apostasy at the ETS
The ETS (Evangelical Theological Society) has just concluded their annual meeting and having heard from several theologians and scholars who attended, the use of the term "Evangelical" is becoming less and less meaningful to those of us who affirm the HISTORIC Christian faith. The types of views that are somehow being "accepted" under the banner "Evangelical" should deeply concern those of us who are seeking to faithfully hold onto and propagate the Apostolic faith.
Several years ago a theistic evolutionist at the conference boldly declared and then attempted to defend his view that there was no literal Adam as a historical person. The doctrine of inerrancy is constantly being eroded as I highlighted in my last blogpost.
This year it appears that the "gay affirming" position, which is the belief a Christian can somehow be in a sexual relationship with a person of the same sex that God blesses and sanctions, is being considered an "Evangelical option", as was evidenced by a panel that included 2 "gay affirming" in dialogue with 2 affirming the "traditional" view.
I just need to say this as clearly as I can. How in the world have we arrived at a place where behavior that the Apostles taught would result in people "not inheriting the Kingdom of God" now be "acceptable"? This is apostasy clear and simple. The Apostle Paul wrote, "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." (1 Timothy 4:1).
This constitutes abandonment of "the faith". Paul had in mind some other heresies and practices in writing to Timothy, but in our day and age, this verse is being fulfilled before our very eyes.
I don't know what will happen moving forward with the term "Evangelical", but recent developments and surely there are more shocking ones to come, will inevitably lead to a new self-identification for historic Evangelicals. As I said, I dusted off the term "Fundamentalist" as increasingly meaningful. I wonder if others will agree.
Several years ago a theistic evolutionist at the conference boldly declared and then attempted to defend his view that there was no literal Adam as a historical person. The doctrine of inerrancy is constantly being eroded as I highlighted in my last blogpost.
This year it appears that the "gay affirming" position, which is the belief a Christian can somehow be in a sexual relationship with a person of the same sex that God blesses and sanctions, is being considered an "Evangelical option", as was evidenced by a panel that included 2 "gay affirming" in dialogue with 2 affirming the "traditional" view.
I just need to say this as clearly as I can. How in the world have we arrived at a place where behavior that the Apostles taught would result in people "not inheriting the Kingdom of God" now be "acceptable"? This is apostasy clear and simple. The Apostle Paul wrote, "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." (1 Timothy 4:1).
This constitutes abandonment of "the faith". Paul had in mind some other heresies and practices in writing to Timothy, but in our day and age, this verse is being fulfilled before our very eyes.
I don't know what will happen moving forward with the term "Evangelical", but recent developments and surely there are more shocking ones to come, will inevitably lead to a new self-identification for historic Evangelicals. As I said, I dusted off the term "Fundamentalist" as increasingly meaningful. I wonder if others will agree.
Comments
Post a Comment