2 Corinthians 11:3-4:
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
A recent article in “Religion News Services” (RNS) highlighted “evangelical” visits to Brigham Young University. The article was entitled “Evangelical visits to BYU signal a new evangelical-Mormon détente”.
According to the RNS article, recent visitors to BYU have included Southern Baptist leader Richard Land and Albert Mohler, Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
What common ground do these “evangelical leaders” and their Mormon brethren think they have?
Mohler: “That is why I and my evangelical brothers and sisters are so glad to have Mormon neighbors,” Mohler said in his talk on Oct 21. “We stand together for the natural family, for natural marriage, for the integrity of sexuality within marriage alone.”
Land: “Those who oppose us are not going to make any distinctions,” said Land, the new president of Southern Evangelical Seminary in North Carolina. “They’re hostile to people of faith, period.”
John Taylor (director of interfaith relations for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints): “There’s a realization among faith groups generally that despite doctrinal differences — and we have doctrinal differences, there’s no question about that — we do have areas of commonality,”
What else do these groups have in common? None of them believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. They don’t believe what the Bible teaches about how one receives eternal life (see John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).
The recent interaction between evangelicals and Mormons seems to be part of a growing trend, as this excerpt from the RNS article points out:
Gregory Johnson, co-founder of Standing Together, a Utah group of evangelical pastors, has given dozens of presentations with BYU’s Millet called “A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation.” He dubbed the recent get-togethers “the year of the evangelical at BYU.”
Mohler plans to return to BYU early next year, as does Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias.
In addition to increasing dialog between evangelicals and Mormons, there has been cooperation between Mormons and Catholics in humanitarian missions, as highlighted in the RNS article:
John Taylor, director of interfaith relations for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said there is a growing sense that Mormons and non-Mormons can agree in some areas — from humanitarian aid, where Mormons have also joined with Catholics — to the desire to retain their younger members.
I believe we will see groups that teach false gospels continue to coalesce with false religions. I believe we will see them begin to “iron out” doctrinal issues. I believe the more they meet and have dialog, the more they will find they have in common.
In fact, my wife has recently been visited a couple of times by two Jehovah’s witnesses. She has patiently explained God’s plan of salvation to them, and has even referred them to Expreacherman.com.
During one of the discussions, my wife asked the Jehovah’s witnesses whether they thought the people represented by the second soil in the parable of the Sower were saved or not (Luke 8:13). They said they were not. My wife told them that people who believe salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone think that soil two represents saved believers, because that’s what the Bible says.
What an insightful comment! I wonder what the Lordship “salvationists” would say about soil two in the parable of the Sower? The Mormons? The Roman Catholics?
Notes From A Retired Preacher 
I found the following quote today from LDS (Mormon) Apostle Dallin H. Oaks:
As followers of Christ, we know that all of the inhabitants of this earth are children of God. Use that knowledge to push back against the worldly prejudices that preach hate or hostility toward other nations, ethnic groups, or even political parties.
My comment: Mormons are not followers of Christ. They are promoters of a false religion. Also, not all inhabitants of the earth are children of God. Only those who have been born again through faith in Christ are children of God.
Keith, I think the messages are very similar.
I just saw an article about Pope Francis entitled “Let Yourself Be Transformed by the Eucharist”. Sounds an awful bit like the “transforming effect” of Lordship “Salvation”, doesn’t it?
Holly, I think I heard, or read, somewhere that several thousand Southern Baptists a year convert to Mormonism. One false gospel for another.
John, my first husband was an ex-Mormon along with being a pro-football player, so he wasn’t exactly ‘ex’. They hadn’t ex-communicated him. Mohler I believe will have no problem with enjoining with the Mormons as it is likely certain he thinks there are some elect within thee church. Since it is pre-regeneration that makes one able to believe, they don’t really have to defend the gospel, for they don’t understand that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
So many Mormons believing on another Jesus, not the Jesus of the Bible, will not see eternal life, but they will b led straight into eternal death by their blind prophet.
Headline from article in today’s Salt Lake Tribune:
“As Mormon prophet turns 88, church he leads has grown nearly 25 times larger during his life”
My comment: how sad.
Damon, thanks for your comments. I agree with Mohler’s point on Mormonism, and I also can’t understand why he is supporting them.
Having said that, I believe Mohler’s own group – the Southern Baptist Convention – teaches a false gospel of salvation by works that also “leads to eternal death rather than to eternal life.”
For more information on the SBC, please see articles linked below:
https://expreacherman.com/2012/12/04/southern-baptists-fragile-detente-the-fight-over-competing-false-gospels-calvinism-and-lordship-salvation/
https://expreacherman.com/2013/07/13/southern-baptist-convention-and-j-d-greear-the-posture-of-lordship-salvation/
Found this statement on Mohler’s site in a article about Mormons being Christians. Leaves me confused on why he is there supporting them
“Here is the bottom line. As an Evangelical Christian – a Christian who holds to the “traditional Christian orthodoxy” of the Church – I do not believe that Mormonism leads to salvation. To the contrary, I believe that it is a false gospel that, however sincere and kind its adherents may be, leads to eternal death rather than to eternal life”
The real issue the Holy Spirit convicts of…
…Of Sin: (specifically: they “believe not” — this hinders them experiencing the benefits of the FW).
…Of Righteousness (specifically because He went to the Father — his is the only righteousness that get’s to the Father)
…Of Judgement (specifically that the prince of this world is judged — they are going to experience the same fate as Satan, who’s kingdom they’re a part of, in the same hell -which was not created for man for for Satan and his demons)
The sin which Separated us from God has been paid for.
The unbelief is a repudiation of that Divine Solution, that payment, and stops people receiving Grace. In essence, it’s the same iniquity of Satan: pride.
“It’s not a SIN issue, it’s a SON issue”
If any one needs evidence that Phil Robertson believes in faith plus baptism
they can watch this youtube video
Duck Commander – Preachin’ Hard – ShellShocked Outdoors
in the video he has on the telephone a person in Alabama who he is witnessing to and he ask this person to drive 3 hours so he can share the gospel with him he mentions also this person cried like a baby (turning from sin)
Curtis,
Great comment.
You said, “Sin is NOT the issue it is unbelief.” TRUE, the ultimate issue IS unbelief.
It just so happens that the 85 year old lady who was responsible for me hearing the Gospel and trusting Christ as my Savior 49 years ago this December was visiting us yesterday (from Texas). In our conversations, she said, “Jack, people need to know they are sinners and the penalty of sin is death.” Of course I agreed.
So appropriately, when sharing the Gospel it IS important that the hearer understand that he is a sinner, not in an accusative way, but just as is everyone in the whole world:
If a person is satisfied in his own righteousness, that he is not a sinner, lives a good clean life, etc, he may not see any need for The Savior.
And further, that he understands the penalty (wages – what we have earned) of that sin is spiritual separation — death in Hell:
Then comes the Gift, the belief or unbelief:
1 Corinthians 15:3-5 – John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9, and then who is not condemned is he who believes in the Only Begotten Son of God:
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
John,
Right – “Salvation” Army. Reminds me of a news item from downtown Miami yesterday.
Some lady walked up to one of their kettles and anonymously, plopped therein, a $3,500,00 diamond ring.
They said this has happened several years in a row at Christmas time. The cynic in me says that is a good Salvation Army ruse for publicity, to show the public how “easy” it is to “just give something.” Recycling rings???
Forgive my cynicism but an outfit like the Salvation Army, who preaches a false “salvation” message — might not be above priming the pot.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Jack, I agree. In a similar fashion, there are lots of professing Christians who will volunteer or contribute to the Salvation Army, and unwittingly help that organization advance a false gospel.
John,
I suppose most “Christians” with no discernment or knowledge look at the Church of Christ as first, “A Church” and then if it is “Of Christ” it has to be OK. Not a lot different from those who look the same way at an SBC church. It is a “Church” and it is “Baptist” and the Bible speaks of both — so it has to be OK. Such blindness can only be “cured” by a clear understanding the Gospel of God’s Grace and then believing in Jesus alone as Savior.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Here is another passage that comes to mind to ponder
Jon 4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
Jon 4:2 And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
Jon 4:3 Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
Jon 4:4 Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?
Jon 4:5 So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.
To me the LS message and all that’s going on now with the Duck Dynasty pay day , Yes “FOLLOW THE MONEY” Walmart is selling out of Duck Dynasty merchandise millions and millions dollar pay day for a false gospel message speaking against sin.
Sure is something how this comes up for Christmas Shopping ??????.
The Tragedy in common of all this is it drives a deeper wedge between the Gospel and sinners like me who need to hear the Clean, Clear ,Gospel Good News message That Jesus shed His blood and died was buried and rose again the third day according to the scriptures. To pay our Sin debt !!!!.
Sin is NOT the issue it is unbelief
By himself , by himself, by himself purged our sisns
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
I am so thankful that I no longer need to go around condemning soul’s to hell because of sin. soul’s are all ready condemned who do not believe that Jesus paid for sin.
I pray I would have the courage to stand for the Truth of the Gospel no matter what. The courage to have the TRUTH of the Gospel then a bed of money to lay upon with a False gospel message.
Curtis
From my personal experience just in the passed year. souls don’t want to hear what the Gospel is NOT but are satisfied in their religion. This is just in the LS friends I use to fellowship with. . Some would rather gut me with a dull deer antler than to here Turn from sin for salvation is NOT the Gospel.
Pondering these things and the thread responses above this passage of scripture comes to up to me
Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
johninnc, thank you, and you are correct, the professing Christian world shows such inconsistency all the time. I remember my former church would expose the errors of certain pentecostals messing up the Gospel, but then they would be the strongest supporters of Billy Graham that you have ever seen. Totally inconsistent.
Abe, I was just about to say something about this myself.
Identifying homosexuality as a sin (which the Bible clearly does) does not result in eternal life, any more than eating at Chick-fil-A will result in eternal life.
Why are Christians not outraged about the false gospels being taught by Church of Christ, the Southern Baptist Convention, Billy Graham, their own churches, etc.?
And as a follow up to my last comment, not to belabor the point, but two of the people that got angry when shown the false gospel, are connected to me on facebook as friends. Both are free grace, and yet both got very angry when shown this about the Duck man. One of the two of them is the head of a free grace missionary organization. Which just shows me that even a person calling themselves free grace, and running an organization, is no guarantee of anything.
Jack, I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but I pulled up our local Church of Christ website and found a brief statement that was a smorgasbord of heretical doctrine. Each of the items on this “menu” individually contains enough poison to keep lost people from understanding or believing the gospel.
Since faith must be accompanied by obedience, those outside of Christ are taught to believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God, confess their faith in Christ, repent of their sins, and be “buried with Him in baptism” (Romans 6:4), immersed in water “for the forgiveness of… sins” (Acts 2:38).
This is just Lordship “salvation” with more bells and whistles.
d taylor wrote: “it is interesting how all the Christians are coming to his defense, but no mention that he is a member of a church group that teaches a works salvation.”
I have found a couple people that didn’t know about the “Church of Christ” heresy and his clear connection to it, but once it was clearly pointed out to them, they got angry and said that they didn’t care. They said that his work of exposing homosexuality as sin, is too important to start as they would say, “debating what is the Gospel”.
This man has a grip on some people’s psyche level or something. There’s something almost creepy going on, in my personal opinion. They like him personally, or maybe they feel attracted to his personality or something, and they just refuse to respond with anything but sheer anger when you show them the “Church of Christ” false gospel. I don’t get it. It bothered me so much that I started a blog just to address him, and the “evangelical” reaction to him.
d taylor also wrote: “his firing has united evangelicals across the board”
Yes, it is a rally point for “unity” without even having the right Gospel, or caring what the right Gospel is.
I’m not trying to hijack the thread, and I will cease to make mention of it here if I am instructed to. But since it was brought up, I just had to say something. I keep feeling like, am I missing something about him? Is there something going on, and I just have a blind spot about it? This isn’t the first guy to (rightly) say that homosexuality is a sin. And yet he does have a false gospel. So few out there are bothered by that, and that then bothers me.
Curtis and D Taylor – Thanks.
Yes, we have discussed the Ducks Here..
https://expreacherman.com/2013/10/25/encouraging-news-about-the-good-news-the-gospel-expreacherman-reaching-around-the-world/#comment-21351
Their Bible teaching is false and flawed Church of Christ “doctrine.”
I have never watched them and do not intend to but I defend his right to say his beliefs in a magazine — BUT I absolutely disagree with his false “gospel” message.
Curtis you pointed out the proper Biblical context of Robertson’s erroneous quote — and tonight that Great Catholic Theologian, Bill O’Reilly chimed in and tried to straighten out Robertson’s “theology” with his own flawed Roman Catholic diatribe. Terrible!!!
So error compounds error.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
“A&E isn’t violating his right to free speech, What they are doing though, is manufacturing a scandal that will boost ratings. Reality shows cast “controversial” characters for a reason…”
To me Mr Roberstson used the passage of scripture out of context that he was quoted in that magazine article because of what he did not say , He failed to quote the very next verse
“And such were some of you” ………………
1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
“Television is about entertainment. And let’s face it: the Duck Dynasty folks are entertaining. But therein lies the problem. As Neil Postman put it almost three decades ago in his book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, “The problem is not that television presents us with entertaining subject matter but that all subject matter is presented as entertaining, which is another issue altogether… No matter what is depicted or from what point of view, the overarching presumption is that it is there for our amusement and pleasure.”
Phil Robertson is at the top of the New York Times Best Sellers list not because he’s a follower of Jesus but because he’s an entertainer.
Think about it this way: what is it that qualifies the Robertson family to write devotionals (the forthcoming Dynasty Devotional) and books about their approach to life (Happy, Happy, Happy). Why are Alan and his wife Lisa already writing a book about marriage? Ultimately, what accredits them is that they entertain us. They could be world-class scholars on the issue, but that’s not why we like them or read their books. After all, a lot of people value “faith, family and ducks,” but we don’t read their devotionals, life philosophies and marriage books. Phil Robertson is at the top of the New York Times Best Sellers list not because he’s a follower of Jesus but because he’s an entertainer. “
can not remember which post the duck dynasty group has been discussed in.
but since this is a post about opposite groups coming together for a common cause.
Not sure if yall are aware of the current controversy concerning duck dynasty about Phil Roberson comment that got him kicked of the show.
it is interesting how all the Christians are coming to his defense, but no mention that he is a member of a church group that teaches a works salvation.
his firing has united evangelicals across the board.
Curtis,
YES!!! As you so eloquently quoted Jesus when He said, “it is Finished” John 19:30
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
I read that article a couple of times and did not know what to say .
Abe said it “LS unites all religions”, because all the religions of the world try to do something to handle sin, to atone for sin, manage sin, in some way shape or form. Jesus is the way the truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father but by him.
Jesus paid our sin debt while we were yet sinners–Romans 5:8
John 19:30 “it is Finished”
Holly,
Thanks –
This article of John’s speaks to the terrible condition of the church’s “evangelical elites.” It is crucial information for Grace folks to know in order to counter the LS lies so we may contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Reblogged this on Redeemingmoments.
john good writeup i kinda feel like Noah telling everyone its going to rain and getting looked at like you are crazy. with trying to tell people lordship is a false salvation and that salvation is Faith alone in Christ alone
LS is the bridge that united religions in time for the arrival of the antichrist’s world religion.
Whether it is Mohler or Graham this definition of repentance is typical from them.
“”God is holy, and our sin is a direct rebellion against His holiness. We should take it seriously, realize we were wrong and actively try to turn from our sins — that’s called repentance. Repentance carries with it the idea of confession, remorse and changing our ways to become more like Jesus.”
I found this statement at the site with the Graham video that was presented tonight. This is not the gospel method of salvation. We are saved through faith in Christ alone.
It is not wonder that men like Mohler have no misgivings about meeting with known false religions. In a way they perpetuate their own Calvinist style false religion already.
Jim F
Good job John,
I totally agree with this:
“What else do these groups have in common? None of them believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. They don’t believe what the Bible teaches about how one receives eternal life (see John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).”
I am not surprised to see false gospel promoters flock together.
Btw, I just watched the Billy Graham video on Hannity and it is proof positve of his Lordship Salvation message. He said believing means to commit and repentance is turning from sins. Sad and what a tragic waste of many many opportunities including this one!
Jim F
John,
Excellent article about the total spiritual degradation of the “evangelical” churches.
What can all of these ecumenical folks have in common??? A false “gospel” message — works for eternal life.
We know it will only get worse as we see the multimillion dollar ad campaign promotion the new Billy Graham movie “My Hope for America.”
Tragic!!
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack