Is "Deeds Without Creeds" on The Ballot? - Part 2

Emergent leader Brian McLaren is quoted as saying
"It used to be that Christian institutions and systems of dogma sustained the spiritual life of Christians. Increasingly, spirituality itself is what sustains everything else". He, like many other postmodern thinkers, are on a campaign to promote the belief that we have the freedom to choose a Christianity minus dogma. They imagine that we are able to opt-out of doctrine, thus casting a vote for deeds without creeds. But as the 19th century Scottish preacher Horatius Bonar explains, it was no more possible to separate these things in his day, than it is for men like Brian McLaren to do so in ours. ... [Read More!]

Blog Rage: 'About Page' Not Written By Hallmark

I don't know what it is with my About page, but it often ends up being the lightening rod for my blog. I received another email protest from a reader of it last week. Along with their sentiments, here's a look at some of the inbound artillery that I've had fired in the general direction of my About page in the recent past. If this were politics, I'd have advisors telling me that I need to "soften my image" (some politicians need that advice after all). Do I need to make changes to the page? Perhaps the last words on the page should say "now count to ten and breath deeply". Maybe you can give me some suggestions for it. ... [Read More!]

Is "Deeds Without Creeds" on The Ballot? - Part 1

Voting month is upon us here in America once again, and although I won't be covering politics on Old Truth, I will be running a series of weekly attack ads against a pseudo-Christianity that emphasizes deeds without doctrine. With greater unity as the aim, many church leaders today are campaigning against the incumbent Christianity which understood Christian living to be based on biblical truth. Each Tuesday of this month, we'll be examining the nonsensical notion of a referendum vote for "religion without theology", "good works without head knowledge", and "action divorced from truth". The referendum isn't real, but then again - either is the assumed freedom to separate these things from one another. Stumping against this campaign, Michael Horton today explains how this thinking is already a hanging chad in church history. ... [Read More!]

True Religion is Born From Knowledge of Truth   Benjamin Warfield

The grounds of religion must be taught and learned as truly as the grounds of anything else. Let us make no mistake here. Religion does not come of itself; it is always a matter of instruction. The emotions of the heart, in which many seem to think religion is too exclusively to consist, always follow the movements of thought. Passion for service cannot take the place of passion for truth, or safely outrun the acquisition of truth, for it is dreadfully possible to navigate sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, to find we have made him only a "son of hell". ... [Read More!]

Christian Psychologist Objects to 'Old Truth'

"The positions you espouse are limiting and will only serve to further alienate those Christians who are already disenfranchised by rigid dogmas. Compromise, love, and prayer need to bring us closer to each other. One statement by Jesus is certainly not an aphorism: "Judge ye not lest ye be judged." I also think he said something about taking a wooden object out of your own eye first and it seems to be he told us that the person who has no sins should be the first stone thrower." ... [Read More!]

A Conversation with Cryin' McLaren (Parody)    Link

If you are familiar with Emergent leader Brian McLaren, you know just how evasive he can be. His fans think he's clever for the way he gets himself out of answering questions that he doesn't want to be asked. They believe it's a strategy to redirect the conversation to questions that are more up to date with the current culture. With that in mind, you'll enjoy this humorous parody of an interview with "Cryin McLaren"; it starts off with a simple question that should be easy for anyone to answer: "What color is the sky?". Nope, he can't give a straight answer even on that one. That is, not until they replace his coffee with "Folgers Truth Crystals". Finally some straight answers! Thanks to Phil Johnson for this audio link... [Read Link]

"Don't Put God in a Box"    Link

Can we all agree to never use this sentence again?
It's an unproductive ad hominem thrown into a potentially productive conversation about understanding God. What I think that line really means is
"I don't agree with your explanation but I don't have an argument in response". It's a way of dismissing someone's reasons without saying why they're wrong. And it's actually kind of rude because it implies that we're doing something illegitimate with God. But you know what? We all put God in a box - the Stand To Reason blog explains how. ... [Read Link]

No New Novelties: Truth is Never Antiquated

In the 19th century, Horatius Bonar admonished believers to remember the danger of seeking novelties in religion, doctrine, or experience. For the sake of being original or singular, we may perhaps refuse to borrow or to imitate from the past, and we may end up filtering God's words through the corrupting medium of human intellect. ... [Read More!]

Salvation = Faith + Knowledge? (Yes, of Course!)

I posted a quote from Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the other day on Slice, which included these words "The Word of God says that man's immortal soul, his eternal state, depends upon his right knowledge of the truth". I admit, the post was aimed squarely at the Emerging Church movement, and it managed to draw the predicted return-fire from the postmodern camp. The implication of which, was that I was somehow front-loading a "knowledge" requirement on to the Gospel. Could that be true? ... [Read More!]

The Arrogant Bigotry of The Narrow Way?

Some lively discussion has been brewing in the comments of another one of my posts. It's been a clash between old truth certitude and the common postmodern mindset which views doctrinal precision as arrogant and legalistic. And showing an all too common misunderstanding of Jesus' conflict with the religious leaders of His day, the term 'Pharisee' is employed to represent those who hold firm to precise biblical truth. ... [Read More!]

Does Brian McLaren Have a Generous View of Hell?

Emergent Church guru Brian McLaren insists that
"we need to go back and take another look at Jesus' teachings about hell" and implies that there are
problems with conventional beliefs about it.
The doctrine of eternal punishment is under attack today from a variety of church movements. In this article, Pastor Ken Silva takes a closer at the views of one of the Emergent Church's most notable leaders. ... [Read More!]

Forcing War Upon Allies: Truth Versus Actions

Are deeds and doctrines intended to be inseparable allies, or can they be pitted against each other as enemies? There are modern movements underway which force these two
guy-wires of Christianity to pull against each other in an unbiblical contest of tug of war. A leader in one such movement is Erwin McManus, who has begun a siege against Christianity from within it's own walls.... [Read More!]

Is There Absolute Truth?

Here is a common question you will run into regarding the Emergent Church Movement and their objection to the concept of absolute truth:

"Can you produce any Scriptures which contain the phrase 'Absolute Truth'? And there isn't anything in the Bible that uses the phrase 'Literal word of God', because 2 Tim. 3:16 doesn't say anything about Scripture literally being the Word of God does it"?

Emerging 'Odd Couple' Could Teach Each Other

The Odd Couple. I used to love that show when
I was kid. Felix was cultured, polite, and disciplined. Oscar on the other hand, was rough around the edges, always said the first thing that came to his mind, and had an ulcer from being so easily angered. Recently as I was surfing one Emerging Church blog, I couldn't help thinking that I had discovered a postmodern version of those colorful opposites, and these guys may even need each other's help, much as the original odd couple did. ... [Read More!]