I've been reading a couple of good books recently. One is called "Running Against the Wind" by Brian Flynn (http://www.lighthousetrails.com/runningagainstthewind.htm) - a former New Age medium who shares the story of how God saved him, and warns the Church about the New Age practices and doctrines he sees creeping within its walls. The second book, which I am presently working on, is called "The Other Side of the River," written by Kevin Reeves (http://www.theothersideoftheriver.com). Once again, it is written from the perspective of one who used to be in the movement (The River Movement, a.k.a., The Third Wave, The Latter Rain) and who has seen the dangers firsthand.
As I've contemplated both movements (New Age and The River), I have noticed a fundamental similarity between them. They both want people to move away from the authority of the written Word of God and into the realm of the subjective experience. New Age leads people to find help from the demon world to cure sickness, predict future events, and "feel a sense of peace." The River Movement leads people to accept the authority of their pastor and his revelations over everything else, and uses scare tactics to keep people from asking honest questions about what they see as unscriptural practice and teaching.
Nor are these two groups alone. Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, I'm told, have a similar practice - exalting the teachings of an individual over the Word of God (e.g. Joseph Smith, C.T. Russell) and refusing to read any literature that would be contrary, not to the Word of God, but to the man-made teachings of their group!
Sadly, some Christians are following suit... locking into a teaching/practice/way of thinking that was handed down by their denomination or pastor rather than searching the Scriptures to see if these things are true. Shame on us!
I am grateful for the opportunity I had to attend Northwest Baptist Seminary (www.nbs.edu) to pursue a Master's degree in Theological Studies. At NBS, the professors made me think and taught me how to ask questions! They even (gasp) gave me articles from opposing viewpoints in order to challenge me to get back into the Scriptures and think beyond the limitations of my untested preconceived notions. They weren't afraid that I'd disagree with them if I studied the Bible. Rather, they gave me the tools to sift through the cultish smokescreens to truth (subjective experience) and look at what the biblical authors had to say to their original audiences.
I'm still learning to correctly apply the tools to the study of the Word of God, and I'm still working on the discipline to dig into the Word daily and let God use it to challenge and refine me... but this one thing I am convinced of - the Lord does not change and He has given His written Word so that we may come to know Him as He is. Our relationship with Him is not based on our feelings or subjective experience, or on the feelings or experiences of another. Our relationship with Him is based solely on the finished work of His Son, Jesus Christ - the God-Man, who through His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection from the dead, paid the penalty for our sins so that we may, through faith in Him, receive eternal life and dwell with God.
There is NO OTHER WAY to know God. Jesus has declared it - "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me. If you really knew me, you would now my Father also" (Jn. 14:6-9).
No comments:
Post a Comment