Sunday Sermons
One Way Traffic
he Biblical Pattern of Apostasy
The title One Way Traffic is from an article written by Joel Belz, that appeared in the August 9th, 2003 issue of World Magazine. He started the article by asking the question, “Why is it that institutions and organizations of all kinds generally drift from the right to the left, from orthodoxy to heterodoxy, from faithfulness to unfaithfulness, from discipline to permissiveness? The pattern is unmistakable. You see it in schools, in churches, in the media, in families, in politics, and quite naturally in societies at large. As he notes, the pattern is unmistakable. It is clearly seen in all the universities started years ago as theological schools, like Yale and Harvard, which have become centers of complete unbelief. This trend is also true of schools started by members of the church, almost all of them have gone into apostasy. We see it in the denominational world, which is the result of a huge apostasy (1 Timothy 4:1-3) that only moves further and further into error. We also see it among liberal congregations that are moving farther and farther toward embracing the denominational world. Yet, we should not be shocked by a huge shift towards error, for the Bible is a book that describes one movement away from God after another:
First of all, the pattern found in the Old Testament is one of a continual departure from the truth God had revealed. Adam and Eve departed from God in the garden (Genesis 3). Cain offered a sacrifice that did not conform to God’s requirements (Genesis 4). Noah’s generation was in complete rebellion to God (Genesis 6). Noah’s descendants disobeyed the command to fill the earth (Genesis 9:1; 11:4). The generation that came out of bondage continually rebelled against God (Exodus chapters 14-32). The generation that arose after the time of Joshua went into apostasy (Judges 2:10-11). The book of Judges illustrates one apostasy after another (2:11-23). Eventually the northern Israelite tribes become so bad that God removes them off the land and sent them into exile (2 Kings 17). Eventually the same thing happened to the southern tribe of Judah (2 Chronicles 36). Even after a remnant returned from captivity, they still hadn’t learned their lesson (Malachi chapters 1-2; Ezra chapters 9-10). The same trend continues on into the New Testament (Acts 20:28-31; Romans 1:18-32; Galatians 3:1; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; 2 Peter 2:1ff). What this means is that anyone who thinks that the faith is becoming purer simply as a result of time and human learning and experience is naïve and ignorant of Bible history.
Why is the flow in this direction?
· Liberalism offers quick fixes. The rewards of serving and following God tend to be slower in coming, yet are real and eternal. This is so true, apostasies happen when people are no longer patient to work towards the real solution. Instead of working hard to preach the gospel and talk to people about their souls (2 Timothy 4:2), liberalism wants a quick and easy way to draw new members.
· We become insensitive to the fact that we live in a sin filled world, and that people outside of Christ are walking in darkness (Ephesians 2:1-3; Acts 26:18; 1 Peter 4:1-5), so we start accepting guidance from the world and its proclaimed experts, that is, how to market the gospel, how to produce growth, how to deal with problems or keep unity, without realizing that we are listening to the voices of lost men and women (Romans 12:1-2). We must repeatedly remind ourselves that the culture that surrounds us is not from the Father (1 John 2:15-17), but is frequently advocating the views of Satan (1 John 5:19 “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one”).
· “Organizations, movements, etc., always want to grow. How do you grow? By including more people. Very often, you include more people by compromising. When you decide to stand up for an issue, you have to deal with the fallout. Who likes that?” (World Magazine 8-16-2003, p. 5).
· “The ‘seeker friendly’ movement—exalting the ‘marketing’ impulse over the ‘truth’ obligation—tends to compromise the truth. ‘Be nice, be soft, or people will leave in droves’, seems too often to be the operative maxim” (p. 5). I know that a number of liberal congregations have adopted a “seeker service”. Notice how this conservative denominational magazine can see through such a compromise of the truth while many professed members of the church cannot. Compare such an attitude with Jesus’ teaching techniques. First, He refused to tone down the truth in order to keep disciples or appeal to a wider audience (John 6:60-61). Stumbling over the words of Jesus is not an indication that Jesus was unloving or too abrupt, rather it reveals that the people who stumbled did not have a good heart. If you stumble over what Jesus taught, please note the type of people who stumbled in the Scriptures (Matthew 21:23,42; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 1 Peter 2:7). Secondly, He taught what people needed to hear instead of what people might have wanted to hear (Matthew 5:20; 23:5; 37-39).
· The myth that scholarship means that one needs to question and challenge what the Bible teaches, in order to advance knowledge. People need to realize that the Bible contains the ultimate knowledge, the full knowledge that cannot be improved upon (John 16:13; Colossians 2:3 “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Jude 3). The only way that we can truly “advance” the knowledge found in the Scriptures is simply to teach it faithfully to others (2 Timothy 2:2).
Recently I saw an example of this kind of thinking when a denominational speaker argued that there are two explanations concerning how Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes. One is that the account is literal, and that Jesus miraculously created more than enough for everyone. The other explanation is that the adults in the audience were greedy and had all this food with them already but were unwilling to share. Now where does the text even hint at such an explanation? In fact it clearly states the exact opposite (John 6:13).
· “People who weren’t there at the beginning lack the zeal and the enthusiasm” (p. 5). We see this in the book of Judges, where the second generation did not have the faith of their fathers (Judges 2:9-11). Yet, the good news is that this can change. The generation that came out of Egyptian bondage was unbelieving (Hebrews 3:16-19), yet their children were one of the most faithful generations to exist, and yet their children and grandchildren completely forsook the Lord. We see the same truth in Ezekiel 18. This is one reason why we must be so diligent in seeking to teach God’s truths to our children (Deuteronomy 6:7). In addition, life in the wilderness and hardship produced one of the best generations of all time. Let us not make the mistake of insisting that everything come easy for our children or that being good parents means that our children have things far easier than we had them. Hardship is good! Allow your children to experience some difficulties and go without, insist that they work and earn and patiently wait what they want.
· Liberalism is naïve. It is tempting to think the best when small shifts in apostasy are happening. There is the temptation to avoid conflict or confrontation, and put our heads in the sand hoping that everything will work out. Let us remember that false teachers exist and they are underhanded (Matthew 7:15; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15). When unscriptural practices or concepts are being presented, do not be naïve to think, “Well such is only a little deviation, and they have assured me that this will go no farther”. Brethren, error does have an agenda! Paul said thatsavage wolves would seek to enter the congregation in Ephesus (Acts 20:29), and such an expression does not mean that these teachers would be content with just a little change in the wrong direction. Liberalism is equally naïve when it comes to man, for it is believed that most men are good (instead of the truth that all men have sinned Romans 3:23), and that most people are sincere in what they do and believe. This is quite a contrast from God’s view of sinners as being selfish (2 Timothy 3:2; Titus 3:3; Ephesians 4:17-19; 2:1-3).
The above was been recently demonstrated in the Oak Hills Church of Christ where Max Lucado preaches. An article in the San Antonio Express News, Saturday, September 6th, 2003 noted that the Oak Hills Church of Christ is going to change its name to Oak Hills Church. In addition, instrumental music will be added to the services which will be geared toward young adults, the church will expand and become a multisite with campuses throughout San Antonio and the Oak Hills church also believes that salvation doesn’t come through baptism, but that baptism is the initial step of obedience after salvation. Yet in spite of all these unscriptural changes, Lucado argues that these changes are a change of strategy, not changes of doctrine or core values. Please note: 1. Placing baptism after salvation is a definite change in doctrine (Mark 16:16). 2. During a recent Sunday sermon Lucado said that some find the Church of Christ name to be an insurmountable barrier (to attending). Yet the name is a biblical name (Romans 16:16). According to such logic, should we also change the name of “God” and “Jesus Christ” because non-Christians are also uncomfortable with these names as well? 3. Consider the innocent sounding “multisite with campuses”. This is not establishing other congregations that are autonomous with their own elders (1 Peter 5:2), rather these campuses will simply be Oak Hills satellites, under the mother church. This is nothing more than the Catholic diocese concept, and the emergence of a new denomination, with a human head, headquarters and many congregations under the oversight of one eldership. In fact, Lucado says, “A decade from now, what we’ll remember most is the multisite initiative”. As one writer commented, “they are talking about nothing less than a local denomination” and the elders at Oak Hills trying to oversee something other than the local church” (Morris Bowers). Yet, in spite of all these departures from Scripture here are people who are still convinced that they have not changed any Biblical doctrines! Belz noted, “Syncretism plays a role. We compromise (sometimes called consensus) A with B. Then, B with C, C with D, etc. A gradual drift that carries us far from where we should be” (p. 5).
· It is easy to be lazy. “The trend continues because it is easiest. It requires the least intellectual work” (p. 5). On the other hand, remaining faithful to God requires work, effort, diligence, and study (2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Peter 1:5-11).
· “We erect all manner of idols (work, family, diversions, avocations, the pursuit of wealth and success) which we regard as harmless, since they are the hallmarks of our American society and culture, and which God, in His goodness, allows us to enjoy in unprecedented measure. While professing faith in Christ, we seek fulfillment in the world. In short: We are an undisciplined, world-enamored, pathetic people who know next to nothing about loving the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, mind, and strength. ‘Other than that’, this friend wrote me, ‘we’re in pretty good shape’” (p. 5).
This last paragraph is very strong and pointed. There is nothing wrong with working hard or having nice things, but I believe the author is trying to inform us that many of us think we are really serving God and are really spiritual if we have a comfortable life and basically a good family. We can have all these things and still be lost (Mark 10:17-22). Honestly, do we really love God with everything we are?
