Tag: false
2 Ways the Church Makes Being a Christian Hard
Posted on April 12, 2018 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
Prior to the 19th century there was no such thing as an altar call. It might surprise many to know the church, even the American church, never used such a method. And yet, the American church experienced tremendous growth. But Finney wanted more. He wanted to see people saved immediately and sought to use the altar call (he called it the “anxious bench”) to create an emotional response from people. The unintended consequence, however, was to change the way Christians think about evangelism.
How Many “Gospels” Have You Heard?
Posted on July 19, 2017 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
In a recent podcast I heard the speaker reference “the gospel of acceptance” and explain that some people are simply seeking a gospel in which they feel accepted. With so much division in our culture it’s easy to see how people could long for acceptance and place acceptance so high on their priority list that it becomes, essentially, a gospel.
As I listened to this podcast I realized that not only does every person alive live under some sort of religious ideology, but everyone is a champion for their own brand of gospel.
The Shack: Why This Popular Book and Movie Should Be Condemned by Christians
Posted on March 22, 2017 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
And then there is the favorite Christian excuse: “well, if it leads one person to Jesus it’s okay with me.” What a cowardly, damnable position to take. I should know; I used to take that position. I used to be of the opinion that anything that could lead a person toward Jesus was a good thing. The problem is that when the thing you are using to lead people to Jesus doesn’t accurately reflect the truth of who Jesus is, you are leading people to a false Jesus, a false Gospel, and a lie. Furthermore, you are creating an idol. Anything, book, movie, or preacher that does not biblically represent Jesus is creating an idol for others to worship. For this reason, movies like The Shack are little more than heretical portrayals of God in need of rebuke by Christians, not support.
Worshiptainment: An Idol in Our Lives and Our Churches that Must Be Brought Down
Posted on February 17, 2016 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
Back in the 1950’s and 1960’s, A.W. Tozer, a highly respected pastor, author, and theologian, was concerned that people just wanted to be entertained, even when they came to church. His fear was that society in general was moving towards an insatiable desire to be entertained. It seems his fears were well-founded and the subject needs to be revisited once again.
Like many, I have been in public settings where people would normally be interacting but they were all staring at their phones. It seems the next tweet, Instagram photo, or Facebook post was more captivating than the people around them. And now, our reliance on social media for stimulation and entertainment has made its way into the church. Entertainment has, in many ways, become another possible master for us to choose from.
A recent article at Desiring God explores the reality that entertainment has become the master of choice for many people, even Christians. The author confesses that entertainment has been used “…to distract me from the guilt of sin, friction in relationships, or anxiety about work. It became what daily prayer and Bible reading should have been — a safe haven to retreat for rest and comfort.”
But the result of choosing entertainment as a master is that it will slowly draw us away from Christ:
9 False Statements Christians Say – And Why They’re False
Posted on April 13, 2015 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
Have you ever made a statement like “we’re all God’s children”? It’s a common phrase heard most often quoted by Christians (and those claiming to be Christians). The problem is that this statement is patently false. So why do Christians say something like it?
Some adages and cliches have become so entrenched in Christians and church culture that they get repeated generation after generation without much thought. But these statements are not just false, some are anti-biblical, and some lead people astray. So what are the most overused and unbiblical statements Christians need to never ever, ever, say again? Here’s the list:
Recent Survey Discovers the Most Popular Heresies Among Evangelical Christians
Posted on November 11, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
As my church prepares to begin walking through the book of Ecclesiastes on Sunday mornings, I am already reminded of Solomon’s oft-repeated phrase: “There’s nothing new under the sun.”
That phrase comes to mind as I read the results of a recent survey conducted by LifeWay Research for Ligonier Ministries concerning the theological beliefs of evangelical Christians. These views, heretical at best, show the lack of theological training and how it has caused a host of ancient heresies to resurface today.
Here is a list of some of the troubling statistics:
Who Are the Lukewarm That Jesus Spits Out of His Mouth?
Posted on February 18, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
Quite often we hear lessons or illustrations about the “lukewarm” in the church. Almost unanimously these lessons center around teaching that the lukewarm are people that are saved but simply do not live out their faith, or are not active in growing in their faith. They are, according to most teaching, people that confess Christ but do not actively serve, worship, share, or serve Him.
Most often these teachings are based on Revelation chapter 3, the famous passage in which Christ describes people that are “neither hot nor cold” and for that reason he is sickened by the fact that these people are lukewarm and will “spit them out” of His mouth. This is strong language. And people have generally read this passage and believed that these are Christians not doing anything for Christ (which is what makes them lukewarm) and because of that Christ is sickened. But I believe this is an incorrect understanding of this passage; an incorrect view that could affect eternity.