Abba's Own. David R. Lumsden
other revelation, (Rev 22: 18-19).
Another example of non-biblical teaching is that you need to believe in God, but you do not need Jesus. “My priest says I am okay in believing in God, I do not need Jesus,” said one lady. That is known as relativism. The common expression found in relativism is ‘Whatever you believe is okay,’ says Jim Petersen in Lifestyle Discipleship. He also observes that pluralism (whatever you are ‘into’ is okay). Thirdly, he shows that privatization (whatever you believe, keep it to yourself), is another view that divides a church, and prevents true church growth.¹⁹
Another group are mystics and eastern spiritualists. It is a movement strong in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and teaches about becoming a ‘christed being through a cosmic christ consciousness,’ which they promote is the essence of the church. They deceive and mislead a seeker into a form of spirituality, but a false spirituality, preventing
him/her from having the opportunity of believing on the real Jesus Christ and finding
salvation, (Acts 16:31). It is no more than an anti-christian social club.
There are other individuals with philosophical viewpoints for developing a form of spirituality, but not true spirituality in such groups as the Church of the Creator, the Sons of Odin, the Sons of Bear, and Garner Andrews, who claims to be a guide for people to find their happy place.²⁰
The true Gospel needs to be preached widely by all faithful Christians for people to hear and receive the truth, for making a good choice. Three recent converts said to the author that it was hard to find a church in this city that preached a clear Gospel of Jesus Christ, that was not softened, or twisted entirely out of shape from the biblical message.
PURPOSE
The author’s intent in his study, Lord willing, is threefold:
1) To uncover the hindrance on the subject’s inner being, and to expose who was accountable inside and outside the church for thwarting his knowledge of salvation, assurance, and eternal security for a place prepared in Heaven by Jesus, never to be lost.
2) To decrease the number on the wrong road thinking they are being taught the right way to Heaven, and increase the actual growth of the Church by converts added to the Kingdom of God.
God says to humankind through Paul’s letter to the Galatians,
“I marvel that ye are so quickly removing from Him that called you in the grace of Christ, unto a different gospel; which is not another gospel; only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from Heaven, should preach unto you any gospel, other than that we preached to you, let him be anathema (he is to be accursed)! As we have said before, so say I now again, if any man preaches unto you any gospel other than which ye received, let him be anathema! For am I now seeking the favour of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ,” (Gal 1: 6- 10).
3) We need true yielded Christians, born of God, for leading souls into knowing and believing the true Gospel. How else shall sinners be saved out of the pit unless we show them compassion and tell them the Gospel message for their salvation, (Jude 22-23)? The true Church must let the love of God, through Christ by His Holy Spirit, ring sound in and through her mind, heart, spirit, and soul, and from her mouth as ‘sweet harmony’ to a world, crying for truth. Thus they, too, may be converted and added to the Church, over which Christ, alone, is the Head that people may know Him and know they have eternal life, (1 Jn 5: 20). The informed ethical practice born of God exercised by spiritual church leaders is essential in all settings, inside and outside of the church.
RELEVANCE
The population of Christians worldwide is less than 10 percent. That means that about 90 percent, plus, are destined for eternal punishment. So, what are true Christians doing about their neighbours headed for hell?
Soteriology, meaning the study of salvation, is a branch of theology related to Theology Proper, which itself, is the systematic study of God. This author focuses on and wants people to be complete in Jesus alone, understanding that this is God’s will for humanity, that they not perish but be saved from the wrath to come, therefore, His business for intersecting with humankind. Jesus of the Holy Bible is the Way of God the Father for the salvation of humanity from sin and eternal death. As the subject’s story began to unfold, the author began to question whether therein lay an answer for why seekers were leaving the church to seek other avenues of religious and spiritual experience, leaving traditional churches small and, for some, their doors closing.
Some religious unbelievers say that Jesus failed at the Cross. The truth instead is that unbelievers have floundered at the Cross regarding salvation. The devil is hard at work at twisting man’s thinking and keeping humanity away from believing in Jesus Christ. He needs to be reminded that his time is short. He has been cursed all ready to spend eternity in hell. The church and Christianity are losing a high place of respect in the public mind, due to deplorable, destitute misleaders of the church, who conduct themselves from under the cloak, with ‘Christian’ written across their back. This conduct arouses the indignation of God, shown by God, as you will see in, for example, the Book of Malachi in the Holy Bible. Church leadership is trying to bolster its case by generating more creative programs but producing less than that with saving value. Many attendees have said that all ‘church’ means to them is loud music and cappuccinos, but not a real worship atmosphere. Others professing to be Christians have said they have left their church to attend a place where they can have deliverance from demons weekly, and even daily, by learning self-deliverance. Others have been deceived and leave evangelical churches to follow what is proclaimed to be Christian Yoga, Christian Buddhism, or centers of spirituality where adherents focus on eastern mysticism and spirituality of the New Age movement that argues we are in an era of a new consciousness.²¹
But others opt out of the Church and religion altogether. This author and his wife, en route to worship service, met an acquaintance, a bright public high school teacher, as they were on their way to an Easter Sunday service. This author wished him a ‘Happy Easter,’ and asked him if he was on his way to attend an Easter service. His friend replied, “Oh! No! That business of Jesus, Easter, Easter eggs, a cross, and bunny rabbits, is not relevant anymore. They are ‘just stories,’ he said. “I gain more value out of a walk in the woods, or sitting on a park bench, than going to listen to someone tell stories only to entertain me.” He has moved from the community, and the author has had no further possible contact with him.
This researcher argues that many church leaders are setting sail on their own, human-made, dangerous course and are leading or driving people further away from God through their focus on entertainment and financial cushioning of their job, rather than the preaching for hearing, heeding warning of sin and the urgent call of God to “Return to Me,” (Deut 30: 8). Jesus continues to say through His written Word today “Come unto Me,” (Matt 11: 28-30). Church administration and leaders need a strong biblical, conservative, evangelical theological foundation to point people correctly to faith in Jesus, who is calling labouring and heavy-laden people under sin unto Himself to find salvation and eternal rest.
Pastors and staff with a solid biblical and theological foundation need to be positioned by pulpit committees and human resource committees as pastors of a church designed for true church growth. In talking with one pastor, he said he always insisted, in a church, he pastored, that he not be paid a salary. When asked why, he told that governments and dollars soon would control his ministry, and not the Lord and His Word. He always worked in a ‘tent- making’ fashion similar to the Apostle Paul. That attitude is foremost for work in the ministry of reconciliation to which God calls all true children of His; compassion for souls must not be controlled by money. Why not take God seriously now while you still have grace, mercy, and forgiveness available? In Judgment Day, it will be too late. Many churches are bowing to government rather than bowing in fear (reverential respect) toward God. Deceived leadership is leading seekers further away from the Gospel toward entertainment and warm fuzzy feelings, or false worship and works, as one pastor portrayed on TV. The world has given up on the church and