Heresy---Denominational Style

[HKHaugan]

Heresy---institutional style

When a nation’s leaders yield to the cultural idols of the moment that nation’s future is in jeopardy. Much of the fault will lie at the door of religious denominations. When that happens, it is the Body of Christ that must stand for truth. That is why I chose to revisit a statement made three years ago. If anyone can possibly doubt that many so-called ‘mainline’ denominations have been hijacked by the humanistic gurus of cultural accommodation, the following statement seals the proof:

“The crisis of this moment has several parts, and like Episcopalians, particularly ones in Mississippi, they're all related. The overarching connection in all of these crises has to do with the great Western heresy - that we can be saved as individuals, that any of us alone can be in right relationship with God. It's caricatured in some quarters by insisting that salvation depends on reciting a specific verbal formula about Jesus. That individualist focus is a form of idolatry, for it puts me and my words in the place that only God can occupy, at the center of existence, as the ground of all being. That heresy is one reason for the theme of this Convention (Mrs. Katherine Schori, Presiding Bishop, opening address, Episcopal Church General Convention 2009).”

This statement needs careful analysis. First, it presents a subtle nuance, the idea that apart from the institutional church and its leadership there is no salvation. To be more specific, apart from Mrs.Schori’s personal position there is no salvation.

Second, it poses the question of her own belief in personal salvation. As a denominational leader she is responsible for the direction of the spiritual policies affecting all those committed to her oversight. Therefore it is a critical question and one that needs answering. Note carefully how she phrased her statement “…the great Western heresy” (to whom is she pointing?) - 1. that we can be saved as individuals, 2. that any of us alone can be in right relationship with God, 3. that individualist focus is a form of idolatry 4. reciting a specific verbal formula about Jesus (by the way, denominational baptism requires a verbal formula and what is a catechism recitation?) thus making her conclusion of heresy a heresy, a false assumption, a blatant abuse of the Cross, its Person and purpose.

And to the condemnation of all the bishops, clergy and lay leaders assembled from all over the United States, not one voice was raised in objection. No one was shocked, no one was stunned, no one commented and no one interviewed after gave it any notice. Denominational leadership has been mesmerized by its own self-importance.

Furthermore, this statement inadvertently brings what Mrs.Schori really believes into question. She wants us to conclude that it is bad to think we can accept Jesus personally because it places each of us at the center of existence. Well of course it does! That was His intention! Ultimate existence is the Kingdom of God and that is very personal and interpersonal, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God (Jn.1:12-13).” Since Jesus is the center as the Father indicated in His Son’s Baptism and Transfiguration, each one of us who believe in Him is personally at one with Him as He prayed for in John 17:20-26! He desires every person in the world to be with Him at the center where He is.

Rather than the accusation of implied spiritual pride what should be seen is the humility that being at one with Jesus inspires. From that humility before the One who has transformed our hearts, the ministry and mission to love others and bring the world to the Lord is evidenced in the amazing continuation and growth of the Body of Christ (not denominations but the Body) across the centuries. If anything it is denominational leadership that has slowed the progress of mission and ministry and that by its culturally conformed bureaucracy, compromised seminaries and assumed clerical superiority.

Praise Him, thank Him, fall down on our knees and worship Him. He died to prove that reality of being at one with Him and sent His Holy Spirit to make it possible to be at one with Him and therefore central to Him and with Him. We are in serious eternal trouble if this isn’t true. Especially is it true when Jesus says, “I am going to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (Jn.14:2-3).” The Lord Jesus has placed each of us as the center of His individual focus in order for us to know He came to save us personally. We are no longer orphans but His friends, younger brothers and sisters of His in the Kingdom. That is why we evangelize, share the truth of the Gospel and bring others into the Body of Christ.

If the atonement of Jesus, His sacrifice on the Cross for each of us, was not a personal experience then it was no atonement and no experience at all. God did not make generic human beings, robotic humanoids without uniqueness. Just as the Son is unique so each one of us is created to be unique like Him to have a unique relationship with Him. That is part of the glory He shares with us.

The ‘sameing’ or ‘look alike’ conformity the world wants from us is satanic. Each person is precious to Jesus. It is sin’s pride that has been subtly introduced here, that without hierarchy there is no authority or salvation. We are no longer to be like Christ but only like the conforming ideas of human leadership’s interpretation operating outside the Bible. This is exactly what happened to Israel with its Phariseeism which Jesus came to challenge. There was only conformity to the Law as the Pharisees defined it. What makes the problem even more serious is the institutional conformity not to Jesus but to the culture, ‘the spirit of the age,’ that changes from day to day and year to year.

One has only to view the anti-Israel, pro-homosexual, pro-abortion, Bible-distorting stance of a dysfunctional hierarchy that can’t even agree on the Virgin Birth of Jesus and His Resurrection to see the fallacy in her statement. Her statement is probably the most self-centered statement publically made by a clergy person. It puts her in charge and middle level management (bishops and clergy) better conform or they are ‘given the boot’ as many have discovered in their removal as clergy and her hostile use of civil law for property seizure in days after her ‘accession to the throne.’

The iron rod of conformity to man’s manipulation of denominational law has left heavy stripes on the backs of Bible believers who have been given no choice but to leave or yield to man’s abuse of God’s Word. Many clergy were stabbed in the back by the very bishops they supported. To stay and compromise is to drive a modernized nail into the Cross of Jesus. If believers contribute to these compromisers they are supporting the spiritual regression of their soul and the souls of others in the Body of Christ. You cannot think you are taking a middle ground, a neutral position, in spiritual issues, and say ‘Well, it’s not happening here.’

Further, you can’t say ‘I’m staying because the church needs me to stand for the truth.’ The truth is clear when Paul teaches us to come out from among them (2Cor.6:14-7:1). If the institutional leadership changes the rules and you stay you become a part of that change, you are agreeing by remaining. You become part of the problem and not part of the answer. This is not a matter of something ‘they are doing that doesn’t affect me.’ What you think and do spiritually affects everyone with whom you come in contact. You are playing with real bullets here. As the saying goes, “All it takes for evil to win is for good men to do nothing.”

The Lord Jesus made it very clear for all future generations when He said, “When you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ ---spoken of through the prophet Daniel---let the reader understand---then let those in Judea flee to the mountains (Mt.24:15).” The denial of a personal Savior and Lord is the ongoing abomination that brings desolation. Remember the same was true regarding the high priest Caiaphas who conspired with the Romans to crucify Jesus. Jesus’ words were confirmed in 70AD after the Roman standard was set in the middle of the Temple which was then destroyed and not one stone was left on another.

The same dynamic is at work today in many church denominations. They have a mindset that says they alone have a corner on the truth. When it is seen pray against it, expose it and pray for those who are trapped by it. Paul’s words speak to the issue as they always have [my underlining for emphasis], “10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17-18 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints (Eph.6).”