Personal Experience Verses The Bible

Recently my wife bought me a copy a popular South African Christian periodical. I hesitated to crack the cover and see what was on the offing in pop evangelicalism. Sadly, my initial skepticism was amply confirmed as I glanced at the table of contents. From cover to cover, the magazine in question can only be described as a tribute to shallowness as it was filled with candy-coated approaches for living the Christian life and articles saturated in spiritual transfats. I can only conclude that a regular diet of such spiritual junk food will most certainly lead to spiritual malnutrition and rickets.

One article immediately caught my attention “23 Minutes In Hell” about one man’s claim to have visited hell in an out of the body of experience. What is so significant about the article is not what it says about hell, but rather what it illustrates about the state of the church at large. Bill Wiese’s claim to have visited hell for 23 minutes is a perfect example of how many professing believers are more disposed to believe someone’s alleged experience than they are to believe God’s word.

In his own words Wiese explains why he had to visit hell:

“The reason I was shown this place was to bring back a message of warning. My story is not one to condemn, but rather to inform you that hell is a real place … I have since discovered that my story coincides with what scripture details about hell.”

It is certain the doctrine of hell has fallen on hard times in our postmodern world that eschews judgment and authority. But the advancement and recovery of this fundamental doctrine will not be revived by alleged claims to have personally experienced the horrors of the second death. My thesis is simple, God’s word is sufficient apart from any one’s invalidated experience. Our knowledge about hell should be formed by the anvil of God’s holy word, not sensationalistic experiences, regardless of how closely they may “coincide” with scripture.

Some might ask at this point, “What is wrong with Wiese’s claim? After all, people are getting saved and coming to Christ as a result of his testimony!”

Let me answer the question by stating a few of problems with relying on experience above the Bible:

1. First, when those, like Wiese, make such outlandish assertions about their personal experiences the tendency is to replace the word of God with the experience. The experience becomes primary and the Bible is relegated to a role of secondary importance. Whether intentional or unintentional, experience is canonized as supreme, thus detracting from God’s word while placing undue emphasis on someone’s personal claims. Luke 16:29-31 clearly addresses this very issue, "But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' ³⁰ "But he said, 'No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!' ³¹ "But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.'"

The story is a familiar one. The rich man is in torment and desires that someone return from the grave to warn his relatives about the impending doom that awaits unbelievers. The rich man’s logic is simple, if some one from the dead pays a house call, then his relatives are sure to believe and so avoid the torments of Hades. But note the unmistakable response—they have “Moses and the Prophets”. In other words they have the word of God, the Old Testament at that time. Refusing to believe what God has already declared in His word on the matter leads to the same end as the rich man.

In John 11 another man by the name Lazarus was brought back from the grave, but not everyone was converted (John 11:47-50; 12:10). In fact the Pharisees were even more determined to murder Jesus as a result of this miracle. To think that a quick trip to hell and back will result in a harvest of souls is as naïve as it is misinformed. Yet, Wiese explains that he had to experience the horrors of hell in order to come back and “inform” us that hell is a real place. The advice Jesus has for Wiese and all who believe him is “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.” Simply put, we don’t need Wiese’s story to tell us what God’s word has already said for thousands of years.

2. Another problem with an overt reliance on personal experience, as a carriage way for truth, is that salvation is never a result of someone’s experience, but only and always a direct result of the faithful and accurate proclamation of the Bible. Romans 10:17 is a cogent reminder of this principle which is often avoided today, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” God’s word serves as the catalyst for bringing precious souls to saving faith in Jesus Christ. One wonders how Wiese’s road show would fare if he scrapped the sensationalistic story telling and stuck strictly to the Scriptures on Hell? Some how I have to believe his popularity would quickly plummet if he stuck solely to the script God has once delivered unto the saints! This would serve as the ultimate litmus test for his claims.

3. Beyond the above, the promotion of experience above God’s word leads to the very real danger of elevating the one who claims to have had the experience. Christ becomes an addendum to the story rather than the central theme. There are two classic examples of this warning and concern uttered by both Paul and Peter. In 2 Corinthians 12:1-9 Paul discusses his inexplicable trip into heaven, but he qualifies it with the fact that God gave him a thorn in the flesh to keep him from thinking more highly of himself than he ought. In addition, Paul, unlike Wiese, is at a complete loss to explain what even happened to him. What is of interest is that God gave Paul a glimpse of heaven, not hell.

The Apostle Peter also had some experiences worth recounting. One such incident was the Mount of Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-13). Yet, Peter didn’t emphasize that incident. On the contrary he distanced himself from that remarkable experience. In 2 Peter 1:19-21 he clearly downplayed that event (2 Peter 1:16-18). He concludes :

“19 And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. ²⁰ But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, ²¹ for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

Peter clearly ranks the importance of scripture over and above personal experiences. As John MacArthur notes, Peter views God’s word as more complete, more authoritative, and more certain than experience. Why? Because the Bible finds its point of origin in God not man (1:20), so it is externally objective as opposed to the subjective embellishments resident in experience. God’s word is supremely reliable (“more sure”) and should always serve as the port of call for our Christian walk.

4. A fourth problem encountered when placing too much emphasis on experience is that it is extremely difficult to exegete some one else’s experience. There is no way to verify or validate the claims made. I constantly challenge my congregation to check out what I preach. When it is God’s word that is preached, this is a relatively simple enterprise as they can contrast what I said with God’s word to see if what I said was true to the Bible. This is impossible when someone has had an experience on the scale of Wiese. We only have his word on the matter.

At this juncture some might be asking how we explain what really happened to Wiese. There are really only three possibilities:

• He could be fabricating the story. I don’t know this to be the case in his instance. But it must be considered as a viable possibility.

• It is also possible that he had a dream that seemed real. How many times do we wake up after a dream that was so vivid that it seemed real? Is it possible he had read or heard a message on hell at some stage that was relived in a dream?

• The third option is that his dream or vision was demonically inspired and influenced by the agents of hell who are more intimately acquainted with the reality and compounded horrors of their ultimate destination than man is. As Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 11:1-13 Satan comes as an angel of light to deceive.

I don’t pretend to know which of the above categories Wiese falls into. He may be completely sincere in his claims to have been to hell and back, but he is sincerely wrong. Again, God’s word is the authority, not Wiese and his experience. Even if Wiese came back with a PowerPoint presentation of his journey, I would still defer to the Bible as the ultimate authority.

5. Another dangerous precedent set by those who rely on experience is that it becomes the grid by which they interpret the Bible. The experience becomes the imperious governor that determines the meaning of the passage. The result is that the real meaning of the text in question is sacrificed on the altar of experience. Rather, our experiences must be subordinated to the real meaning of the text, even when there is no satisfying explanation for what we experienced. It has become too common place in our postmodern culture to start with where we are and then to interpret the Bible on that basis. Instead, we must start with God’s word and work to where we are at once we reach the application of the text!

6. Finally, Wiese’s claim to have briefly gone to hell is biblically irrational. If true, then Wiese tasted the second death—eternal death (Revelation 20:13-14). There is not one instance in the Bible where some saint went into the bowels of hell and returned with an eyewitness account. Isaiah saw God high and lifted up. Paul caught a glimpse of heaven, but not one person in scripture is ever said to have visited hell and then returned. The only one to have ever tasted the torments of hell and live to tell about it was Jesus Christ when He was agonizingly nailed to the cruel cross! For a few brief moments, as the Father turned His face away, Christ suffered the full weight of God’s eternal wrath for sin-- past, present, and future. I am not implying the Christ went to hell, but rather that He tasted of the torments of hell while on the cross. Through His resurrection He triumphed over death to include the second death.

The conclusion of this debate is inescapable, God’s word is supremely sufficient and authoritative for the task of godly living (2 Timothy 3;16-17). Regardless of the issue we face, the Bible must serve as the primary point of departure lest we set sail on the sea of sensationalistic experiences. God’s word is ultimate. Therefore, let the word of Christ richly dwell in you (Colossians 3:16)!

Equivocating Evangels

Last week as I was preparing for my Sunday morning message on the ministry of John the Baptist (Mark 1:2-8), I couldn’t help but think of two interviews I heard earlier in the week. In the first interview, emerging church guru ,Doug Pagitt, was being quizzed by Way of The Master Radio. In the second interview, Joel Osteen was being queried by Larry King.

The interview with Pagitt was as revealing as it was disturbing. When questioned on sin, heaven, hell, and salvation Pagitt was evasive and tried to avoid any certain implications of the doctrines queried. What was painfully obvious was that Pagitt doesn’t believe heaven and hell are real places. I am not sure what he does with passages like John 14:3 where Jesus tells the disciples “I go and prepare a place for you”! In fact, Pagitt sounded a lot like 20th century liberals who maintained that hell is a state of mind.

For someone who lauds and extols tolerance as a cardinal virtue, Pagitt grew increasingly intolerant and hostile with the direct line of questioning. When asked about the eternal destiny of Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims, Pagitt tried to escape into hyper-space by hiding behind a curtain of verbal fog. On this issue he was more illusive than the Loch Ness Monster. Bottom-line, he sounds like a universalist—all will eventually be saved.

The only thing certain in Pagitt’s mind is that nothing is certain. Of this he is certain.

For his part, Osteen had a 43 minute interview with Larry King. As King pressed concerning issues like sin, salvation, heaven, and hell, Osteen countered with a certain “I don’t know” 39 times! One thing listeners can be sure of is that Osteen doesn’t seem to know much. Yet, every week in Houston, Texas 47,000 people crowd around to hear Osteen pontificate about something, that by his own admission, he doesn’t know much about. Go figure!

I wonder how many of Osteen’s fans would go to a doctor who admitted he didn’t know much about the basics of medical science and human physiology? Yet, every week millions entrust their eternal destiny to those, like Osteen and Pagitt, who confess ignorance on such matters. This is all reminiscent of what Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:3-4,

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths.”

The over-arching similarity between Pagitt and Osteen is that both promote theological ambiguity as a cardinal tenant of their faith. They don’t know and they are proud of the fact that they don’t know. They both seem to think that ambiguity on cardinal, central doctrines is some how more humble than certitude. Old Testament prophets they could never be, because they would be unwilling to say “Thus saith the Lord”!

The example of Jesus is most instructive for us. In Matthew 4:1-11 when the Lord was tempted by the Devil, how did He respond? On three rapid fire occasions He declared “It is written”. In like manner, the Lord’s forerunner, John the Baptist, was introduced with same formula of certainty, “It is written” (Mark 1:2).

The “It is written” construction was used in Hellenistic times of legal orders and proclamations. Such a formula conveys both certainty and authority. When used in the Bible, it declares the absolute, permanent, divine record of God to man. This record is forever settled in heaven—the same heaven Pagitt isn’t quite sure about. Where sin, salvation, and the Savior are concerned, there can be no ambiguity. There are no loopholes or exception clauses for those who try to by-pass Jesus Christ as the way, the truth, and the life. Human ingenuity and artistic imagination cannot successfully remove God’s exclusive demands for the sinner.

Just as John the Baptist prepared the way for the Lord’s earthly ministry by preaching the message of “repentance” (Mark 1:4), we are called today to prepare the way for the Lord’s second coming by preaching the same message. To equivocate here, as both Pagitt and Osteen do, is to commit spiritual malpractice, which has eternal consequences for those who listen.

Paul warned Timothy about such non-sense (theological ambiguity) when he said that such men are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth,” (2 Timothy 3:7-8).

In the end, there is no virtue in avoiding the truth, and there is no real humility in equivocating on issues of eternal significance. Jesus considered John the Baptist to be the greatest among men (Matthew 11:11-12) not because he was ambiguous, but because he obediently proclaimed the message of repentance. True humility is found in the obedient proclamation of the gospel. Of this I am certain!

Man-Made Global Warming: Hot Air, Hype, and Honest Science--A Biblical Response (Part 1)

The moment one expresses doubt regarding all the popular promotions of man-made global warming (MGW) the assaults begin. Statements like "He doesn't believe in global warming" and "He sees nothing wrong with polluting the planet" begin to surface. Let me unequivocally state from the outset, though I doubt all the hype related to MGW, that doesn't mean I don't believe in global warming. On the contrary, the earth has warmed by .67C degrees (or 1.2 F). But the big question is, is this man-made or just the ebb-and-flow of natural causes and cycles?

Secondly, I am not in any way advocating trashing God's wonderful creation we enjoy. Quite the opposite, I believe we need to be good stewards and custodians of the environment without allowing it to control us, and without exchanging worship of the Creator for that of the creation (Romans 1:18-32). What most don't realize is that CO2 is not a pollutant, it simply isn't toxic. The vast majority of atmospheric CO2 is the result of oceanic evaporation (98% of the CO2 in the atmosphere).

Psalm 8 is wonderful example of what God expects from man concerning our care-taker responsibilities of all He spoke into existence. Psalm 8 hearkens back to Genesis 1:26-28 where it is said that we (man) were created with the primary responsibility to care for and tend the rest of creation. From the very beginning humanity was tasked with dominion, which is expressed in both ruling and subduing. As Old Testament scholar Eugene Merrill notes, the ruling and subduing are very strong verbs in the original Hebrew, which essentially mean that man was created with the functional duty of "treading down" creation. Implied here is the residential idea of the coming fall in Genesis 3. Unarguably, dominion became exponentially more complicated with the entrance of sin into the equation. Interestingly, God never revoked man's primary earthly responsibility of dominion, even in light of Genesis 3! Now, in a post-fall world, all of creation groans and travails in the convulsive aftermath of sin. This makes our current dominion mandate all the more arduous and tenable, but not entirely impossible.

It is my contention that what is really driving the MGW train has more to do with politics and the New Age movement than real science. What better way for neo-marxists, like Al Gore, to finally exert the kind of governmental power and comprehensive control they desire then through environmental issues? The draconian legislation being proposed by the UN's IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change) will significantly increase both the reach of government and expand their tax coffers. Capitalism and the free market as we now know it will be drastically altered and impaired by big brother bureaucrats around the globe.

Add to the above, the pronounced New Age influence. Environmentalist tend to favor New Age spirituality because of its pantheistic center (God is all and all is God). For this reason, the enviros see man as the number one enemy, because we are encroaching on the environment (creation), which is their sacrosanct shrine. Since the environment is sacred to them, protecting it--even at the expense of humanity--is a solemn sacrament and a cardinal tenant of their nature based faith. This view dramatically collides with the Bible. Psalm 8 makes it clear that man is to look up at God not to confine one's gaze to the earth beneath. When man fails to look up, this earth is all there is. As Romans 1:18-32 reminds us, we then become subservient to creation instead of the creator, with our priorities drastically out of balance. In short, the MGW promoters are trying bring man under the dominion of creation rather than the other way around!

In final analysis, we are called of God, the Sovereign of the universe, to manage the sky, the earth, and the sea (Psalm 8:5-8). This must not be reversed. In the end, do we really think we can change and affect weather? Only Almighty God can achieve this (Mark 4:35-41). Therefore, weather happens, whether we like it or not.

The following is a brief assessment of some of the science involved in this debate. These two letters were recently published in The Cape Argus :

Dear Editor,

Tragically the lopsided scaremongering tactics by the SA media, government, and education department, on man-made global warming have produced the predictable response evidenced by Vuyo Mabandla (People are clueless on climate change 15-10-07). It is precisely because the masses are clueless that they are “freaked out”.

I would like to assure Mabandla that he will keep his scalp for yet another day. The alleged iceberg off the coast of St. Francis is not the first iceberg spotted off SA’s coastal shores. In fact, Captain James Horsburgh, a hydrographer for the East India Company, wrote about numerous iceberg sightings off our shores between 1828-1830 (Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, vol. 120, [1830], pp.117-120).

Horsburgh noted in 1830, “It appears that icebergs, until lately, have seldom been seen by navigators in their passage near the Cape of Good Hope and the coast of South Africa.” Some of the sightings reported sizable ice flows that towered 300 feet above the water and were 2 miles in circumference. How can this be? Remember there were no petrol guzzling SUV’s then!

No doubt, Mabandla has been further influenced by Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore and his propaganda piece “An Inconvenient Truth” (AIT). Mabandla can rest easy where Gore is concerned. What Mabandla hasn’t been told is that just last week, in the UK, a court ruled that Gore’s documentary is as inaccurate as it is misleading (probably why he won the Nobel Prize).

The judge determined that if Gore’s movie is to be shown in UK schools, the learners must properly be informed of two things: First, the movie is not about science but politics. AIT is a lopsided propaganda piece that is not meant to inform, but to politically indoctrinate.

Secondly, the judge highlighted 11 gross inaccuracies (and there are far more) in Gore’s “science” that must be highlighted to learners if the movie is shown. From Lake Chad, to the retreating glaciers on Kilimanjaro, and even the 4 dead seals, the movie is an unqualified farce hardly worthy of honest science.

Like all SA’s learners, Mabandla has been led to believe that high concentrations of atmospheric CO2 have produced a corresponding rise in temperatures. Therefore, we must legislate to regulate CO2 emissions. But the UK judge concluded, contrary to Gore, that there is a convincing body of evidence which states the rise in CO2 levels is actually the result of a preceding increase in temperature.

This makes complete sense when one considers the earth has been thawing out from the Little Ice Age (1400—1850 AD) for the last 150 years. As the temperature has increased (.67C), correspondingly so have water evaporation levels (H2O evaporation accounts for 96% of our atmospheric CO2). If the current CO2 levels are the result of the rise in temperature, then what can we do to curb water evaporation? Absolutely nothing.

According to some leading climatologists, who will never be heard in the mainstream media, there is every reason to believe the modest rise in temperature is part of the natural ebb-and-flow of creation. Sadly, SA’s learners aren’t presented this side of the debate. Instead, learners are force-fed Gore’s science fiction as fact. So much for open-mindedness and the free exchange of ideas, which are supposed to be the hallmarks of true education.

I would like Mabandla to rest well tonight by considering this: If the same people who are chortling about man-made climate change can’t even get the 5 day forecast right, then what are the odds their 100 year predictions of doom-and-gloom are correct?

Mark Christopher


Dear Editor,

Len Stevens (A wake-up call to young people everywhere, 22-10-07) poisons the well with his straw-man claim that the politically correct version of man-made global warming is “irrefutable science”.

Stevens’ egregious assertion is predicated on the faulty assumption that the computer generated climate models are infallible—never mind the great disparity between these models.

The reason for climate model fallibility is simple, weather is a very complex system. All complex systems, like the financial markets, have a multitude of unaccounted for variables which affect the outcome of the predictions. This makes it impossible to accurately predict the ultimate results.

In order to accurately gauge the future of climate change, the current models would need to factor in all of the following variables into their equation: solar variation, gravity, pressure, temperature, density, humidity, clouds, topography, rotation of the Earth, the sea’s changing currents, greenhouse gases, and CO2 dissolved in the oceans—to name a few of the needed variables. The current models are unable to include all of these vital factors, because they are either unknown or ever changing.

The dirty little secret regarding climate models is when one attempts to test them, they fail, sometimes spectacularly so. For this reason, climatologist Patrick Michaels concludes that reliance on climate models amounts to “scientific malpractice”!

All of this hardly makes for “irrefutable science”. Such a claim is as narrow minded as it is irresponsible. As Mark Twain once said, “I’ve seen a heap of trouble in my life and most of it never came to pass.” All the present PC hype about man-made global warming will prove no different.

(Open-minded learners looking for information about websites and articles refuting the PC propaganda regarding this issue can contact me at: weatherhappens@gmail.com)

Mark Christopher

I can only conclude the sky will not fall, nor will the earth spin off its axis because of man. We might harm the environment (all because of sin), but we can't destroy the earth. Only God can do that. When it is all said and done, someday there will be God-induced Global Warming (GGW)! "10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness ..." (2 Peter 3:1--11).

Until then, we need to promote and serve Him and His gospel, not the dogmas of earth worshipping idolaters!

*Note: Pastor Mark will be writing a 60 page booklet on this subject in the next few weeks, which should be available early in 2008!

What's Love Got To Do With It?

Subsequent to Desmond Tutu's vitriolic attack on the truth surrounding homosexuality and same-sex marriage, the debate was once again revived in the papers here in South Africa. Predictably use of the "God is love" argument was copiously employed to silence critics of the gay rights movement in the church. I have always found it amusing that people who never open the cover of a Bible all of a sudden find need to quote from it to advance their cause. Why don't they ever quote from the Koran? Sad that those who use this argument have no concept of God's love. Those who try to leverage this "God is love" logic assume that love is pure emotion. Below is my response to such fallacious thinking :

Dear Editor,

There is no dispute that God is love (God’s love unbiased, Mark Kleinschmidt, and Love your neighbor, Sharon Cox 22-11-07). What is never discussed, when this argument is inveighed as a trump card to promote gay rights, is love’s definition and context.

Both Kleinschmidt and Cox set sail on the choppy sea of subjectivity and relativism with their respective utilitarian notions of God’s love. Because God is a complex of attributes, to include His infinite holiness, righteousness, justice, grace and mercy—not just love—His love must be defined within the broader context of these respective characteristics. Wrenched from these other qualities, God’s love is subjectivised and infused with soppy sentiment. This is not love, but wishful thinking.

The logical conclusion of the Kleinschmidt-Cox equation for love is that almost any behaviour or lifestyle can be justified and validated by invoking the “God is love” argument. Many an adulterer has rationalized their sin by quoting “Love your neighbor as yourself”. But God's love is not a blank check. Once other attributes, like holiness, are added to the love matrix, love takes on moral parameters and ethical imperatives, grounded in the whole of God’s person.

The Bible also says “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16) and “…holiness, without which, no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14). Unless holiness, along with the rest of God’s attributes, is factored into the definition of love, love will be reduced to ambiguity and arbitrariness.

Until one is willing to repent of what the Bible labels sin (adultery, fornication, lying, stealing, murder, rape, pride, corruption, homosexuality … etc…) on the basis of the person and finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, no one can honestly claim they are loving God and their neighbor as themselves. The good news is that God is neither biased nor prejudice. All who seek Him on His terms will find forgiveness and true love. Only then will the world truly be better place!

Rev. Mark Christopher
Living Hope Bible Church

One Flew Over The Tutu's Nest!

This past week saw former Nobel Peace Prize winner, Desmond Tutu, libel all who disagree with his pro-gay position. He used the same old worn-out arguments to try and advance his cause. The sum of Tutu's rant was that he refuses to worship a "homophobic God". It seems, then, his only other alternative is to worship the god of this world. Though it would not be an accurate statement to say God is homophobic, it is correct to assert that God is anti-sin--as argued below.

True to form, Tutu invoked the gay orientation argument. Robbed of this salvo, the gay rights movement would fall flat in a blink. Yet, I know of no DNA test ever performed that was able to discern one's sexual preferences through DNA testing! Being gay is simply not the same as one's skin color. To claim such is disingenuous. It is an emotive argument devoid of any concrete proof.

Below is my public response to Tutu's outrage:

Dear Editor;

In his latest bloviating diatribe (I wouldn’t worship an anti-gay God—Tutu) Desmond Tutu gave a clinic on the use of ad hominem logic. Tutu’s hurling of acerbic invectives at his detractors is a favorite smoke-screen to cloud the weakness of his own arguments on homosexuality and same-sex marriage.

Tutu’s transvalued (calling good evil and evil good) viewpoint on this issue has far more in common with a postmodern, pluralistic culture than the Bible. For Tutu to argue as he does, he must supplant the Bible with the popular interposing of a politically correct culture. To achieve this, he, like many today, must ignore the obvious and argue the ridiculous. This he has done well!

The question arising from Tutu’s tantrum is whether or not God is “anti-gay”? Rather, the question should be is God anti-sin (adultery, fornication, lying, theft, corruption, pride, homosexuality etc…)? The answer is an unequivocal, Yes.

Because God is a complex of attributes, to include His infinite holiness, righteousness, and justice—not just love--He will not “welcome” any sin into His presence. This is precisely why God sent His only begotten Son to die and serve as the perfect sacrifice for humanity’s sin. For those who repent from their sin on the basis of Christ’s finished work on the cross, there is forgiveness and the eternal embrace of a welcoming God! But God only welcomes those who come on His terms.

Therefore, the real question isn’t is God anti-gay, but is Tutu pro-God?

For those who would like to receive a copy of my book Same-Sex Marriage:Is It Really The Same?, please contact me at harborofgrace@gmail.com

Rev. Mark Christopher

The Gay Community's Non-Sense On Stilts!

A few days ago I read one of the more absurd articles I’ve read in recent times. The article was entitled “Churches Ban Gay Marriage”. This article was in response to South Africa’s recent legalization of same-sex marriage. The gay community is now lamenting the fact that some denominations, churches, and pastors refuse to officiate same-sex weddings, even though the recent legislation in South Africa provides for ministers to exercise their conscience on the issue.

The gist of the article was that, in light of some refusing to perform same-sex unions, now the issue had advanced from one of “gay rights” to one “human rights”. The letter below is my response to this absurd notion of marriage being a “human right”:


Dear Editor;

As a pastor I found the comments of Vista Kalipa (Churches ban gay marriage 17-05-07) telling. According to Kalipa and Triangle Project, marriage is now a "human rights issue".

I have always approached marriage as a God-given privilege. As such, there are a host of reasons why I won't marry some couples--being same-sex is but one.

If I don't think a couple is ready, or prepared, or fails to meet other biblical criteria, my policy is simple: I am not obligated to marry them. To date none of those I have turned away have ever died, gone hungry, suffered from lack of shelter, or been psychologically harmed as a result of my policy.

Since marriage is now a "human rights" issue, what about the following scenarios? :

• Refusing to marry polygamists, which is technically legal here?

• A case of pedogamy, whereby an intergenerational couple, ages 12 and 50, wish to marry. They are both consenting, loving, and the 12 year old has a signed permission slip from his or her parents. Am I obligated to marry them?
  
• In the UK, animal rights activists have filed a court case on behalf of a chimp, to accord the chimp "human rights" status. If chimps are granted "human rights", would their human rights be violated if I refused to marry them?

In the end, Kalipa's absurd statement has more to do with trying to legislate opposing thought than human rights. For this reason I urge all truly God-fearing pastors and denominations to lovingly, yet firmly, stand true to their God-given convictions, and to obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29)!

Rev. Mark Christopher

The paper did print the letter and I did not receive any responses, either positively or negatively. What the original article underscored was the fact that the gay community isn’t interested in equal rights. Rather, they desire special rights whereby their “rights” trump everyone else’s. This is about them holding Bible-believing Christianity hostage with their transvalued logic. I have read enough of their own literature to know their goal is to destroy traditional Christianity and all of its institutions like marriage and family, which is all seen as the progenitor of their plight.

What I find interesting in this whole debate is that it is always Christianity that is the target of the gay lobby’s attacks. My questions is, what about Islam? As this debate has raged here in South Africa for the last several years, not one word or peep from the Islamic community or the Muslim Judicial Council—Why? Why hasn’t one of these avante-garde, postmodern journalists investigated Islam’s position on the whole homosexual, same-sex issue? For some inexplicable reason Islam has slid under the radar here. While the papers printed the names of churches and pastors that will marry same-sex couples, why didn’t they print the names of Imams and Mosques where same-sex couples could exchange their vows? –PROBABLY BECAUSE THERE ARE NONE!

Though I don’t pretend to know why Islam has been so silent on the subject here, I do have a theory. Could their silence be because they know this watershed event, of same-sex marriage, heralds the demise of western civilization as we know it? Is their silence part of their strategy to win the ultimate victory over the perverse infidels? Or is it because they hope the sanctioning of same-sex unions will lend greater credence and acceptance to the polygamous marriages they endorse? At this point I can only surmise, because the media is conspicuous by its silence toward Islam on this matter.

What I do know is, if the media were to pursue Islam on this topic the way they have Christianity, they would find themselves in a similar situation to that of Salmon Rushdie, after he wrote “Satanic Verses” a few years ago. Quite frankly, the modern day media doesn’t have the courage or the stomach for such an investigation. So it is that the gay community and its obedient lap-dog, the media, will content themselves with relentlessly attacking Bible-believing Christianity and making the true Church out to be the villain. This, of course, will ultimately fail, as Jesus Christ has built His Church and the gates of hell will not prevail!

Streams of Spiritual Subterfuge--Part 2

In part one of this article I began discussing some of the major streams of thought that insidiously seduce many professing believers and poison the well of thought in the Church. In the former article I briefly examined the nature and consequences of individualism. Though the Bible teaches aspects of individualism, it does so within the confines of Christ and His blood-bought community, the Church. For this reason, we are to love our neighbor as ourselves!

Another dangerous contagion of thought that has mutated and made major inroads into the minds of many is the philosophy of radical egalitarianism. Egalitarianism is more practically known through the various equality movements … a.k.a equal rights. While some of the goals of the equal rights movement are noble and even laudable, like most secular philosophies many have gone to seed and burst the banks of all reasonable thought. It is one thing to promote equal pay for equal work, or to seek social and legal equality for those of a different ethnicity and culture. But when egalitarians seek to erase all known, observable God-given distinctions, reason has jumped the fence and given birth to radical egalitarianism.

The Bible clearly recognizes an equality of essence, whereby all men and women of all races, classes, and creeds share an equality of derived essence (or being) from God as Creator. The New Testament underscores this equality of essence in the very nature of the gospel message. In passages like Galatians 3:28; Colossians 1:28; & 3:11, it is clearly taught that there is no segregation or apartheid at the foot of the cross. The finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvary provides a level playing for all who desire salvation and the forgiveness of sin. There is one salvation for all mankind that transcends the barriers sinful man has constructed.

This God-given equality underscored in salvation through Christ, gives way to the obvious distinctions found in function, form, and responsibility. It should be obvious to all (sadly it is not) not all were born with equal abilities. Some are stronger, faster, smarter, wiser, more talented, more skillful, more experienced, more qualified, and more proficient. In the Christian economy such distinctions of ability are duly noted in the function of the Church. All believers are gifted differently and variously (1 Corinthians 12:4-31; Romans 12:4-8). Apart from such variation and degrees of giftedness, the Church couldn’t adequately function. Further, God established a simple hierarchy of leadership (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-11), without which the Church would cease to fulfill her divine mandate.

Radical egalitarianism endeavors to eradicate all such distinctions of form and function from society. The result is the homogenizing of culture into a bland and ambiguous tolerance. When all distinctions are expunged, all perversions become acceptable. Many academics and postmodern think-tank elites promote the notion of the androgynous ideal. In the androgynous world there is neither male nor female, as these are constructs of society. Hence, the neuter-gender ideal is ardently promoted. Radical Feminism has advanced this cause for over forty years now. The gay rights movement has this as their cardinal virtue. This why we see them tenaciously embrace trans-sexuality, trans-gender, and transvestitism. In this bazaar world without boundaries everything is acceptable except the obvious—distinctions.

How has such none-sense on stilts influenced the Church? Here are but a couple of ways:

• The feminist movement—both the secular and evangelical versions—has so conditioned men through the various appendages of the media, academics, and culture, that many are now confused. Many men have become frustrated and now suffer from Gender-Identity Crisis (GIC). Men no longer know what it means to be a man, let alone a godly man. We have been told to get in-touch with our feminine selves. The result is that men are in the process of being feminized, while the women are being masculinized. Many men are now on the pathway of emasculated masculinity. Think of the impact of this on the family, the Church, and society. As a pastor, one of the greatest challenges I have is to get men to be godly men and lead their families in a truly spiritual way. This is why godly, qualified leadership in the Church is becoming increasingly harder to come by.
  
  
• Closely related to the Gender-Identity Crisis, is the breakdown of the family. Radical egalitarianism has sought to subvert biblical gender-roles. This has produced a situation where the wives are often actively in-submissive, while the husbands are subjugated and passive. There has been a role reversal and a corresponding blurring of authority. This has produced more confusion and ultimately chaos in the home, as God-given guidelines are ignored. The believing husband is to always love his wife as Christ loved the Church (sacrificially), while the believing wife is to voluntarily and functionally submit (Ephesians 5:23ff). In this, they both realize their fulfillment as they mirror the relationship Christ has with His Church! This is the only antidote for the current ills that plague our homes.
  
  
• Radical egalitarianism has negatively influenced the Church in profound ways. Thus, it is now fairly common-place for women to pursue the pastorate (1 Timothy 2:9-15). It is no mere coincidence that homosexuality in the Church and homosexuals in the pulpit, has become the issue de jure of the day. What few realize is that the same hermeneutic used to justify women in the pulpit, is the one-in-the-same hermeneutic marshaled to advance homosexuality in the Church. A Church that advocates women in the pulpit today, will more than likely either soften, or abandon altogether, its stance on homosexuality tomorrow. The issue as it relates to women is not one of individual ability, but rather an issue related to divinely sanctioned suitability for a God designed role.
  
  
  There is no doubt radical egalitarianism has gone to an unacceptable extreme as its advocates have sought to influence all of society. But they have forgotten not all ideas are equal. Not all have equal strength, intelligence, or ability for a given task. Not all who ride in The Argus Cycle Tour have equal talent, training, experience, or equipment, as the results clearly attest. Though the lowly private is equal in essence to the general, in function there is an observed hierarchy, apart from which the military could not operate effectively.
  
  Outside of death being the great equalizer, there is only one place where all of humanity has an equal footing—in the shadow of the cross of Christ. God’s provision of salvation does not discriminate. Yet, in the living out of that salvation there is a biblically prescribed form and function that must be observed. The Church ignores this to its own detriment. Our true identity and fulfillment as the Bride of Christ is at stake. If we, as the Church, are to comply with our divinely appointed mandate, we must shake off the fertilizing effects of radical egalitarianism by refusing to compromise with the spirit of the age.
  
  
  (Part Three of this article will address the issues of democracy and freedom respectively)

The Radical Watchman

The Radical Watchman Streams of Spiritual Subterfuge-- Part One


As a shepherd I am always concerned about who or what is influencing the sheep God has entrusted to me. In this age of mass communication this is an almost impossible task. There are countless ways in which one can be imperceptibly influenced, either positively or negatively. Rather than assuming the role of thought police, it is much easier to try and teach believers to think more biblically. True wisdom from above is required to keep from becoming another fatality to the world’s ideals and philosophies. This must be taught as well as caught.

The book of Proverbs addresses the very dilemma I pose:

Proverbs 22:3 “The prudent sees the evil and hides him, But the naive go on, and are punished for it.”

Proverbs 27:12 “A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, The naive proceed and pay the penalty.”

Proverbs 14:16 “A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless.”

These three verses all convey the same central idea. The point is that the truly wise person is aware of the dangers that surround them. The wise-one responds by taking the necessary steps required to avoid the potential trap and the accompanying consequences. Contrast this with the naïve or the simple. They ignore the danger signs and subsequently make no effort to avoid the raging stream that is headed right for them. As Matthew Henry rightly notes, “The simple who believe every word that flatters them will believe none that warns them.” I shutter to think how many times I’ve warned some senseless sheep who thought they knew better than God on some issue, and ultimately they suffered the due recompense of their rebellion. God is never mocked.

The wise on the other hand are discerning and maintain an acute sense of what is going on around them. They are honest with the subtlety of hostile thought before them. The wise consciously acknowledge the pesticide of the world’s perverse logic and ideas. Therefore, they are not deceived by self or otherwise. They both see and acknowledge the temptation that confronts them, so they clothe themselves in the full armor of God and stand their ground in the might that only Christ can afford!

What amazes me today is the pure subtlety of the seduction of our minds. Yes, even the believer’s mind is never exempt from this. This is why Paul warned the Colossians to take heed so that they would not be taken hostage by the world’s false systems of knowledge and faulty erudition (Colossians 2:8). I maintain that the church of Jesus of Christ is being inexorably seduced in a very surreptitious manner. Many well meaning Christians think they are orthodox in their doctrine and practice, yet they are being influenced in ways they don’t understand or acknowledge. This has led to the weakening and distillation of their faith and ultimately the church.

There are four cardinal streams of thought that I would like to introduce (This is by no means exhaustive) . These four tributaries are impacting us in ways we are not even aware of. Thus, if we are not conscious of these influences, we are probably being commanded by them without even realizing it. These are the four major influences we should be alerted to: individualism, egalitarianism, democracy, and freedom:

The world’s cultic obsession with the notion of individualism has not left the church unscathed. Though the Bible acknowledges the fact that we are individuals, it certainly never elevates this truth beyond its limits. In the Untied States we have a wonderful document called The Declaration of Independence, which has sadly become the creed of many individuals, even in the church. This creed of strident independence has produced the love of self over and above love for God and for fellow man.

The rugged individualism espoused by the west today has spawned the whole human rights movement. The crux of the human rights movement is nothing more than an attempt to rid oneself of any form of discipline, obligation to others, and the avoidance of moral imperatives. It has become another way in which to camouflage sin.

The Bible, on the other hand, seeks to focus christian thinking not on human rights, but rather on christian duties that are often other oriented. Man has a duty first before God, and secondly a duty toward his fellow man. Hence, the greatest commands-- to love God and then man! The very concept of duty implies an authority that is external to us. This further implies that we are accountable beings, not islands unto ourselves. We actually answer to someone other than ourselves .This external authority means we are accountable rather than responsible. The word responsibility is currently in vogue. Responsibility is a word that infers we are in charge; we control the situation in some way. This is why it is common to hear someone speak of their “responsibilities”, but rarely will one hear it said that one is “accountable”. Where the things of God are concerned it is more accurate to speak of our accountability to Him rather than our responsibilty

The sum of individualism finally leads to division, not unity. Yet, unity is the goal of the politically correct jet-set and the intellectual elite. In this, the world is oxymoronic, they scream “unity” while at the same time sowing the seeds of division through their pious platitudes on individualism. How ironic.

Practically speaking the fruit of this dogma can be seen in a variety of ways in the twenty-first century church:

Through novel interpretations of God’s word--I have encountered this more times than I care to remember. Though believers should be encouraged to be good Bereans this doesn’t imply they should come up with their own self-styled, designer fashion labels for the Bible. Because of the mass media explosion and the cyber space revolution, well meaning Christians are often exposed to an avalanche of bad or, at the least, questionable teaching. This often leads them to individualize what they have learned into their own unique theology. This is what I call idiosyncratic theology.

Suddenly every one is an expert peddling their own self-styled brand of theology that often runs contrary to the truth. The kicker is that these unique interpretations are often promoted as cardinal doctrines that their defenders tenaciously promote to the detriment of the major pillars of the faith. Such people are a like a guitarist that only plays one note in the same key over and over again. This becomes monotonous and boorish in a relatively short time. It is often a reliable indicator of a person’s true maturity level in Christ. Practitioners of this approach usually swat at a gnat while swallowing a camel. They emphasize the minors to the exclusion of the majors. They prate on endlessly about issues like tongues speaking, spiritual warfare, the KJV 1611 only, diet, allegorical interpretations, conspiracy theories and the like. They love to be heard for their much speaking. They pretend to be authorities on something they really know nothing about. These self-proclaimed experts are both a danger and a menace to the church because they thrive on a crowd. Thus, they are influencing others in the church.

In some instances it becomes necessary to apply Titus 3:9-10 to such persons,
“But shun foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the
Law; for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a factious man after a first and
second warning.”

A second fruit of individualism is subjectivism. Because self is firmly ensconced as the premier authority of one’s life, it goes without saying that what “I” think or feel is paramount. One can hardly have a conversation with another believer without hearing “Well, I just feel…” As David Wells so poignantly pointed out “We have been feeling a lot these days. The problem is we aren’t feeling so well.”! The rugged individualist makes life transforming decisions without thought or regard for others that might be affected adversely by the decision made. How many a marriage has ended because one or both partners make important decisions without consulting the other? God created us to be proactive creatures not reactive. When we live life from the cuff, then we are pursuing a subjective course of life. This is a direct result of rugged individualism.

A third fruit of individualism is that of ecclesiastical (church) isolationism. The autonomy of the individual asserts that church is no longer necessary. What really matters is my personal relationship with the Lord. The mantra of those who suffer from this malady is “I really don’t need church. I actually feel closer to the Lord when I stay home and listen to CD’s and read my Bible and pray.” What they are really saying is, “I avoid authority and accountability. I will selfishly pursue my own course without regard for the church for which Christ gave His own life blood (Acts 20:28). I will intentionally withhold my gift of service from the body of Jesus Christ and serve myself instead.”

Tragically this blatant creed is epidemic today. Yet the command of Hebrews 10:24-
25 still rings true, “…and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of
some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing
near.” This is a command not a mere suggestion. The imperative nature of this
passage is reminiscent of the old saying which states, if Christ thought enough
of the church to give His life blood for it; well might we think it important enough
to expend a little sweat for it. In the end, true love for Christ portends a real love for
His church in some local expression. To profess Christ and then remain
unchurched is a contradiction. One’s love for Christ will naturally lead to a love for
His church.

A fourth fruit of individualism in the church is an unteachable spirit. When one is completely self-centered and the highest authority is self, then what can they possibly learn that they don’t already know? I have actually had people in the congregation who sat with their feet kicked out and their arms folded, with a look of utter defiance that said, “Go ahead and try to teach me something I don’t already know. I dare you!” Their body language says all that needs to be said. They refuse to listen. Pride and arrogance circumscribe them. Though they refuse to be taught, they are always ready to teach you and others. Yet their lives usually reveal how little they really know, for they are long on talk, but short on action.

Finally, the fruit of individualism is the catalyst for disunity in the church. The ardent individualist is always pursuing his own agenda at the expense of others in the church. They selfishly promote their own idiosyncratic theologies and contradict the pastor at every turn and undermine what he and the leadership are trying achieve. Confusion and disruption are their specialty. Like an arsonist, they throw lit matches into the brush causing conflagrations amongst the flock. You can always tell where they have been because of the charred, barren landscape they leave behind.

It is interesting that in the New Testament there are thirty-five one another passages. Certainly the word of God is loudly promoting the fact that the lone ranger approach to Christ is to be avoided at all cost. Philosophical individualism is impacting the church in a profound way. We need to be wise to this and on guard against the nefarious affects of this pernicious dogma. As the ancient sage once said, “A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless.”

*(In part two the other three streams of thought will be considered—egalatarianism, democracy, and freedom)

The Radical Watchman

The Radical Watchman

A Hideous Hypocrisy

In 1 Timothy 3:15 the Apostle Paul challenged Timothy with these words, "... I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth." Without attempting an exhaustive exposition of the passage, the essence of the passage is a staunch reminder of the important marriage between sound doctrine and sage behavior. In short, when doctrine is amended so is human conduct. In like manner, when morals and ethics slip so does sound doctrine. The church of Jesus Christ is to be the ground for both sound teaching and corresponding behavior.

Sadly many churches and denominations have long since forgotten or ignored Paul's admonition to Timothy. This has evidenced itself in a thousand different evils. One prominent illustration of this is seen in the current debate around same-sex marriage. In South Africa, where I currently minister, it never ceases to amaze me how many churches are quick to take up the saber against homosexuality and same-sex marriage, while at the same time turning a blind eye to the many heterosexual sins in their own midst.

This prompted me to respond to a recent article in The Cape Argus by The Marriage Alliance against same-sex marriage ( same-sex marriage was recently legalized in South Africa). Though I agreed with most of what was touted in the article, I still took exception because of the blatant hypocrisy of most churches who ignore a myriad of other sexual sins in their own pews. A lack of sound doctrine has produced pews filled with convival instead of revival.

The following is what the paper printed of my response:

Dear Editor,

Though I whole heartedly agree with Errol Naidoo (Allowing gay marriage will undermine the foundation of our society, 07-06-06), as a pastor I must demur. Sadly, I know there are many churches that inconsistently and selectively maintain the biblical standards of sexuality and marriage.

On the one hand there are churches that will fight tenaciously against same-sex marriage and homosexuality. Yet, on the other hand they are hypocritically undermining the same God ordained institution (marriage) they piously profess to preserve.

It is nothing short of crass hypocrisy for churches and pastors to hurl polemics against homosexuality and same-sex marriage while entertaining fornication, cohabitation, adultery, and easy divorce in the pew. What is even worse is when a church turns a blind eye to their pastor in the pulpit, who is guilty of the same ( One can be forgiven of such vice, but the consequences of such failures render one disqualified from the ministry).

Ironically, by maintaining this double standard, the church at large is contributing to the demise of the very institution it seeks to save. Until God's people, both in the pew and pulpit, consistently apply all that God has to say on matters of sexuality and the sanctity of marriage, how can we expect His blessing in this realm? After all, "Judgment begins at the house of God"!

My point is simple, if the church is to begin winning this most important battle, then we are will have to consistently wed sound doctrine to sanctified morals. Until that is done "Ichabod" will be the only echo we hear being whispered down our corridors of the church.

Introduction To The Radical Watchman

The ancient watchman in the Old Testament were tasked with the duty of perching themselves on the city walls or watch towers while scanning the immediate horizon for any danger. Any suspicious persons or signs were met with the sounding of the alert. Old Testament prophets were sometimes referred to as watchmen for God. It was their duty to hearld both bad and good news to the nation of Israel. In keeping with this background, I am launching this blog site with the view of commenting on dangerous cultural and societal trends, and fads that are antithetical to the cause of Christ and the truth of God's infallible word!

As a missionary pastor I've learned that biblical discernment is a must in the 21st century. Yet, this attribute is conspicuous by its absence in the Church at large. Therefore, I am throwing my voice out, through this medium, to hopefully encourage some and win others for the sake of Christ! To that end this blog is not meant to politically correct nor is it intended to be popular. As the old saying goes "Truth is usually in the minority"!

Indeed, truth is outraged by silence. The Radical Watchman is intended to crack the airwaves of silence that seem to paralyise the Church at large and seeks to say what few are saying today. As Isaiah, a watchman of old, once said, "On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; All day and all night they will never keep silent."(Isaiah 62:6)!

Thus, the goal of this blog is to blow the trumpet of God to His tune though few may listen (Jeremiah 6:17). This in itself is radical. In this may some be encouraged, others warned, and God be glorified!

Yours For The Master's Use
Pastor Mark