10-03-2008 23:41

Conversing with the Devils, and Reclaimi

Dear Matt, I do not know if you know anything about Charles Dickens, Jeremy Bentham, and utilitarianism or not. Utilitarianism was a 19th-century philosophy of the greatest good for the greatest number. This philosophy evolved into what is called pragmatism in the 20th century through such people as William James and George Santayana. 
 
Philosophy, literature, and theology parallel and complement each other all through history. In my little scenario, just for supposition, we will let Charles Dickens be the representative of the spiritual/theological (if you will) and Jeremy Bentham be the practical/ecclesiastical representative. Jeremy Bentham was so practical and utilitarian that he proposed people should save and preserve (no pun intended here) the heads of their relatives to be enclosed in glass cases on top of posts in their driveways so that little "Mary" of the next-generation and following generations could see what "Aunt Maude" looked like. Charles Dickens pounded Jeremy Bentham for his utilitarianism. In his novel, Hard Times (pun intended here ecclesiastically), Dickens satirized Jeremy Bentham and his type for "facts, nothing but facts." Sadly though, facts are not necessarily truths. 
 
We are not trying to preserve the old church, the new church, the emerging church or any other church; but the Church of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. Paul told Timothy to preach the Gospel in season and out of season. It does not matter whether anyone comes to church or does a million zillion people. In fact, we cannot preserve any church. The Trinity; of the Father electing the people, the Son redeeming them, and the Spirit sealing them; only can preserve the Church of Jesus Christ. The eternal regeneration of the Son by the Father provides a Redeemer who provided an Atonement for God's elect only can preserve the Church of Jesus Christ. The Father and Son send the Holy Spirit to seal and preserve the church. 
 
Your facts and figures cannot save anyone. Your ecclesiology cannot save anyone. Man has become anthropocentric (man-centered) instead of being theocentric (God-centered). Our world revolves around God, and not ourselves. 
 
We are not here to study new movements, but to preach the Gospel delivered by the Saints. Paul said in Galatians that if anyone, even an angel from heaven, preaches a Gospel other than the one he preached may that person be anathema, be accursed, or in other words, go to Hell. He later in Galatians even stated he wished these people would even castrate themselves. 
 
In your closing paragraph, you were talking about the church becoming irrelevant. This is very erroneous and dangerous. You talk as though God were some kind of impotent being wringing His hands and worrying about someone neglecting or not choosing Him or making Him irrelevant. Redemption has been accomplished and applied. The battle is over. Christ has won the victory, and his church is victorious.

Guest