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Our typically bombastic and cocksure author offers another barely coherent diatribe.
Our typically bombastic and cocksure author offers another barely coherent diatribe.
We should note we are not here to defend Mark Virkler's beliefs, our purpose is to examine the author's presentation.
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For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. -- 2Corinthians 1:20 (ESV)
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. -- 2Corinthians 1:20 (ESV)
"God has a promised land of blessing for you and here is how to walk in it" the headline screamed. Gee, what can go wrong from there? Beloved, the NAR Charismaniacal landscape is littered with such poor teaching about experiential Christianity outweighing the verity of Scripture. We need to be vigilant in these last days lest we become deceived. God speaks to us clearly through His written word if we would have ears to hear. His voice is not discerned by goose bumps and liver shivers. It is not confirmed through pagan beliefs and happenstance. The above linked article is from NAR charismaniac Mark Virkler. It is important to pay attention so that we can learn to spot these mangled teachings in our own church and lives, mark them and then avoid them. So come and let us reason together once more.
"We all want to achieve the goals and receive the blessings God has prepared and ordained for us. I believe God has a promised land of blessing for each and every one of us. Some of these promised land blessings are delineated in Deuteronomy 28:1-18, and as you read them, they will take your breath away. They touch every area of our lives! If you haven't read them recently, do so now! All these promises are reaffirmed to us in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20). Let's make sure we arrive at our promised lands." -- Mark Virkler
Sigh. One of the most prolific false teachings that is central to so many others is this warped sense of Christian purpose. (Will the author present us the "correct" sense of Christian purpose, citing Bible references? Nope.)
This started in the mid 1990's with Rick Warren publishing the Purpose Driven Church, which has become a manual for up and coming pastors for how to build mega-churches devoid of the Gospel. The "purpose" pastors sell sheep is now based on providing free labor to the growing church. (This is new?? Churches have relied on their congregations' volunteer labor for hundreds of years! Or does the Reverend's church have 100% paid staff?)
Maybe your purpose can be found in the Parking Lot Ministry or Kidz Church. Whether a security guard, camera man, or choir member, God always has a "purpose" for you. (The author, without documentation, conflates the idea of purpose with volunteer service given to the church. But we don't know if either Mark Virkler or the "purpose driven" church believes this.
For the author, it is sufficient to simply make blanket unattributed statements.
For the author, it is sufficient to simply make blanket unattributed statements.
So, what does the Bible have to say about purpose? Well, we wouldn't know if we rely on the author, whose only Scripture quote is at the top. So it is left to us to document this:
Lk. 7:29-30 All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.
Ro. 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Ro. 9:21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
Ph. 2:13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Ep. 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
2Ti. 2:20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble.
He. 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds.The Bible has plenty to say about our purpose.
The Purpose Driven Life came out ten years alter (sic) and was designed to sell even higher purposes to unsuspecting Christians. Suddenly God had something great and powerful for every believer that has been ordained from the foundations of the earth. Everything in the modern church became about chasing blessings. Never satisfied with Calvary, believers always were prompted to want and expect more. (Where in the Bible does it say to be satisfied with Calvary because there is nothing more to expect? Who has said that we shouldn't be satisfied with Calvary? How does Calvary contradict the idea of there being more?
These are some obvious questions the author will never answer. The reason? For him, it sufficient to simply throw around statements without explanation and without regard for what they imply.
It is on this base level the author interacts with the readers, arrogantly calling his missives "devotionals.")
These are some obvious questions the author will never answer. The reason? For him, it sufficient to simply throw around statements without explanation and without regard for what they imply.
It is on this base level the author interacts with the readers, arrogantly calling his missives "devotionals.")
Jesus became a blessing dispenser that we just needed to figure out how to unlock.
(For the reader's convenience we split the following stream-of-consciousness into paragraphs.)
We see this theology on display in Mark Virkler's opening salvo here. He sets up these notions of goals and blessings from God as a form of "gnosis" or spiritual knowledge gained through experience. (No, he doesn't. Read the above quote. There is no secret knowledge referenced or implied.)
The problem of course is that the goals God has for the vast majority of His followers is simply to follow Him. To pick up our cross daily and die to self. To represent Christ in our families and workplaces. To be that shining city on a hill. (Waaait. We thought there was nothing after Calvary?)
The blessings may simply be to breathe another day. It may be to think of all Christ has done instead of looking for more. (Again the author asserts there is no more, after acknowledging there is more. We await the Bible verse, just one will satisfy us, that bolsters the author's claim that Calvary is the last thing God has for us...)
Virkler's belief that there are Promised Lands filled with blessings for everyone is frankly ridiculous. Deuteronomy 28 is the completion of the Mosaic Law. God does indeed outline the 18 verses of blessings for obedience to the entire Mosaic Law and then He goes into over 50 other verses the various curses for disobedience. One of them includes being taken into captivity by a pagan nation. Sound familiar? That's because Deuteronomy 28 is not written to you! It was written to the nation of Israel who would always be disobedient and eventually God fulfilled His promise by having Babylon take them into captivity! (We would ask if the author thinks Mr. Virkler is speaking literally or figuratively. We would also ask if the physical blessings of Israel have a spiritual component intended for the Church. And lastly, we would ask if anything in the OT applies to today's Christian in any way.
In other words, from a doctrinal perspective, what are the author's views on the OT? Why does he think, biblically speaking, that Virkler is wrong? What role does the OT play in our faith? Is there anything to learn from the OT, anything to apply to our own lives, anything of value or worthy of study?
The answers are important, because we would find out what the author values. Then we would have a frame of reference for further study.
But of course, the author bothers with none of this.)
But of course, the author bothers with none of this.)
To make matters worse, Virkler than conflates the key verse today and implies that it reaffirms his misuse of the Deuteronomy verses. It does not. All of the promises of God are yes but that does not change who the promises and curses contained in Deuteronomy 28 were meant for. (The author presumes, without documentation, that these are intended only for the Jews. We would not debate whether or not he is correct. Rather, we would want to know why he believes this. What is the biblical basis? He never explains, or even makes an attempt to elucidate, let alone persuade.)
Not to mention that no one could keep the Mosaic Law, (Paul says of himself:
Not to mention that no one could keep the Mosaic Law, (Paul says of himself:
Ph. 3:6 ...as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.)which is why we needed Jesus to begin with!
"A summary statement of God's heart toward us would be: "'For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you shall call upon Me, and you shall come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You shall seek Me and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart'" (Jer. 29:11-13)." -- Mark Virkler
Virkler now doubles down on an even more abused bible verse in Jeremiah 29:11. Ironically, as pointed out, this verse was foretold in the Deuteronomy curses because this verse is solely intended for the captives in Babylon. (Yet another summary statement, undocumented and undiscussed.)
God wanted them to know that He had not forgotten about them and that He still had a plan for them. Can this be applied to the church today? Absolutely not. (Please, please, pretty please! Would you tell us why, please ?)
Sorry. Now, if you want to make a similar argument for the church, you must find verses that were directed for the church and make the argument. (HE wants US to find the verses, when HE has not provided a single verse in support of his opinions? HE wants US to make an actual argument, while all HE has to do is make summary statements?)
(Now comes another string of undocumented statements, with no actual arguments in sight....)
Our hope is not of this world. We are not promised greatness, nor even peace within this world. In fact, we are promised hatred from the world towards us for following Christ. We are promised that we must deny ourselves and carry our own cross daily. We are to partake in the sufferings of Christ. The modern apostate church sells a crown of glory and pretends you do not need the crown of thorns first. God's plans for you may be to act as a Christian in your mundane job and raise your family according to the word of God. It may be to die for His namesake. Our future and hope is in heaven beloved. (The author just goes on and on, without bothering to develop a thought or explain anything. It's simply one semi-related statement after another.
This man is a self-styled Bible teacher, a pastor. Yet he teaches nothing. He explains nothing. He never cracks open his Bible.)
(...)
Do you think the people who do the "most misused verses" blogs and podcasts about verses like "For I know the plans..." are behaving like Rev. Wade [like when he said the Deuteronomy verse was only for the captives in Babylon, and that other blog post when he said the verses about being Jesus' friends were only for the disciples] ?
ReplyDeleteI have read others who do make a biblical case that the blessing promised to Israel either do not apply, apply in a spiritual sense, or apply fully and completely to the Church. Rev. Wade is particularly egregious in that he doesn't bother to teach or explain. That's my main complaint.
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