Bible Perspectives/ Inspiration
Please turn in your Bibles to II Peter chapter 1 as we look at God’s prophetic Word or the inspiration of the Scriptures, is the Bible trustworthy? Paul, in Acts 20:27-32 warned the Ephesian elders or pastors by saying, “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
Folks, it is no surprise when the unsaved attack our faith, attack God’s Word, but as Paul said, savage wolves are going to rise up from within also. The reason is simple, they want to draw people to themselves, their doctrine, which means they are drawing people away from Christ. And the warning that Paul gave to the Ephesian elders or pastors is a warning to us today because these savage wolves with their doctrine are increasing at an alarming rate. Let me share with you a few examples of what I mean and please understand that these quotes are from leaders from within the Emerging Church movement. We are told:
The church has been preoccupied with the question, “What happens to your soul after you die?” As if the reason for Jesus coming can be summed up in, “Jesus is trying to help get more souls into heaven, as opposed to hell, after they die.” I just think a fair reading of the Gospels blows that out of the water. I don’t think that the entire message and life of Jesus can be boiled down to that bottom line.
- Brian McLaren, from the PBS special on the Emerging Church
Emergent doesn’t have a position on absolute truth, or on anything for that matter. Do you show up at a dinner party with your neighbors and ask, “What’s this dinner party’s position on absolute truth?” No, you don’t, because it’s a non-sensical question.
- Tony Jones at the 2005 National Youth Workers Convention
“My goal is to destroy Christianity as a world religion and be a recatalyst for the movement of Jesus Christ,” McManus, author of a new book called The Barbarian Way, said in a telephone interview. “Some people are upset with me because it sounds like I’m anti-Christian. I think they may be right.”
Erwin McManus, from The Barbarian Way
Many Christians use “Breath Prayers” throughout their day. You choose a brief sentence, or a simple phrase that can be repeated to Jesus in one breath.”
- Rick Warren
The fact is that contemplative spirituality will play a huge part in the Church of the future, and candles are just the beginning.
- Duane Cottrell
Some of the values of the emerging church are an emphasis on emotions, global outlook, a rise in the use of arts, and a rise in mysticism and spirituality.
And,
Church should be like a dance club.
- Josh Reich, Creating Worship Gatherings for the Emerging Church
These are some quotes from Nicky Gumbel, the creator of the Alpha Course, which is very popular.
Jesus said “I am the Way” . . . but it doesn’t mean to say you write off other religions . . . There is validity in pretty well all religions.
[We] find true happiness – [through] high self-esteem.
[T]he age to come has begun . . . [T]he age to come has broken into history . . . [T]he powers of the new age have erupted into this age.
- Nicky Gumbel, the creator of the Alpha Course
Now this is just a very small sampling of the garbage that is out there, these words of doctrine that are blowing through the church and people are following after them. The problem we are seeing is that people are denying the inspiration of the Scriptures, they deny the authority of God’s Word, they deny that God’s Word is complete, and thus, they are going outside the Word of God and bringing in these destructive heresy’s that are nothing more than doctrines of demons!
My prayer this morning is that you would see God’s Word is truth, it can be trusted because it came from God Himself to us. Thus, when people try to get you to follow some new doctrine, some new experience, you will be able to stand strong upon God’s Word! With that said, let’s begin reading in II Peter chapter 1, starting in verse 16 and see what the Lord has for us this morning regarding the inspiration of the Bible!