Earnestly Contend For The Faith

 

This was Pastor’s central verse Sunday morning:

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 1:3 KJV)

It was so very appropriate, because I read beliefs written by a Christian organization that caused me serious concern:

2. Affirm that the teachings of Jesus provide but one of many ways to experience “God,” the Sacredness, Oneness and Unity of life, and that we can draw from diverse sources of wisdom, including Earth, in our spiritual journey;

That concerns me very much because this is purported to be the second of “The 8 Points of Progressive Christianity.” The Progressive Christianity Organization (PCO) words it a bit differently:

2 Affirm that the teachings of Jesus provide but one of many ways to experience the Sacredness and Oneness of Life, and that we can draw from diverse sources of wisdom in our spiritual journey.

May I remind you what the Bible says about adding to a book of prophecy:

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: (Revelation 22:18 KJV)

There is a Progressive Christian Booklet, “The Bible You Didn’t Know You Could Believe In,” and a review that includes:

The book notes that when we read the Bible in a non-literal way, the rich stories and messages of the Bible begin to open up to us in meaningful and personally transformative ways.  The book affirms how viewing the Bible as the inerrant, infallible word of God is simply inadequate to our modern experience.

As an expression of progressive Christianity, the book emphasizes:
*  Not taking the Bible literally; rather, reading the Bible in light of its historical context and mostly as metaphorical narrative.
*  Freeing God from the bonds of supernatural theism.
*  Viewing Jesus not as divine but as fully human.

I am excluded from the inclusiveness of PCO because I can only accept Jesus as being Christ and Messiah. To believe otherwise is to delete a great portion of the New Testament. Thomas Jefferson did that, and it didn’t catch on at that time. Perhaps we’ve Progressed sufficiently that people can accept “Do good, but don’t accept Jesus as necessary to God’s purpose.”

That’s what PCO does. Some of my favorite verses must disappear from their Bible:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16 ASV)

And Jesus perceiving it withdrew from thence: and many followed him; and he healed them all, (Matthew 12:15 ASV)

Start with John 14, as Jesus is giving final information to His disciples before His crucifixion, as you come to:

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6 KJV)

Actually, the New Testament becomes irrelevant in PCO. It’s not real and certainly not applicable to our culture. There would be no miracles, no resurrection, no Christianity. And, that’s why I write this. Why would a Progressive Organization take the word Christianity and place in their own name? The New Testament writers were witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection. Paul is the best example of what a preacher should be today – and he wrote:

Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. (1 Corinthians 15:12-15 KJV)

If Christ be not risen, there can be no Christianity. Since PCO does not believe Christ is risen, as Paul wrote:

And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. ( Corinthians 15:17 KJV)

According to their 8 Points, PCO cannot believe:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)