Text: "Salvation is of the Lord." --{Jonah 2:9)

Throughout history, the Christian Church has sailed through the bloody seas of persecution. Her greatest persecutors, however, have been the heresies that have crept unawares into her midst. Worst of all, many of these wore the garb of orthodoxy.

The heresies that dominated the first 300 after the years founding of the Church pertained to the person of Jesus Christ: "Is Jesus Christ God manifested in flesh?" Although there were 79 sects of Gnostics, they had one thing in common: they denied the Deity of Christ. The Arians taught the Son of God was not eternal, although the prophet Micah identified Him as the One whose "goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." (Micah 5:2) Monarchists like the Sabellianists taught the Father and the Son are the same. But God raised up Athanasius to combat such false teaching and to proclaim the Gospel as it was once delivered unto the saints.

The heresies that characterized the next 300 years pertained to the nature of Christ: "If Jesus Christ is ‘very God of very God’ is He man?" "If He is the ‘God-Man’ does He have a Divine will and human will?" The Monophysites declared Christ had one nature, and the Monothelites declared Christ had only a Divine will. But the worse heresy of all was known as Pelagianism.

Pelagius was a Welshman, born in early 400’s and was named "Morgan" or "Ocean-born." Like many in his day, he translated his name into Latin and became known as "Pelagius."

Pelagius became a British monk but his doctrine was crippled in nature. The Apostle Paul wrote, "As by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned." (Romans 5:12) Yet, Pelagius taught human nature is not fallen in Adam; that infants are born in innocence; and that original sin (i.e. our pollution from Adam) was a myth. Although David wrote, "In sin did my mother conceive me" (Psalm 51:5), Pelagius denied the transmission of guilt to our children. Writing by the inspiration of God, the Apostle wrote, "The wages of sin is death" and "As in Adam all die." (Romans 6:23; I Corinthians 15:22)

The greatest error of Pelagius, however, was that he adopted the pagan concept of Socrates and taught that man had the ability to do good if he chooses. His error lay in the fact he thought righteousness (i.e. right standing with God) lies in external actions. He could not distinguish the difference between the "righteousness of doing" and the "righteousness of believing." (Romans 4: 13)

Pelagius taught man has a free will, but what he failed to understand was that when Adam sinned, his intellect, his emotion and his volition (i.e. his will) became depraved. Man now chooses lust for love, and ecstasy to fear, but "Blessed are the poor in spirit (i.e. the "tremblers in spirit") for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3)

God raised up a David to combat this Goliath. Augustine was born November 13, 354. His remarkable conversion was the grace God bestowed upon his mother for her earnest prayers. He became pastor in Hippo, North Africa. His preaching was a return to the sincere milk of God’s Word. Like the Apostle Paul before his time preached human nature is depraved, and that faith originates not in the heart of man but in the grace of God. "For is it God Who worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

A man named Cassian revived the old heresy by modifying it with Augustianism. It was therefore called Semi-Pelagianism and affirmed Scripture teaches the reality of original sin and corruption, but in the matter of salvation, man has the natural ability to take the first step. Cassian taught "God helps those who help themselves;" that God wishes and helps everyone to be saved; that it is man’s will that determines one’s acceptance or rejection with God.

Cassian taught sinlessness was attainable by good works despite the fact the Apostle John taught "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth in not in us;" (I John 1:8) and Solomon affirmed "There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not." (Ecclesiastes 7:20) "Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye made perfect by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:3) Cassian removed salvation from the hands of God and placed it in the hands of man.

Semi-Pelagianism, by claiming the grace of God was to be found in good works instead of in the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, gave birth to the doctrine of penance. Even though it was repudiated by the Synod of Orange in 529, this heresy continued to plague the professing Church for 1000 years. It was then that it was modified.

Jacob Harmensen was born in 1560. Like Pelagius before him, he Latinized his name and became known as Arminius. He became a Dutch professor in Amsterdam where he taught that man by nature has freewill, that he has natural ability to do good and to please God. He taught God elected all men to salvation on condition he believes, or on condition he is worthy of salvation by good works. Years before, however, the Apostle Paul, writing by Divine inspiration, wrote that men are "predestinated...unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ ...according to the good pleasure of His will." (Ephesians 1:5,9-12)

Arminius continued the religious humanism of Pelagius and Cassian whose teachings are yet in our churches. He disallowed the doctrine of the sovereignty of God; he spurned the doctrine of predestination and taught instead that Christ, by His death, has ransomed all sinners. He taught that finite man was able to resist Almighty God, and since man was the instigator of his salvation, man could lose his salvation. The great historian, Merle D’Aubigne, correctly declares, "Salvation viewed as coming from man is the creating principle of all error and abuse."

Scripture teaches that men are totally depraved—that by nature, apart from the grace of God, their condition is without hope. Writing to the Church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul wrote, "...at that time ye were without Christ... having no hope and God in the world." (Ephesians 2:1,12) Martin Luther declared, "If you believe the grace of God has anything to do with man, you know nothing of the grace of God."

God’s Word further tells us God has chosen us in Christ "before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." (Ephesians 1:4) And, Jesus was so named by the angel "because He shall save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) Note: Jesus Christ did not "try" to save His people: He came to seek and to save them. When He died on the cross, He cried, "It is finished!" And note again: He did not come to save His people "in their sins," but "from their sins." (See: Isaiah 53:11)

God’s grace is irresistible. Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand." (John 10:27-29)

God "preserveth the way of His saints." (Proverbs 2:8) "He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ;" that is, if God has begun a work in your heart He will continue that work until the Lord returns. {Philippians 1:6; see: John 18:9) The tragedy is that the truth of God is preference to the church today instead of a conviction.

After God preserved His truth for 1800 years, a l9th century movement appeared in England that called for the abolition of all creeds. These "Latitudinarians" as they were called, were so broad-minded that they were without convictions. The Broad Church Party, became the state church party, and was begun by Samuel Taylor Coleridge who introduced England to German Rationalism.

The British Baptist Union became inundated with preachers who denied the doctrine of everlasting punishment and who taught that after sinners died, God would give them a second chance at salvation! As a result, Charles Haddon Spurgeon withdrew from the Union declaring it to be a "confederacy in evil" and likening it to Noah’s Ark saying it was "fit only for creeping and crawling things."

This century has seen the rise of two new theological positions. There are those who believe what things Scripture teaches is true. While they have been designated as "Fundamentalists" or "Conservatives," they are simple "believers."

On the opposite end of the spectrum are those ministers and theologians who have been designated as "Liberals." Men with names like Emil Brunner, and Rudolf Bultmann are in this camp. Mr. Bultmann taught the Bible had to be "de-mythologized"-- that Adam and Eve, and Jonah were myths. This camp is characterized by unbelievers, or people who do not believe the Bible to be the Word of God.

Then in the early part of this century, a Swiss theologian named Karl Barth introduced a new concept known as Neo-Orthodoxy, or the New Orthodoxy. This camp is comprised of liberal theologians who attempt to hide their unbelief by using fundamental terms. They do this by redefining words. For instance, if you asked your minister if he believes in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, if he is Neo-Orthodox he will claim he believes the meaning of the word "virgin" is "young woman." Not every young woman is a virgin, however, and not every virgin is a young woman.

Such a definition, therefore, is an unequivocal denial of the virgin birth of our Saviour.

In 1947, a fourth camp came into being. In that year, Mr. Harold Ockenga, pastor of the Park Street Church in Boston, Massachusetts, coined the term "Neo-Evangelicalism." In essence it was a carbon copy of the 19th century Broad Church Party or the "Latitudinarians" in England. This is the most popular camp in the present-day backslidden church. While many in this camp are believers, this group maintains Neo-Orthodox and Liberal ministers are also Christians but who have a difference of opinion. If this is true, the term "unbeliever" has no meaning. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers."

Reader has Jesus Christ ever saved you from your sin? Have you been delivered from the pleasure and power of sin? If not, repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out.

CHRISTIAN COUNSELORS, AND

THEIR UNCHRISTIAN COUNSEL

Text: "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." (Col. 2:8)

In 19th century England, Richard Edgeworth instructed his daughter saying, "Maria, a man cannot be good for anything who is very popular." Personally, I hold everyone suspect who is popular, especially those who are popular within the modern-day backslidden church. For this reason, I refuse to waste my time with most contemporary Christian music and literature.

Oh, the dangers of being popular! To disseminate falsehood is bad --very bad, but when a popular figure disseminates falsehood, it is worse-- much worse. In such a case, error may spread with the fury of a plague. At such times, people must be warned, even at the risk of angering them. And, every child of God should be warned of the Freudian fallacies that taint materials put out by Christian counselors such as Tim LaHaye and James Dobson.

It is very alarming when counselors such as Tim LaHaye and James Dobson remain popular in evangelical circles in spite of serious divergences from Biblical truth. James warns, "Be not many masters (teachers) knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation." (3:1)

These highly respected counselors encourage the practice of onanism --a sin of chief magnitude, and secondly, they stray from Scriptural teaching concerning the submission to authority.

In 14 years of publishing, we have never addressed this sin by name. Paul declares, "It is a shame even to speak of those things that are done of them in secret." (Ephesians 5:12) Although it is a thing full of shame, it is nevertheless necessary to address because it is a sin that is greatly on the rise in the church. This rise is partly due to the fact that Christian counselors encourage its practice and even exhort parents to teach their children to practice it. We are therefore of the opinion that the sin must be addressed, but by the grace of God we intend to do it as prudently as possible.

In Genesis chapter 38, God gave Judah 3 sons. He took Tamar as a wife for Er, his oldest son, but Er "was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him." (7)

There was a custom in these days that if a man died childless, the husband’s brother should marry his sister-in-law in order to preserve his brother’s name in Israel. Judah therefore instructed Onan to marry his brother’s wife and "raise up seed" (or children) to his brother. (8)

Onan knew any children born to his brother’s widow would be reckoned as children of his brother, and not his children; "and it came to pass when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother." (9) Webster defines the sin known as onanism as the sin of masturbation. "And the thing, which he did, displeased the Lord: wherefore He slew him also." (10)

Although such sin is so displeasing to the Lord that He killed

Judah’s son, contemporary Christian counselors exhort parents to teach their children its practice! Their argument is that it is a "release", and a "lesser of two evils."

Masturbation is patently wrong for reasons we all know.

First, God made us in secret --in private, but among ungodly men, nothing is secret or hallowed: all is vulgar, coarse and crass. Man is not the product of a biological function. It is He that hath made us and not we ourselves. We should be discreet and reverent before our body. As we are made to "show forth His glory", so we are designed for His purpose.

Second, God has made us stewards of our bodies. If we to be judged for each idle word, how much greater will judgment for the gratification of ourselves! The evil in all sin is the worship of the creature above the Creator Who is blessed forever.

Third, God looks upon our heart. Regardless of what James Dobson or Tim LaHaye counsel, we are instructed to "cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God," and to bring into captivity "every thought to the obedience of Christ." (II Corinthians 10:5) It is our baser passions that cry out to be educated in all the corners of nastiness. We are at war! Like the Apostle Paul, we are to keep our body under, and to "bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should he a castaway." (I Corinthians 9:27)

I pity the unmarried man or woman who has filled their imaginations with fleshly romances. While they pride themselves with their ability to be "open" and "frank", they are not willing to admit they are vulgar, carnal and base.

"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy Word." (Psalm 119:9) It is not profitable to be a hearer of the Word unless we are also a doer of the Word. We must "take heed thereto according to Thy Word." Obedience is the first step in Christian maturity.

Writing not by private interpretation, but by Divine inspiration, the Apostle Paul declares we are to "submit ourselves one to another in the fear of God." (Ephesians 5:21) He then proceeds to exhort wives to submit themselves "unto your own husbands as unto the Lord;" (22) and he gives as his reason for such exhortation "for the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the Church: and he is the saviour of the body." (23) Solomon declares that a virtuous woman "will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." (Proverbs 31:12)

Someone will ask, "But what if the husband is a scoundrel?"

The Bible declares, "The Lord hateth putting away." (Malachi 2:16) It is therefore "damnable heresy" for a Christian psychologist or psychiatrist to counsel divorce! What counsel can be more "unchristian" than to advise one to do that thing which the Lord hates!

"What then is a Christian wife to do who finds herself in such straits?" Let her take heed to the Word of God. Peter exhorts, "Likewise, ye wives, he in subjection to your own husbands: that if any obey not the Word, they also may without the Word be won by the conversation of the wives; while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, or of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." (I Peter 3:1-4)

But what do we hear so often from Christian counselors? Just the opposite! -- A wife should exhibit a "tough love"-- one that will draw the line and make the husband choose his course.

It is high time that Christian counsel returned to counsel that is Christian.