*This article is in response to Glenn Beck’s recent statements about the backlash of speaking at Liberty University.  I have opposed inviting Glenn Beck speak at Convocation because he is not a Christian.

Dear Glenn Beck,

Discovering your program long before you moved to New York and then Texas, from the early days I enjoyed your political commentary, satire, and “Moron Trivia”.  While I do not always agree with you, you have amassed an empire that does try to combat the liberal bias prevalent in other outlets.  I rarely listen to you today, but I am not hostile to you.

I am a graduate of Liberty University in Lynchburg Virginia.  In fact, I am not merely a one time graduate,  I hold my undergraduate degree and a Master of Divinity, Master of Business Administration, and Master of Arts in Religion from Liberty.   I am a conservative and not one who would bash you or Liberty because of your conservative stance.

Yet, I opposed you speaking at my Alma Mater.  This has nothing to do, as you said, with hate, it has everything to do with doctrine.  You see, I am a Christian who holds to the historic faith of Christianity.  You do not.

You hold to the Mormon faith.  While you claim to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, your church has made a mockery of the Jesus I worship.  Calling Jesus the brother of Lucifer, you attack Jesus’ Holiness and essence.  Denying the Trinity, you reject the fullness of the glory of God.  Adding to the Word of God, you attack the basis of all our knowledge of God Almighty.

You are not merely in another denomination, you are in another religion.  You are not worshiping Jesus Christ, you are worshiping another person you name “Jesus Christ.”  This is not merely my opinion, for 2,000 years the denials of these key doctrinal differences have always been considered outside the Christian religion.  I am not making up a new criteria, I affirm these criteria.

Let me assure you, we will not share heaven together.

The true Gospel says that we are all sinners and no amount of good work can help you achieve heaven.  In fact, your Baptism means nothing.  Your good works means nothing.  Your worship at your Mormon church means nothing.  None of this can garner you favor with God.

We differ on many issues.  For instance, Christian believe Jesus is both Elohim and Yahweh.  In fact, Jesus taught that the entire Old Testament is about Jesus.  Jesus was not our brother in the sense that we are like Him, Jesus is our God in the sense that He created us.  Jesus is not the firstborn in the sense that Jesus was born first, but that He is the pre-eminent God who suffered and rose from the dead.  He is risen, not as merely an example for us, but because He took on our sins and conquered the grave.

Jesus has been, is, and forever will be fully God.  We are not and never will be.

What you worship is nothing more than an elevated human.  What I worship is God who became human.  You expect us to become gods.  My God calls that understanding blasphemy.

In other words, we are in two different religions worshiping two different people who both happen to be named “Jesus.”

Salvation, as well, is not about a feeling you get where God gives you this burning bosom.  No, salvation is  being regenerated by the Holy Spirit to become a new creation.  If you had a burning bosom, you need to go to the doctor.  God never calls us to look inside for confirmation of our salvation, that is an 1800’s modernistic approach to religion, not the religion of the Bible.

Your religion focuses on the subjectivity of God.  God is more than subjective, He is truth.  You focus on emotions to convert people.  God in the Bible focuses on repentance and faith.

I opposed your appearance at Liberty because you are not a Christian.  This does not mean I hate you.  I don’t.  I am captive to the truth of the Word of God, and I am convinced you are not only wrong, but not a Christian.

We may agree politically.  On many issues I am glad to unite with you.  But theologically, we must be honest about our divisions.  As Dr. Albert Mohler stated when he addressed BYU, “We will not share heaven together, but we may go to jail together.”

I will never agree with inviting non-Christians to address Liberty Students in our convocation.  You are no exception.  However, do not take that as hating you, take it as acknowledging our tremendous differences.

For the Glory of God Alone,

Derick R. Dickens, MBA, MDiv, MA