"Jesus did not die for a religion. He did not die to make you religious."
This is a popular heresy within the NAR movement. Religion represents a threat to them because religious people like me insist on the bible as the final arbiter of truth - not our experiences. Suddenly anyone who dares to bring up a verse to show them their error is labeled a legalist, Pharisee or someone who is too religious. They like to scream that you can't put God in a box but the box is called the bible and He placed Himself in it to protect us from the deceitfulness of our own wicked hearts. God established the word religion, so good luck trying to tear it down.
That was it for the sermon. I feel badly for the church that had to endure this series over the summer. The mish mosh of various popular heresies all rolled into one excruciating half hour. I can barely blame the pastor dude who admitted that he was a product of churchianity. Saved at seven years old I think he said. Now he is 41 and has been raised in Rick Warren's purpose driven church theology. As far as this sermon and the series, there is one last point and that is the fundamental underpinning of his preaching is simply inaccurate. His position is that God told us that He wants His kingdom to come to earth and he kept pointing back to the key verses today, which we know as Lord's Prayer. Without getting into every line, what specifically is God teaching His disciples here when He says to pray "thy kingdom come?" We know from Scripture that His kingdom will come when He returns. The preterist thinks this has happened already but that is an unbiblical position to hold. Even the NAR and this speaker do not believe that. They believe that the church is somehow going to help bring about the second coming. Technically they are right but they miss the point, which is always the Gospel. What will bring about the second coming of Christ? For the NAR teacher it is the seven mountains mandate. Biblically however it is when all people have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When we pray for His kingdom to come, it should be a rallying cry for the church to get back to the only thing that has the power to save a soul and usher in the kingdom- the Gospel. Only then can His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
The key in that equation is that it takes the power to save and places it back in the hands of God where it belongs. We plant or water but God gives the increase. This sermon came from a church I had never heard of in a state I do not live in. The frightening thing to me though is it is preached every Sunday in pulpits throughout this land. It is the end result of decades of purpose driven theology and seeker friendly church growth schemes. We have pastors who actually think God wants to share His glory with us. Pastors who challenge their listeners to attack the darkness with the flashlight of their own flesh because they have yet to hear the true gospel which could impart to them the light of Jesus Christ. People may read the sermon snippets here or listen to similar sermons and bemoan what the big deal is. Read Matthew 7 and weep at the millions who stand before Christ and say, Lord Lord - didn't we go to church every week, share your glory, partner with you in attacking the darkness and....away from me they will hear - for I never knew you.
Reverend Anthony Wade - October 7, 2018
