Sunday, April 08, 2007

Humble ambiguity and arrogant certainty!

I am reading John MacArthur's new book, The Truth War, wherein he tells of the need to fulfill the instructions of Jude 3 to contend earnestly for the faith. I recommend this book to all, understanding that it is written from and evangelical and Calvinist perspective. He makes many good points about the need for a militant Christianity rather than a sensuous accommodation to the culture of our time.

God's Word is eternally true, eternally binding, and eternally clear.

This book does a good job of describing the postmodern, Emerging Church movement. I found this criticism of the Emerging church quite revealing:

Christ's headship in the church is likewise being challenged by those in the Emerging Church movement who have suggested that Scripture is simply not clear enough to allow us to preach its truth with any degree of clarity, certainty, or conviction. Most would never come right out and deny that the Bible is the Word of God, but they accomplish exactly the same thing when they insist that no one has any right to say for sure what the Bible means. (155)
MacArthur notes that postmodernism has transformed doubt, uncertainty, and qualms about practically every teaching of Scripture into high virtue. Strong convictions plainly stated are invariably labeled "arrogance" by those who favor postmodern dialogue.

Postmodernism casts us on a sea of uncertainty and glorifies agnosticism as supposedly a virtuous "humility." Frankly, such humility is realistically simple faithlessness. No, I'm not suggesting that we ought to be "know-it-alls." But at the same time, can we not have the saving knowledge that sets us free? Is the promise of Jesus found in John 8:31-32 true? Not if you believe the postmodern, religiously-correct crowd.

We don't have to have perfect, infinite knowledge to know some things. As for our Christianity, we know God is right when He speaks. We believe Him. He, after all, does know it all and is perfect in knowledge. If He says so, then who are we to correct Him? He doesn't need our elite help. We need His. Proverbs 3:5 is true about life and true about "doctrine."

The call of our time is not to compromise but to faith in God's word. Believe it.

kindly,
phil

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