He is a great and loving Father who loves to shower His kids with blessings. Second, His blessings are His ultimate demonstration before principalities and powers of the conclusive truth that love never fails. All He has ever demanded in return is that we obey His commandments. (p.181)

Enlow does not espouse the prosperity gospel nor any kind of false dominionism. He approaches things from a place of humility and emphasizes the necessity of prioritizing our devotion to Christ over everything else.

The great work to be accomplished for people holy to the Lord will be intimacy with Him. God’s great desire is for the peoples of the earth to see how good a God He is to those who serve Him. (p.185)

The brevity of the book did not allow Enlow to share his eschatology in depth, but it is clear he believes that the antichrist will have his day, but only after there is a massive global ingathering. But now the church has a job to do. Let me end this summary with the following quote.

This isn’t over until we reign on Earth. Genesis starts with, “Have dominion over everything,” and Revelation ends with, “We shall reign on earth.” The Lamb that was slain provides the seven spirits of God that bring the seven horns of power over the seven nations greater and mightier than us. That’s why it’s incidental that they are greater and mightier than us. He has released the seven horns of power to topple every rebellious spirit that has exalted itself against the Creator. The seven eyes release the prophetic vision to understand that this is our inheritance on Earth. The earth will continue to shift and quake with expectation and birth pangs. It will cause a series of tsunamis that will totally transform the face of the earth. All destructible structures will come down. Everything that can be shaken will be shaken. But the sons and daughters of the kingdom will be on the mountaintops and will receive the unshakeable kingdom. Then will be the end of all rebellion on Earth. (p.188)

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Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe

by Voddie T. Baucham, Jr.

I have long been a fan of Dr. Baucham, having found him to be a clear thinker and a truth warrior. Since I have been deeply troubled by evangelicalism’s embracing of the presuppositions and conclusions connected to critical race theory and intersectionality during the past year, when I discovered that Dr. Baucham wrote a book addressing these hot topics, I was eager to read it. He did not disappoint.

The author clearly articulates the gravity of our situation in society and the church. In his own words:

The current moment is akin to two people standing on either side of a major fault line just before it shifts. When the shift comes, the ground will open up, a divide that was once invisible will become visible, and the two will find themselves on opposite sides of it. That is what is happening in our day. In some cases, the divide is happening already. Churches are splitting over this issue. Major ministries are losing donors, staff, and leadership. Denominations are in turmoil. Seminary faculties are divided with some professors being fired or “asked to leave.” Families are at odds. Marriages are on the rocks. And I don’t believe the fracture in this fault line is yet even a fraction of what it will be. (Kindle, pp.6-7)

Baucham describes the errors of critical race theory and shows how and why well-intentioned evangelicals fall prey to these arguments.

The problem is not ethnic tension, but the fundamental assumptions that drive our assessment of and subsequent approaches to it. (Kindle, p.4)

Baucham goes on to write:

Those belonging to the social-justice crowd present themselves as the only ones pursuing justice, to the exclusion of all who disagree with their assessments— who, by that definition, are pursuing injustice. Perhaps the most troubling aspect of the current struggle is that it mischaracterizes Christians that way too. On one side are “compassionate” Christians who are “concerned about justice.” On the other are “insensitive” Christians who are “not concerned about justice.” This is wrong. I have pursued justice my entire Christian life. Yet I am about as “anti– social justice” as they come— not because I have abandoned my obligation to “strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12: 14), but because I believe the current concept of social justice is incompatible with biblical Christianity. This is the main fault line at the root of the current debate— the epicenter of the Big One that, when it finally shifts with all its force, threatens to split evangelicalism right down the middle. Our problem is a lack of clarity and charity in our debate over the place, priority, practice, and definition of justice. (Kindle, p.5,  underlining mine…)

Baucham states that the antiracist movement is a false religion with its own cosmology or narrative of beginnings, a new version of original sin (racism), a new law (the work of antiracism), a new priesthood (non-white people), a new form of revelation (what Baucham calls “ethnic gnosticism” – special knowledge conferred on minorities), a new version of truth (narrative), a new extra-biblical canon of sacred writings (approved reading lists of CRT/I books and articles), and a new way to be saved (unending repentance and reparations).

In case you’re wondering about its soteriology, there isn’t one. Antiracism offers no salvation— only perpetual penance in an effort to battle an incurable disease. (Kindle, p.67)

“Without confession to the sin of white racism, white supremacy, white privilege,” contends Sojourners magazine founder Jim Wallis, “people who call themselves white Christians will never be free… from the bondage of a lie, a myth, an ideology, and an idol.” 23 This sentiment is an affront to the Gospel. “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8: 2, italics mine). And again, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8: 36, italics mine). But this is the gospel of antiracism, where there is no freedom— at least, not for white people. (Kindle, p.77)

Baucham counters the false claims of CRT/I with truth coming from secular sources and his biblical perspective. He also illuminates the logical fallacies CRT/I debaters use. Anyone who reads this book with an open mind should come away convinced that we are in the midst of a tremendously critical fight for the integrity of the gospel, the truth of the Bible, and the existence of our nation.

The author reveals that the principles of CRT were  first developed by members of the socialist Frankfurt School in an attempt to re-package communist / socialist principles in a more appealing format for those living in Western democracies. Communism had not been able to gain traction in Western nations because of our strong middle class. There was not a sufficient divide between the haves and have nots. Some other way to divide and conquer was needed, which led to the adoption of the principles of CRT/I. Rather than pitting the proletariat against the bourgeois, CRT/I identifies all white people as racist oppressors and seeks to divide people of color against them.

The demonic cleverness of the CRT/I position is that it sets itself up to be the sole arbiter of truth. In Baucham’s words, the critical social justice view is both “unfalsifiable and unassailable.” (p.155)

If black people know racism, and white people cannot know racism (and are racist by default as a result of their white privilege), then the only acceptable response is for white people to sit down, shut up, and listen to what black people have to say on the matter. (Kindle, p.103)

…the idea that there is special knowledge or revelation available to some and hidden from others by virtue of their race or position in the oppressor/ oppressed scheme is unthinkable— and unbiblical. (p.111)

Baucham points out that antiracism tenets offer no hope for salvation for oppressors.

White people are not called to look to God for forgiveness. They are not told that Christ’s blood is sufficient. No, they are told that they must do the unending work of antiracism. And this work must be done regardless of their own actions since the issue at hand is a matter of communal, generational guilt based on ethnicity. (p.129)

The author also makes a strong argument that CRT ignores a large body of evidence that supports other reasons for the plight of the black community apart from systemic racism.

Chapter Nine addresses what to me was an extremely disturbing development just prior to the recent election when several prominent evangelical leaders used CRT arguments to back candidate Biden against Trump. To offset the claim that was made that Christians should not vote for Trump because Democrats were stronger across the board on human rights issues, Baucham writes:

Whether it is Platt, Dever, Wallis, Seitz, Keller, Pro-Life Evangelicals for Biden, or Pope Francis, my big problem with this entire line of argumentation is that “single-issue voting” is a straw man. I am not, nor have I ever met, a single-issue voter. Issues like same-sex marriage, school choice, and religious freedom, to name a few, are all very serious issues to Christian voters. And these voters are more than narrow-minded fundamentalists being led around by the nose for the sake of a single issue. Moreover, this line of argumentation makes light of the vast chasm between the platforms of the two parties on major moral issues while extoling the virtues of sophisticated black voters who carefully weigh important (yet unnamed) issues that white voters apparently do not comprehend. (Kindle, pp.189-90)

When I read that the eminent John Piper came to the conclusion that President Trump’s moral deficiencies and behavioral lapses were more serious in God’s eyes than murdering the unborn, I realized that people I formerly trusted and respected had crossed over into error, having been duped by unbiblical social justice arguments. For me it was a sad day indeed. Baucham goes on to write:

However, even if abortion were an example of single-issue voting, I reject the idea that murdering the unborn can be subjugated in favor of social issues that are being promoted through the lens of Critical Social Justice. (Kindle, p.190)

Baucham concludes by making a plea to the church.

This book is, among many things, a plea to the Church. I believe we are being duped by an ideology bent on our demise. This ideology has used our guilt and shame over America’s past, our love for the brethren, and our good and godly desire for reconciliation and justice as a means through which to introduce destructive heresies. (p.204)

Racism is real. Injustice is real. No matter how many times I say those things, I still will be accused of turning a blind eye to them— not because I deny them, but because I deny the CRT/ I view that they are “normal” and at the basis of everything. But there is another way of seeing. “The history of the USA is neither purely wicked and racist, nor perfect,” writes Thomas Sowell. “Correlation is not causation, disparity is not necessarily discrimination. Complex problems require complex solutions.… To make racism the driving force behind slavery is to make a historically recent factor the cause of an institution which originated thousands of years earlier.” (p.222)

Baucham adds:

Black Lives Matter is a Trojan horse. The movement has a name that Christians find attractive because we love God and our neighbor and have a desire to see justice done. (p.222)

He wrote that “for many white Christians, it is the opportunity to assuage their guilt.” (p.222)

I have heard a mantra lately that rings hollow in my ears: “There can be no reconciliation without justice.” When I hear that, I want to scream, “YES! AND THE DEATH OF CHRIST IS THAT JUSTICE!” All other justice is proximate and insufficient. It is because of Christ’s work on the cross that that we can heed the apostle’s admonition: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4: 31– 32). Who am I to tell a white brother that he cannot be reconciled to me until he has drudged up all of the racial sins of his and his ancestors’ past and made proper restitution? Christ has atoned for sin! Consequently, the most powerful weapon in our arsenal is not calling for reparations: it is forgiveness. Antiracism knows nothing of forgiveness because it knows nothing of the Gospel. Instead, antiracism offers endless penance, judgment, and fear. (p.229 – underlining is mine)

Thanks to Voddie Baucham for writing this much needed book. I hope this summary whets your appetite to read it carefully in its entirety.

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