REVrant 33.3 - Time to Start Barking

If you’re paying attention to the church scene in our post-modern times, you’re well aware of the cultural erosion of belief in absolute truth, and its companion in the church – devaluation of sound doctrine.  I found two quotes recently that sum up my concerns.  The first is from John Calvin and the second from D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

"A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent." (John Calvin)

"There is nothing which is so wrong, and so utterly false, as to fail to see the primary importance of true doctrine. Looking back over my experience as a pastor for some thirty-four years, I can testify without the slightest hesitation that the people I have found most frequently in trouble in their spiritual experience have been those who have lacked understanding. You cannot divorce these things." (Heresies, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

It’s not unusual these days to find cynics loitering around the church (and in many cases, making money by writing books that they hope church people will purchase) making comments like: 1) “You people care more about being right than doing right.”  2) ”The older I get, the less important doctrine is to me.”  3) “Doctrine divides, Jesus unites.”  4) “Who really knows what the Bible says about homosexuality?”  5) “What difference would it make if Jesus wasn’t born of a virgin?” 6) “I’ve given up on going to church.”

I think you get the idea.  These post-moderns are very uncomfortable with the assertion that doctrine matters.  Actually, it makes them mad.  They see passion for sound doctrine as stodgy, antiquated, and irrelevant.  To make their point, they create cheesy caricatures of people who seem willing to die for core doctrinal truths.  I wonder what these post-modern Christian hipsters think about Polycarp, John Hus, John Wycliffe, John Knox, John Calvin, Martin Luther and many other heroes of the faith for whom doctrine mattered more than life.

To borrow a phrase from John Calvin, I think it is “time to start barking.”  God’s truth is being attacked.  I’m not going to be silent.  Shots are being taken at several watershed doctrines by today’s doctrine-bashers: The virgin birth, the subsitutionary atonement of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, the inspiration of Scripture, the second coming of Jesus, eternal heaven and hell, the eternal security of the believer, justification, and sanctification. 

The Apostle Paul warned young Timothy that this was going to happen.  II Timothy 4:3–4 - “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

To be redundant…I think it’s “time to start barking!”

Comments

[betsyb]

MHR..Keep on barking! One of the sad things that we noticed while Bryan was at Trinity for the past two years was the interest by some seminary students in the "emergent church" movement. It is the "cool" church movement of our time...interested more in form and delivery than substance, and trying far too hard to assimilate the church into a post-modern culture. You cannot dilute the truth to make it palatable...and you certainly can't be apologetic or back away from absolutes and be scriptural. We were told by some that we would be perceived as "arrogant" to say that Jesus was the only way to God. We'd rather be perceived as arrogant than apostate. We want no part of the false humility of any "church" that won't stand up for Jesus as the Way, the TRUTH, and the life. PS I'm reading Truth Wars right now. It's excellent!

[Sandy]

MHR,
I've never printed out any of your blogs, but there's always a first time for everything. I plan on reading this one to the 28 ladies in my Tues. morning bible study. We're studying the book of Daniel, and your blog couldn't be more applicable. Daniel most definitely was a "barker." Thank you for continuing to be a "watchman on the tower" that warns the people.

[Darby]

I agree doctrine is very important. But do you think it's possible for doctrine to become an idol - to become the object of worship rather than a means of knowing and worshipping God? What would "doctrine worship" look like do you suppose? And do you think that perhaps traditional churches are also guilty of creating caricatures - steroetypes - strawmen - of emergent church authors? It seems to me there is plenty of blame to go around on both sides of this current unity crisis and until both sides stop ripping each other "in love" (HA HA!) the only winner is the Devil and the only loser the Body of Christ.

[Sandy]

Darby,
If doctrine is man-made, then I agree with you that it can become an idol. The Pharisees were a perfect example of that. However, if doctrine is "God-breathed" which the Holy Scriptures are, then the only way they can become an idol is if man misinterprets them to say what he wants them to say(II Tim. 4:3-4). I believe the "new emergent church" proponents are guilty of both. Pastor Bill is warning the Body of Christ regarding false teaching, false teachers, etc. Christ warned His disciples of the same thing. I have personally read and been exposed to some of the teaching MHR is referring to, and if you know the Word, you realize the deception behind it. Christ told His disciples in Matthew 24:24 that "false prophets will rise up to deceive even the elect-if that were possible." He calls believers to warn just as He did. Again...thank you, MHR for being a "watchman on the tower."

[mary]

I have to say that I hear Darby's point.There are many different views on many areas of doctrine.Thats why there are more than 30,000 protestant denominations.So who has it all right? And at what point do we draw the line?
I don't think that we have to misinterpret them to let them become an idol.We can get a bit caught up in being right and lose our perspective.I agree that there is doctrine to die for. But I wouldn't count hell as one of those.

[Darby]

Sandy,
I disagree with you that doctrine cannot become an idol. Even the Bible itself can become one. People have been making idols of God's creation - his spoken Word made manifest - since the beginning of time. The sun, for example, comes immediately to mind. "The heavens declare the glory of God" - they are not God. So too with doctrine. Christian writers have warned for centuries about the dangers of Bible-worship rather than God-worship - about religiosity rather than true faith. It's a fine line, but it's a real line. And please hear me, I also wholeheartedly support a rigorous defense of sound doctrine and I share a deep concern over the erosion of absolute Truth that some who identify with the emergent church movement appear to be advocating. And I am also a huge fan of our dear MHR and likewise applaud his efforts to guard Truth - I do not believe he has crossed my so-called "fine line." But we who stand for sound doctrine need to continue to keep a careful eye on that line lest we lose sight of perhaps one of the greatest doctrinal statements of all time -"God is love."

[Sandy]

Darby,
I'm not sure you carefully read what I posted based on the first sentence of your last post. But that's okay...I've said all that I feel led to say regarding this topic.

[Sandy]

Mary,
I'm curious why you don't count "hell" as one of the doctrines you would die for. Would like to hear your prespective...

[Darby]

Sandy,
I'm sorry for not being clearer. I read your comment as suggesting that SOUND doctrine can never become an idol. My thought is that even sound doctrine can become an idol when we raise even it to the level of God himself rather than merely a window - however important and enlightening - into the wonder of who he alone is.

And Mary,
I was nodding in agreement with you as I was reading your post - you were doing GREAT in my opinion - we SO can get caught up in the pride of needing to be "RIGHT" that we turn nasty even toward fellow believers - but then your last sentence threw me a curve. Like Sandy, I'd like to hear more from you there. The Bible is certainly clear and adamant about the existence of Hell, would you agree? Perhaps you were refering to different opinions on more precise details of what Hell is like, given the context of your post?

[mary]

ok,I probably should have been more specific-what I meant was that I don't think that the "doctrine of hell" as an eternal fire is one that I would die for. I think there are plenty of references to a hell,but there are lots of differing views out there as to the specifics of it...this is probably not the place to go into a lot of detail. Anyway, it does not affect my relationship with Christ. If there is an eternal fire, I will not be in it,though I deserve it, thanks to the blood poured out at the cross.

[mary]

And I should say that I speak as one who has held,rather tight fistedly, to certain aspects of doctrine , over the years and has been very guilty of the pride that goes with that. I do believe that there is absolute truth, and that it is found in the scriptures. I do not believe that we always understand it correctly. And I do think that we run the danger of worshipping WHAT we believe instead of WHO we believe.

[Sandy]

Darby,
I appreciate you clarifying things. I do understand what you're trying to say. I'm not sure I would call it idolatry, however, but instead legalism. Either way, it's sin. I think we've steered away somewhat from Pastor Bill's original blog. His point being that TRUE, BIBLICAL DOCTRINE(The Word of God) is being dismissed, distorted, misinterpreted, etc. That much I believe the two of us can agree on.

[Sandy]

Mary,
Thanks for commenting...obviously you didn't go into much detail, but I appreciate what you did share.
I listened to a sermon online in recent days regarding hell, and it was very disturbing to me. I felt the pastor was attempting to "sugar-coat" and "water-down" the reality of eternal separation from God. Our Savior died a brutal death so that we could avoid this horrible place. Satan certainly wants all men to view hell improperly or better yet to deny it's existence.

[Sandy]

One last thought...Mary you made the comment that "we run the danger of worshipping WHAT we believe instead of WHO we believe." Jesus is the living Word, the Word made flesh...therefore I'm not sure a true believer can separate WHAT they believe(scripture/the Word) from WHO they believe. If it weren't for the scriptures, you and I wouldn't believe WHO we believe.

[mary]

Sandy, I understand what you are saying. And perhaps we are talking about different ways of understanding scripture rather than the believability of scripture. If I understand the book of Revelation in a different way than you do..that does not change our relationships with Christ, though some of the ways ways that we live out our Christian walk may look different. Perhaps the same could be said for the roles of women in the church- there are plenty of differing thoughts on that, though it would seem that Paul is pretty clear. Was he speaking culturally? Was he telling fellow believers not to rock any cultural boats before Christ returned…Paul was expecting Him very soon. Same with slavery. If we took Scripture very literally we would wear head coverings and not adorn ourselves with jewelry or braid our hair.So a denomination that required their women to remain silent in church and wear head coverings...might they say that the rest of us are sinning if we do not? Might they start putting this belief ahead of loving one another? Then it may become an idol, making it more important than what Jesus Himself requires of us.
There are many, many references to Hell…Hades…Sheol…Death…Gehenna. They have been put together by theologians to come up with the doctrine of Hell. Perhaps they didn’t get it all right? I don’t know. But I do know that my Savior died a torturous death on the cross so that I may live in fellowship with Him eternally.

[Sandy]

Mary,
Jesus' doctrine of hell in the gospels is specific and clear. So are other references in scripture that refer to it. Not that we can't benefit from theologians interpretations, but this is one biblical topic that I don't see much gray area in. Jesus definitely "got things right" concerning hell.

[mary]

Sandy, I think Jesus always got things right.I do however wonder about the translators.They were not divinely inspired as the original writers were and there are some things that they just got wrong.Maybe hell is eternal, maybe not...I think there is scriptural support for both sides.Its an intersting topic to discuss but really shouldn't have much bearing on our life in Christ.

[DB]

I have a hard time understanding all the theological arguments. The main point to remember in all of this is God's love for YOU!! Each person is responsible for their own relationship with Jesus Christ and his Father. To argue and defend that fundamental truth is, in my opinion, pointless. I feel the best way to demonstrate the love of God in my heart is to accept people for their differences and love them right where they are at - as Jesus does with me, and you. Getting into arguments destroys any effect we may have on another person, Christian or otherwise, and helping them draw nearer to God.. It is important to me to focus on what God is to ME and what He has done in MY life by stating facts and lovingly accepting the other person's facts. He is so awesome, and that can't be denied. He is loving, forgiving, your best friend.

[Sandy]

DB,
As I see it,(Mary may disagree)she and I aren't arguing or defending, we're simply dialoging. I agree with the points you've made, as long as in the process we don't in any way compromise the truth of God's Word. If in the process of accepting people's differences and loving them right where they are, we fail to share the less "user friendly" portions of God's Word, we grieve the Spirit of God and risk becoming ineffective. The whole counsel of God must be shared and that is often not comfortable, but is necessary nonetheless.

[mary]

Right Sandy, you took the words right out of my mouth.