11. The actor portraying Jesus, Jonathan Roumie has a "rosary live" broadcast, so again, what are we leading people to?
This is just a partial list. We must remember that this is all part of the end times deception. As the key verse today reminds us, there are only two choices. You are either gathering people to Christ or scattering them away from Him. The Chosen pretends they are doing the former when they are definitely doing the latter.
"Not surprisingly, Baucham's comments about "The Chosen" violating the Second Commandment caught the attention of show creator Dallas Jenkins, who posted a fairly substantial reaction to Facebook. "I love Voddie Baucham, but I think this take is misapplied," Jenkins wrote. "The 2nd commandment is clearly referring to objects of worship, and most likely, specifically objects of worship that compete with God." The TV and movie director then shared Exodus 20:4-6, adding additional context to the text that precludes people making carved images. Verse five implores people not to "bow down" or serve these images"a factor Jenkins believes differentiates "The Chosen" from what's described in Scripture." - Charisma News
Gotta love when Dallas Jenkins thinks he needs to correct Voddie Baucham. While Baucham may not have clarified his objection, Jenkins' interpretation is silly. God is not merely referring to carved images but rather what they represent and if they are "worshipped" before the one true God. So yes, in the ancient world they bowed down to a carved image but that usually represented a false deity who represented something they were putting ahead of God. Some ancient gods represented love or wealth and prosperity, for example. In modern times we may have done away with the carved image, but we routinely place things like money or love before God in our lives. Perhaps that was even Voddie's point because the fake jesus in The Chosen is literally chosen instead of the real God. Why? Because the real God requires surrender and obedience, not just this sloppy agape jesus in the TV show. Jenkins has in fact bowed down to this false god he has created because he does not want the real God, for whom it is not all about the heart.
'"Pastor Baucham's logic is that because a movie or show portraying Christ is showing someone who comes from heaven, then it's idolatrous," Jenkins wrote. "Or because it's the portrayal of God, an image of God, it's idolatrous." He continued, "But it's not the portrayal or image itself that's the issue (if it was, then as the verse says, 'anything' on earth or even water would be wrong to portray). It's clearly the worship of it." Jenkins then added what's seen in the Scriptures above"that "God is a jealous God" and wants His followers to choose Him over any idol. The director made clear he sees no contradiction in his show and the Lord's teaching in Scripture.
"No one is worshiping the TV screen; we're not claiming the show is the Bible or Jonathan [Roumie] is actually Jesus," Jenkins wrote. "And no one believes the portrayal is an object of worship or anything other than another way to illustrate and point people to truth."' - Charisma News
I am not sure that was Baucham's point, and I would be surprised if he meant that. The problem is not that the actor is an image of Jesus but that he is a wildly inaccurate image of Jesus that leads people away from the real Jesus. THAT is the problem with The Chosen. Jenkins feigning ignorance here is pretty comical. The Chosen is not "another way to point people to the truth" but rather the exact opposite. The answer of the director (Jenkins) is irrelevant. What do you expect him to say? Dallas Jenkins clearly does not know, comprehend or care about scripture. Idolatry is not an episode of the Brady Bunch when a small carved idol causes Greg to wipe out on his surfboard. It is when we put anything before God. When we do that, we are bowing our lives before that idol, that is the point. The Chosen represents a false Christ for the sake of entertainment. It serves Mormon and Catholic imperatives, not Christian. Voddie may not be perfect here, but I trust his concern over the heretical dismissal of Jenkins. Either way, Baucham is right. Mark and avoid.
Reverend Anthony Wade - August 16, 2023
