The New Evangel

[stephen]

As a boy I concluded evangelicals preached a solid gospel, emphasized evangelism and missions, majored in soul-winning and minored in social issues, abstained from some worldly values ......(and occasionally went too far in this department coming close to legalism), ......were faithful in church attendance, Bible reading, and generally had a biblical worldview.

Sure, we were often called "legalistic fundamentalists" but better to lean right than left. I was never and never will be ashamed of the old definition of "evangelicalism."

Those churches are still around, but something has happened in the last twenty years. New leaders are rising and some do NOT preach a solid gospel yet are called evangelicals. It is not now possible to talk about "evangelicals" with any unity.......

Many call themselves evangelicals when they are not and a new term has sprung up: Evangelical centrist. That means there is compromise somewhere.

To me, this says that today no one is really sure what "evangelicalism" means. When those leaning left such as Tony Campolo and Jim Wallis are called evangelicals, and the magazine known as "Sojourners," I can tell we have a new day.

This is false labeling. When Richard Foster and Brennan Manning, revered by many evangelicals, ....never met a mystical practice they didn't endorse,........... today's evangelicalism has a problem.

At one time "Christianity Today" was the house organ of evangelicalism. Over the last twenty years, that has changed, for now C.T. calls the "Harry Potter" book series, "A wonderful Christmas gift for all."

Many evangelicals have embraced mysticism and have the audacity to call it "Christian mysticism," an oxymoron if there ever was one. Evangelical churches are now proudly announcing to all that they offer classes in "Christian Yoga" which is "just stretching" to them, but in reality, calls down Hindu gods to their Yoga mat.


The lines of defination and distinction, are becoming more blurred.

However as the hymn writer wrote we continue to "Stand up, Stand up for Jesus"

 

[DeaconBob3]

Great post! It reminded me of Jesus' warning to the apostles about scoffers and those that will not endure sound doctrine. Also, His warning that we are to WATCH and PRAY

Thanks

 

[Chad]

I always wonder how "christians" [falsely labeled so called believers] have the audacity to use Jesus Christ and the Bible for their own selfish gains. It is actually something I've personally experienced with an ex-moderator unfortunately. I still cannot comprehend how such call themselves Christians yet they are far from it, knowingly so.

Psalm 26:4
I do not sit with men of falsehood,nor do I consort with hypocrites.

2 Peter 2:1
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

Revelation 19:20
And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

 

[Undergrounder]

Reading this almost immediately reminded me of this verse in Revelation about supposed "Christians" who pay their lip service under the guise of followers of Christ but are servants of the world in reality... we can see Christ's opinion of them right there. Let's hope and pray that they see their errors before it's too late.:

Revelation 3:14-17
"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."

 

[stephen]

There are many voices out there today insisting that yoga can be "sanctified." So the new kid on the block, and a scary one, is "Christian yoga." It's more evidence that the East has seduced the West but why not? With the lack of discernment today, people are flocking to "experiences" and some Christians get excited about having a "closer walk with God" through any gimmick that comes to their neighborhood.
I maintain that "Christian yoga" is an oxymoron, yet one Christian who teaches yoga says, "We wanted to open doors to the people who might be afraid of it. We care about calling it Christian because we wanted them to feel OK about it."

So along with popular videos like "Outstretched for Jesus" comes a Thomas Nelson book, "Yoga for Christians: A Christ-Centered Approach to Physical and Spiritual Health Through Yoga." What is the spiritual help all about? Hindu gods are at play here.

Author Dave Hunt has written "Yoga and the Body of Christ" soundly denouncing this practice. While the promoters of Christian yoga insist it will get a person closer to God, Hunt rightly insists that it is a spiritually dangerous practice designed to expose people to demonic influence. Hunt says, "Many practitioners view its teachings as a means of seeking higher states of consciousness, being, and 'enlightenment . . .' " Hunt says, "Don't get into things that were designed for self-realization and to help you realize that 'you are God.' " He insists there is no way to modify yoga and make it acceptable for Christians.

The word yoga means union, the union of the physical self with the spiritual self, a tricky concept to grasp. Yoga is one of the six fundamental systems of Indian thought. So if you want to get closer to Krishna or Buddha, go ahead, but you won't get closer to the God of the Bible by altering your consciousness and stretching.

Isaiah 2:6 says, "For you have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with influence from the east, and they are soothsayers like the Philistines. . . "