The Forgotten Doctrine of Today

I've been studying a lot about the Reformation lately, and I’m seeing some correlations between the time of the Protestants and our time period of Apostasy today. 

As most of you know, Martin Luther saw much corruption and abuse in those who were supposed to be “spiritual leaders,” who were using their positions for financial gain.  He willingly chose to stand up against them and their practices in courageously exposing the entire apostate church full of corruption and false doctrine, knowing full well his opposition would bring him conflict, bodily harm, and possibly even death (being burned at the stake as a heretic).  Yet he did it anyway, knowing he was right. 

Today, we remember him for starting the Protestant Reformation, and for the sound, Biblical teaching that he resurrected from the scriptures, that of JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH.  That is, that a Sinner is saved by grace through faith alone, without any mixture of works (Eph. 2:8,9).

But how on earth could something like that have been forgotten?  How could a church that claims to be the one that Christ founded (the Roman church makes this claim) have forgotten the most important doctrine of all time, that of salvation?  How could it take 1500 years to pass from the time of Jesus and the apostles, until someone rediscovered this sound, doctrinal truth, and began preaching it again?

The proof that it is true is the fact that it spread like wild-fire, and revival quickly ensued, with countless millions of souls coming to Jesus through faith alone.  But it did not come without a price, as many were mercilessly captured and brutally tortured and burned at the stake by the Roman church, for their belief in this doctrine.  What a cost, sound doctrine.  What a cost, salvation.

As I pondered this, I thought about our age today.  Here we are some 500 years later, and it appears the church of today has also forgotten the most important doctrine of all, that of salvation.  There are still millions of people in the world today in countless religious organizations and denominations that teach faith alone is not sufficient to obtain salvation.  For them it is through works, or a mixture of faith and works.  But, why do they preach this, when the Bible is so clear that it's only through faith alone?

I believe the answer is because we are in a time of which the Scriptures speak of great apostasy in the world, and there are many scoffers, which are following fables instead of the word of God.  History has repeated itself, and gone full circle, and just as the world was in the Dark Ages before the Reformation, so too, is our world in an age of spiritual darkness, in which many have turned from the truth. 

Could it be that the world today needs another Martin Luther?  Someone who will stand up against the corruption, apostasy, liberalization, and apathy of modern Christianity and preach against it, while defending the sound doctrine of salvation?

As I look at my own denomination, I can't help but see much darkness and a political system of corruption that leads to certain groups wanting to attack and ridicule others within their ranks.  I also see the issue of control as many ministers have set up their own little kingdoms in which they Lord over their people and make them subservient to them.  It's almost like it's become another Rome, in which little Popes rule with rods of iron. (Not all churches are like this, but there are many which are).

And as the Roman church of old, many ministers are no longer preaching the doctrine of salvation like their forefathers (through faith in the blood alone), rather they are guilty of turning salvation into a ritualistic program in which Sinners are instructed to DO something, rather than simply BELIEVE in what Jesus Christ DID for them for the salvation of their souls.

Martin Luther stood up against the corruption of his day in his church.  Where are those who are standing up against the apostasy and corruption in our churches today? 

We remember Luther for his teaching of justification by faith.  But faith in what? 

According to the Bible, it is FAITH IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.  Romans 3:25-28 states this clearly:

"25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

27  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

28  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

 Verse 26 says God justifies the Sinner, not by works, but by faith (vs27), without the deeds of the law (vs 28).  But faith in what exactly?  Verse 25 says our faith should be in HIS BLOOD!

This is a simple, but important doctrine!  Yet it seems forgotten by the modern church of today, which preaches many different BLOODLESS GOSPELS, such as:

Make your commitment to Christ

Turn over a new leaf and simply follow Jesus

Confess your Sins and beg God to forgive you

Ask Jesus into your heart

Ask God to forgive you your sins and forgive you 

Repeat the Sinner’s Prayer

All of these have one thing in common, THEY ALL LEAVE OUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST!  For all of these can be done without faith!  And all of these are usually done without faith in the blood.

So where is the new Martin Luther who will stand up courageously and preach the truth amid a world of apostasy?  Sadly, he is not here.  Instead, most ministers choose to simply go along with the crowd in order not to suffer persecution or ridicule.  They choose not to rock the boat, so they simply continue doing what everyone else does, and they seem to forget the fact that SALVATION by FAITH IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST is the most important doctrine of all time!  For without it, souls are destined to an eternal lake of fire!  

I don’t know about you, but I’m determined to preach the BLOOD even though others will not.  Will you join me?  Will you be another Martin Luther?  Or will you let apostasy abound, cowering down to silence like most others, in order not to make waves?  

Faith Promise Giving?

For years I’ve heard of this new modern teaching in FIB (Fundamentalist Independent Baptist) circles called "Faith Promise."  I never was for or against it, thinking it was helping Missions, so it must be okay.  But as I went to Mission Conferences, met and talked with various Pastors, and saw firsthand some of the fruits of Faith Promise, I began to wonder whether or not it was right.  It wasn’t until I talked to several other brothers in Christ that the question came up if Faith Promise was even Biblical, for as I studied it, many of the verses men used to preach Faith Promise were taken out of context.  (They would always use the same few verses in different passages without reading or preaching the entire context).

As a Pentecostal before I was saved, I also had some insight into the Faith Promise Giving Plan when I learned of the premise and saw how men preached it.  They would say, “You are to give not of what you have rather of what you do not have.  You are to believe God to give it to you so you can give it!”

This sounded to me a lot like the “Faith” healers I used to follow in days of old (before I realized they were all a sham to milk people of their money).  And, I viewed first hand in FIB cirles that when a church's faith promise program didn’t reach its annual goal, the Pastors blamed their congregations, saying, “It’s all your fault, you just didn’t have enough faith!”  This sounded sooooooooooo much to me like what I was taught in the Charismatic church.  When I wasn’t healed, or when I didn’t get what I prayed for, or I didn’t “prosper” it was always MY fault and it was always because I had a “lack of faith.”  My faithlessness kept me from getting or doing what I was supposed to, and that made me feel horrible! 

I would examine myself and my life and agonize over what I could do to find more faith.  But the more I pondered and prayed, the more I found I had a ton of faith, but things just didn’t go the way I wanted them to.  (I learned later that God is not a money tree and he doesn’t just give you “stuff” because you ask for it.  Sometimes, God wants you to be poor so you’ll rely on him more!)

Looking back at before I was saved, and comparing that with this modern “Faith Promise Giving Program” being taught in FIB circles today, I began to question it, because it looked to me that the Independent Baptists were starting to teach just like the Charismatics on the subject of money, saying things like:

“You’ve got to believe God will give you the money you pledge to give even before you have it!”

“The more you pledge to give to God, the more you will receive and the more you will be blessed!”

“You have to give to God and have faith to believe God will bless you if you do.” 

It almost got to the point where I started looking around for the video cameras, thinking I was on the set of a “Twilight Zone” episode; for many things I heard preached in FIB churches about Faith Promise were the same things I heard in my old Assembly of God Pentecostal Church, or were the same things I saw preached by many “Tel-evangelists” on the television.  It all focused on “my faith to give to God” and I was always promised a blessing because of it.  In short, it lined up entirely with the modern Charismatic “Prosperity Gospel,” which so many FIB ministers claim they preach against.  (Could it be they apostasized and didn't even know it?)

As I studied the growth of the Faith Promise movement in FIB circles and the men who preached it, I learned just how intertwined it was with the subject of Missions.  Often Mission Conferences were nothing more than Faith Promise Conferences and the focus was changed from that of the Gospel and winning souls at home to raising money only to win souls abroad.  So closely Faith Promise became interconnected to soul-winning, that to ask questions about it would lead to Pastors dogmatically labelling you as a "Dissenter" and "someone who didn’t love souls."

So I admit.  I kept quiet about it.  Cause I didn’t want people to think I was against Missions and soul-winning!

I’m still not against missions and soul-winning, but as I studied the Faith Promise teaching, which many churches are now putting into their doctrinal statements and are claiming is now an official FIB doctrine in which all others must adhere to be part of their fellowship, I came to some interesting conclusions.  And knowing very well that I run the risk of being “ostracized” by others FIBer’s, I’ve now decided to speak out on the subject, because it appears Faith Promise is quickly becoming a Baptist Tradition rather than a Bible Teaching.  And I would challenge anyone to do what I have done.  Study it out!  Look at it’s foundations, it’s message, and it’s fruit and then you tell me if it’s Biblical.  If it is, PRACTICE IT!  If it’s not, then why not use a better method to raise funds for Missions!

I've studied it and below are some things I've found.  I'm still studying it, and I hope you will to.

1. Faith Promise's Foundations are not in the Bible.

As you study the fountain of the Faith Promise Giving Plan, you find it wasn't started by anyone in the Bible.  Instead, it's more of a modern teaching.  One site tells us, "...The Faith Promise Plan, as we know it, was developed in the late 1800s by Dr. A.B. Simpson, founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance."

If this be true, how can many modern FIBers claim Faith Promise is a Biblical teaching taught by the Apostle Paul?  Wouldn't that be a FIB (Sorry.  But the pun was intended!)

2.  Faith Promise Goes Against the scripture in trying to get people to give what they don't have.

The modern Faith Promise Giving movement teaches that a man must by an act of faith determine within himself an amount of money that he will pledge to give to God.  This amount he is encouraged to give is an AMOUNT THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE!  He, then, is supposed to promise to give God more than what he has.  But, is this scriptural?  As I read the Bible, I find the exact opposite.  For there we find:

11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.   (2 Cor. 8:11-12)

Here we find the Apostle Paul commanding man to give, now watch this, as all I do is quote Paul: "ACCORDING TO THAT A MAN HATH, and NOT ACCORDING TO THAT HE HATH NOT!"

Did you catch that?  For those of you who don't like the Old English, let me paraphrase, "You are supposed to give according to what you HAVE, not according to what you don't HAVE!"

To command the Saints of God, as Faith Promise teaches, to give what they don't have is contrary to the scriptures!  We are only to give of what we have, (and then only what we are willing and ready to give).  Wasn't it Jesus who spoke of the poor widow in Luke 21, who gave all that she HAD (Luke 21:4).  She didn't give what she didn't have.

The teaching of Faith Promise is to encourage Christians to give tomorrow something that they don't yet have.  Doesn't this violate the following scripture:

Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.  (Prov. 27:1)

How can we promise to give something if we don't even know if we will ever even get it?  And then to say, "Well, just have faith you'll get it!"  Doesn't that sound a bit Charistmatic to you rather than FIB? 

3.  Faith Promise twists the scriptures.

Modern teachers of the Faith Promise doctrine preach that it is for giving to Missions only.  And they have plenty of verses to prove this.  One such verse is 1 Cor. 16:2, which reads:

"Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come."

Promoters of Faith Promise use this verse often.  But if you check the context (vs 1) you find this is not an offering for Missions, rather for the poor saints in Jerusalem that were suffering.  Where is "Missions" in this.  Isn't this someone twisting the scriptures?

Again, Faith Promisers are quick to quote 2 Cor. 8:4-5, but these verses speak of a special "giving" to Paul to use for the "ministering unto the saints."  It had nothing to do with sending money to Paul to reach the lost.

Is this, then, also not twisting the scriptures to teach what they do not? 
Now, I'm not against Missions.  Let me dogmatically state that!  But isn't it wrong to twist scriptures to teach we should give to Missions?  Shouldn't we just teach the scriptures as they stand?  And shouldn't we give to Missions because we know it's the right thing to do?

4.  Faith Promise constrains people to give to Missions.

Probably the most quoted verse to teach Faith Promise is 2 Cor. 9:7:

"Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."

But as I've seen this verse preached by advocates of Faith Promise, I've always seen at the end of the meeting ushers passing out "cards" in which people are commanded to fill out how much they are going to give.  I've even heard pastors saying things like: "Faith Promise giving is a commandment of God!" and "You must make a decision on how much you will give to Faith Promise."

As I watched this, I sat and scratched my head.  Is this not making Faith Promise giving of NECESSITY, something which this verse says should not be!

As I poured through the websites on the Internet and looked at church bulletins during Faith Promise conventions, I saw many of them dogmatically saying the same thing: "Faith Promise Giving is not a pledge!"

But then when those cards were passed around during the conference, most of them read: "This is your Faith Promise PLEDGE CARD."  I thought to myself, "Am I the only one who sees the double speak here?"
And why does the Pastor need to know how much a person "pledges" to give anyhow?  Shouldn't that be between the person and God?  It's almost as if the Pastor's lack of FAITH in his congregation's giving, is what makes him want to know how much they'll give.  So that's why he gets them to "by faith" promise to give more.

5.  Faith Promise Makes Christians into LIARS!

As a Missionary Evangelist, I've traveled to many different churches, and I've heard the same thing time and again from Pastors who tell me they NEVER (and I repeat NEVER) get the full amount of money that has been "pledged" oh, er, um, I mean "promised," to Faith Missions Giving at the end of the year.  This means someone LIED!  For they made an agreement with God to give a certain amount and they didn't do it!

What does the Bible say about such as this?  Well, you know there is an Old Testament verse that says:

When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.  (Deut. 23:21)

Now, I know we are not in the Old Testament (thank God!)  But this verse does tell us it's SIN to vow to pay God something, and then not pay it!

Again we read in Eccl. 5:4-5:

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.  Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

Here God calls a man a FOOL who doesn't follow through with his vow or his promise to God. 

So what about those who vow to do Faith Promise and then don't follow through with it?  I'm sure we'd all agree, it's sin for them to do so.  But who's to blame?  Couldn't some of the blame be the Pastor's for "pressuring" his congregation to make a VOW to give a certain amount, especially when he's encouraging them to give what they don't even have?!  I'll let you answer that for yourself.

6.  Faith promise browbeats the church

Having established the sound Biblical fact that it is indeed SIN to promise God something and then keep from doing or paying it, we find those who by faith promise to give a certian amount and then don't have lied to God.  They have sinned. 

Now the Pastor, knowing this, must spend his time and energy in his messages to tell the church they've done wrong in not giving what they have "pledged."  (Sorry, I've used that word again, and Faith Promise disciples say "It's not a pledge!"  So let me rephrase to use their terminology "PROMISE").

Oftentimes, Pastors spend message after message rebuking his congregation for not giving what they have "promised" to give to God, and guilt tripping them into giving more.  (I've heard those messages time and again.  Haven't you?).

I've even heard of a Pastor who followed Faith Promise, and how he was told by the well-known FP "evangelist" who came to preach it every year in his church that he would not receive the full amount of the "pledge cards," (whoops, I mean "promise cards.")  He said, "You can pretty much figure if they promise 100,000, then they'll only give about 75,000."

Did you get that?  This famous Faith Promise Preacher KNEW that his plan would make Christians guilty of promising to pay more than they had and that there was NO WAY they could come up with the money.  Yet, he preached that system anyway which he KNEW would make the congregation LIARS.  Men like that scare me!  How about you?

7.  Faith Promise Makes the Congregation the Bad Guys

As we've already stated, Pastors who don't receive the total yearly amount of funds that their Faith Promise Conference assured them of, oftentimes take out their frustrations on their congregation as they "browbeat" them in message after message of the importance to give to Missions and follow through with their pledges, (er, I mean promises.)

And, by following the Faith Promise system, the Pastor's preaching makes the congregation at fault for their lack of FAITH.  (Shouldn't we then call it what it is: "Lack of Faith Promise Giving?") 
Faith then is the determining factor.  So, would it then be right to say that "Faith" Promise doesn't work in such cases?  Why then would a Pastor continue to use that plan after he's seen it doesn't work?

Let's give them the benefit of the doubt.  Let's say it's all the congregations fault, those dirty, faithless rascals!  So now what?  Do we get them to just start all over in another year of "Faith Promise" and hope this time their "faith" will work for them?  If it didn't before, why would we foolishly think it would now?  (And, wouldn't we be guilty of making them Liars when we know they won't pay what they said they would?   And, um, doesn't the Bible instruct us to, "...neither be partakers of other man's sins...?" (1 Tim. 5:22)

8.  Faith Promise puts the emphasis on the "far away" souls instead of those "here and now."

In many of the churches I've been in personallly in which Faith Promise is preached, I notice that many of the members are not well to do.  And, many of them are struggling.  They are trying to make ends meet week to week, sometimes even day to day.  Some have a mortage they just can't keep up with.  Others have lost their jobs, and even others are struggling with sickness and massive doctor's bills.

Instead of the Pastor focusing on helping those in the church and working with them to reach the lost in their own community in order to see the church grow, often the Pastor wants to focus on the poor and lost in other lands.  The "10-40" window is a good example.  But why not look out their own window first?

I'll not debate about whether money given to Faith Promise that goes to foreign missions is money well spent or not.  It quite possibly might be!  But why do all Mission Conferences and Faith Promise Conventions have to focus on FOREIGN Missions?  What's wrong with DOMESTIC Missions?  What about those in your own state, city, town, and neighborhood? 

Whether you know it or not, America is no longer a Christian nation.  It's gone to Hell in a hand basket.  And instead of trying to reach the lost in your own back yard, Faith Promise Giving only focuses on those in a foreign field.  So much so, that many who preach, practice, and believe in Faith Promise often scoff at Missionaries or Missions within the United States of America.  They only desire to support those in foreign fields.  But where in the Bible does it say a Missionary is only to go to a far away place?  Isn't he supposed to be a Missionary everywhere he goes?  And, hey, aren't all Christians "Missionaries?"

9.  Faith Promise often misdirects funds.

Now I'm going to tell on some of the Pastors I've met.  I'm sure they won't like it, but who cares, right?!  Aren't we supposed to tell the truth no matter what?  (Like one Preacher said, "If you're not afraid to DO it, I should not be afraid to PREACH AGAINST IT!)

I've personally seen in several churches that the Faith Promise Funds do not always go to "Faith Promise Missions."  I've seen some churches dwindle in their membership, and the church offerings that were supposed to go to Missions have instead been used for church salaries, repairs, utilities, etc.  Now, I'm not going to stand in judgment.  I'm not God.  I'm not condemning anyone.  But I do have a question.  Shouldn't money that's labeled "Faith Promise" go straight to Faith Promise?  I mean, isn't that what it's for?  And I mean, come on, shouldn't a Pastor have enough "Faith" in God to believe He'll keep the doors of the church open instead of having to steal FP money for that? 
How could a Pastor preach Faith Promise, but then use Faith Promise money for something different? Wouldn't he be sinning?  And would he be destroying the "FAITH" of those who gave it.  Because, I mean, they made a "pledge" (there I go again) to give it to MISSIONS, but then it went to something else!

On a side note, (and now I've just gone to rambling), what about those who the "Faith Promise" is supposed to go to?  It goes to "Missionaries" right?  Well, who picks those missionaries?  Usually, the Pastor does.  Why doesn't the congregation get to vote on who they should support?  Some churches (and sadly there are very few) vote on which Missionaries they want to support.  But in most FIB churches I've been in and most Mission Conferences I've attended, the Pastor is who decides who gets financial support.  Often, it's only those Missionaries who attended the same Bible School as he did.  (Yep, that's right Pastor.  I'm telling on you!  Where's you faith, buddy?).

10.  Faith Promise often divides the brethren.

So strong is the Faith Promise teaching in FIB churches that if you don't go along with it, you are labelled an outcast and someone who is not practicing "Sound Biblical Principles" (although we've seen Faith Promise isn't Bible teaching, rather Baptist Tradition rooted in the Christian Missionary Alliance, and shares much in common with Charismatic doctrine).

I can't tell you how many church splits I've seen or how many brethren I've met that have left FIB churches over this practice.  Many have told me the same thing, "I want to give!  But I don't want to be pressured to give that way!"

 A lot of these people have begun giving to Missionaries individually on a monthly basis.  And can you believe that FIB Pastors are actually preaching against this now?   They are saying things like, "To give directly to Missionaries is not right if you give to them outside the Local Church and outside the Faith Promise Program!"

I've even heard some preach, "God cannot bless you at all if you give to Missions without giving it through the Local Church!"

What could possibly be their motive for saying things like this?  I mean, we could almost say exactly what they like to say to those who are against Faith Promise Missions Giving: "What?  Don't you love souls, and don't you want to see people giving to Missions?"

Could there be some "ulterior motive" for this?  Hmmm.  I'll let you decide.

11.  Faith Promise has become a Business!

Have you ever noticed that the majority of those who preach Faith Promise Mission Conferences are actually Missionaries themselves?  They receive regular support from other churches who practice Faith Promise, and they usually receive really nice offerings for preaching "Faith Promise Mission Conferences."

In other words, they seem to be making a living on Faith Promise."

I guess we could then ask, "Are these men really living by faith, when theya re getting a boat-load of CA$H for what they are preaching?"

You see, in Faith Promise it seems like those who are asked to practice Faith are those who are earning and giving while those who are receiving and going are not expected to practice faith in God.  For they usually are given huge amounts of support for their service of further propogating Faith Promise. 

Did you know the average income of a FIB Missionary today (who has a Mission Board) is $6000 a month?  What?  You didn't know that?  And did you know that usually Mission Boards take at least 10 to 15 percent of that money from the Missionary.  What?  You didn't know that either.  Really? 

And, did you know that those pushing the Faith Promise Plan the most are those who have, are connected with, and/or are sent by Mission Boards.  (P.S.  Mission Boards are not in the Bible.  And as you study the Bible, it's the CHURCH that sends Missionaries, not a "Board."  See Acts chapter 13 for more.)

It almost seems like this whole FAITH PROMISE MISSION PROGRAM is nothing but a great big money generating business! 

Oh no you didn't, Bro. Breaker!  You said it!  Yep, I sure did.  (Sorry, it's just what I was thinking, and what I know you would have eventually thought yourself as you study this whole thing out and see the big picture!)

The truth is, Faith Promise constrains struggling poor church members to trust God to provide for them so they can give by FAITH what they don't have, while those who recieve the money usually go to the field with their wallets full and build big homes for themselves to live in while they "evangelize" in their fancy new 4x4 trucks.  But where is the Missionary's FAITH in God to provide?  If the truck breaks down, or the house burns, or something bad happens, he KNOWS his needs will be met as more support and even "special offerings" will come to him.  HOW IS THIS LIVING BY FAITH??? 

 

IN SUMMARY

I hope the things written here will cause you to THINK.  I'm not against Missions, Missionaries, Pastors, Churches, Church Members, etc.  I'm not even against Missions Conferences, monthly Missionary support or taking up special offerings for Missionaries.  I'm in favor of MISSIONS.
I'm very much in favor of Missions.  But what I am against is modern-day Pharisees who use made-made programs to compel others to give while they themselves prosper knowing they are deceiving congregations into making a pact with God to give what oftentimes they cannot obtain. 

I am well aware that God can use money obtained by "Faith Promise" to go to Missionaries who will use it to win souls.  I know and understand that.  But I've been in the system myself, and I've watched a lot of abuse in the man-made FP program.  I've also seen how the fruit of it can take away a Missionary's FAITH IN GOD to supply his needs, and make him totally dependent upon MAN.  I further have seen men who would rather preach this man-made system, knowing they are twisting the scriptures to do so, in order for them to prosper, and make a name for themselves, rather than just preach all men should place their faith in God and give to Missions out of love and a desire to see folks saved.  And I see the great lack of love this FP plan produces as it pits a Pastor against his congregation, as he's forced to brow-beats his people for not giving what he thinks they should to Missions.  (What more can they do?  He's already gotten them to promise to give more than they have?)
To me, Faith Promise is not Biblical.  It's just man trying to secure funds for God their way by pressuring their flocks, instead of just preaching on Biblical giving (giving willingly and cheerfully) and allowing God to touch the hearts of the congregation to give.
FP further can (notice I didn't say it does) do more harm than good.  And I've personally seen a lot of harm and abuse associated with that man-made business system.  Let me just give one illustration.  I'll not give the name of the Pastor, or even the location of his church.  I'll just tell you the story and let you come to your own conclusion.

Not long ago I visted a Faith Promise Mission Conference in which I sat and watched the Pastor hammer his congregation hard on giving.  Time and again he encouraged them to give above and beyond their measure.  The conference grew to a close and the Pastor passed out the "Pledge Cards" and afterwards, the congregation sat and waited as the tally was counted.  The Pastor then read the sum and tallied up how much the church had promised to give that year to Missions.  And when he saw the number he grew vehemently enraged.  His face instantly glowed red and he rigorously blasted his congregation for their "lack of faith."  The figure he told the congregation that "God" had given him was "$100,000" annually that they should give to Missions.  But the church promised a little over a tenth of that on their "pledge cards."

Care to guess what happened next, at everyone's surprise?  The Pastor a week or so later resigned the church, telling everyone that God had called him to be a Missionary to a certain Island Nation. 
And, you know what else?  (And here's the interesting part...) The Pastor taught the church to support only Missionaries sent out of that church, so he desired to be sent out of that church and have the church foot the bill for his going to the field. 

Do I really need to say more?  Can you put two and two together?  If not, maybe I should just state the obvious:  "Seems like his FAITH was in FAITH PROMISE and not in GOD to supply his need to go to the field!"

In closing, I'm sure you might say, "Okay, Breaker, you've pointed out the bad.  So what do we do now?"  Well, how about just preaching the cross of Calvary.  Wouldn't that make the church want to give more.  And don't you think they would even give more if they gave "willingly," than if they were forced to do so with some man-made system?  (Especially when they are ridiculed for not giving enough!)  It worked for the Apostle Paul.  He didn't ask Christians to give what they didn't have.  He instructed them to give what they did have, and to give "cheerfully."  And look at how the world was turned upside down in his day.  I wonder if we'll ever see revival like that again, especially when many FIBers have accepted Faith Promise over God's promises in the Bible to be faithful to his children.
Our faith should not be in our own promises, nor in those of others.  Our faith should be in the Promises of God.  And we should give because HE wants us to, not because some MAN constrains us to with his made up plan.

Modern Fundamentalism Apostasy

There is no doubt that we are in the last days.  And there is no doubt that in the last days perilous times shall come--times of apostasy, or a falling away from sound doctrinal truth, as many are deceived into giving heed to "fables" and "doctrines of devils."

As I look at modern Christianity, I see this apostasy has grown by leaps and bounds and its so sad to see how many modern preachers have rapidly embraced modern teachings rather than just sticking with the word of God.  This has led to the downfall of modern Christianity, as it leaves men not only ignorant and deceived, but oftentimes unregenerated and bound for a Devil's Hell.

I see apostasy in the following important Biblical teachings: 

1.  SALVATION

2.  SANCTIFICATION

3.  SCRIPTURES

Let's look at each one of these and how modernists are changing these doctrines from preaching them the BIBLICAL WAY to preaching them the MODERN WAY.

SALVATION

Without a doubt, salvation is by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8,9).  Many Fundamentalits are quick to point this out.  But when they preach on how a person should be saved, they often don't preach a plan of salvation by grace through faith alone.  Further they don't clarify in what a man's faith should be in alone.  Oftentimes they preach things like:

Pray this Prayer

Repeat this Prayer

Ask God to Save You

Beg God for Forgiveness

Give Your Heart to God

Make Your Commitment to Jesus

Ask Jesus Into Your Heart

But none of these are found in the Bible.  That is, there is no command in the Bible where we find a man must do any of these things to be saved.  Yet these are preached time and again in our world today by many preachers, pastors, and denominations.  We even find these commands on websites and in gospel tracts, pressuring a sinner to do these things in order to get saved.  But these things all have one thing in common, THEY LEAVE OUT THE BLOOD ATONEMENT OF JESUS CHRIST.

In the Bible, Salvation is by blood atonement.  In the Old Testament, it was by sacrificing lambs.  In the New Testament, we find Jesus Christ--the Lamb of God--came and died for the sins of mankind.  To be saved today, man doesn't have to DO anything.  He must simply believe or trust the blood atonement of Jesus Christ.  That's salvation!  To preach anything else is to get a man to do something other than simply rest on the finished work of Christ.  It then in short is a BLOODLESS GOSPEL which oftentimes leaves a person trusting in what they've done rather than what Jesus Christ did for them.  And, if they are not trusting in Jesus by faith alone then they are still LOST and on their way to Hell.

SANCTIFICATION

Sanctification is nothing short of living HOLY.  This is something God demands (1 Peter 1:15,16).  God not only wants man to be saved, but he also wants them to be sanctified.  That is he wants them to live for him, obey him, and serve him.  God also wants those who are born again to be separated from the world.  That is, to be different, and to not be partakers of the things of the world.  They are to be a peculiar people, zealous of good works, and not pleasured by the things of the world.  But do you hear preaching about this today? 

Nay, instead we hear about Preachers who are as worldly as they can be.  They don't preach on holiness, or being "filled with the Spirit" of God.  Nor do they preach hard against sin like they did in days of old.  Instead they are focused on a "purpose-driven" goal of building a big church.  Usually to do so they must compromise.  That is they have to back off preaching against certain things that they know are wrong. 

They then build big buildings full of many people, but those people are not godly, rather carnal.  This quickly leads to problems in churches, and often times quarrels and even church splits.

The world often sees this in-fighting within so-called "Christian circles" and it turns them off to the Lord.  This is why it's important to preach hard against sin, and to unite in the Lord in true Holiness.

THE SCRIPTURES

The true word of God in English is the King James 1611 Authorized Version.  All other modern versions in English are translations done by evil men who use "critical texts" who give us versions that take out whole verses, attack the deity of Jesus, and more.

There used to be a time when many Fundamentalists were KJV only.  But now many are accepting modern versions which are full of errors and mistakes.  Why do they want these tainted modernistic versions?

It seems to me it's because they might claim to be "Bible Believers" but they aren't "Bible Readers."  For if they were, they would see how the new versions change verses to weaken sound Bible doctrine.  They would further see the great conspiracy by those behind the new versions to weaken and destroy the Textus Receptus, or the Majority Text manuscripts from which our King James Bible comes.  These texts can be traced clear back to Antioch of Syria, where we are told in the Bible is where Christ's disciples are first called "Christians."  Compare this with moden versions which are based on corrupt manuscripts like the Vaticanus and Siniaticus, which are riddled with errors, mistakes, omissions, and more. 

It then is very important for us to have God's pure words, ALL OF THEM to read, and not a watered-down perversion.

SUMMARY

Modern Christianity has gone apostate as a whole.  It is full of lost people who are preaching another Gospel than the old BLOOD-STAINED GOSPEL found in the Bible.  They also don't care to live a "sanctified" life, oftentimes labelling those who do as "legalists."  And finally, many don't want the pure word of God, settling on modern versions which come from liberal scholars and erroneous manuscripts.

Probably the saddest thing about all this is how a man can be deceived into thinking he's a Christian even though he preachs another Gospel, lives carnal rather than Spirit-filled, and uses another version of the scriptures. 

I'm not saying everyone who does is not a Christian.  They might very well be.  But if the Holy Spirit of God is really inside them, shouldn't it guide them into all truth, and eventually get them to study out the truth.  Wouldn't they then eventually become pro-KJV, pro preaching of the BLOOD alone for salvation, and pro-holiness?  I believe they would.

I encourage you, if you are reading this, to look at yourself and see what you believe.  Are you saved?  If so, are you preaching the Gospel the BIBLE WAY, or are you just repeating what many others are saying?  Are you fully surrendered to God and his will--walking in the Spirit?  And, are you KJV only and do you know why you are?

Similarities between Christian Fundamentalists and Fundamentalist Muslims

I'm sure modern American Christian Fundamentalists would be the first to tell you that they have absolutely nothing in common with Islam and Fundamentalist Muslims. But I beg to differ.

As I compare the two and look at the way the apostate Fundamentalists within the Independent Baptist Movement are going, I find quite a few similarities. And it scares me!

Let's just look at a few of the many similarities between ISLAM, and the modern FUNDAMENTALIST movement, which has greatly departed from the word of God and fallen headfirst into apostasy.

1. THEY BOTH WANT TO BRAG THAT ONLY THEIR RELIGION IS THE RIGHT ONE.

If you've ever dealt with a Muslim, you know they believe you can only get to "paradise" through their religion and their "prophet." They are so intolerant, they will not allow any other religion in any country where they have taken over the government. They truly believe their religion is the only one, and all others are apostate. And they like to brag about being right, while they believe everyone else who doesn't adhere to their religion is wrong.

Doesn't that sound a little like modern Fundamentalists, who brag that only they have the right denomination, and only they are those in the last days who have not gone apostate? They like to say only they have sound doctrine, and everyone else doesn't. But doesn't that sound like "bragging" on themselves instead of bragging on Jesus. Clearly, they have the same mentality as the Muslims in exalting their religion above all others.

2. THEY BOTH TRY TO GET THE PEOPLE ONLY TO CONVERT WITH THE MOUTH

If you've ever studied Islam, or talked with Muslims (like I have), then you'll find that they count a man or a woman a convert to their religion who simply utters the words, "Allah is God." The emphasis in Islam is to get people to say these words. The emphasis, then, is on the words spoken from the mouth, and not whether a person truly believes what he says from the heart.

Modern Fundamentalism is much the same. Oh, they once preached salvation by faith, and stressed the need for repentance and heartfelt faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning blood. But that was years ago. Now most of them today have adopted the "1,2,3, repeat after me," method of soul winning, in which they stress a sinner only to make a confession with the lips, instead of instructing a sinner of his need to trust completely in Christ Jesus from the heart.

By their shallow evangelism, many a soul winner has tried only to get a person to repeat a prayer instead of repent and trust the blood of God's propitiation. This leads to the same thing the Muslims have: converts who say it with the mouth, but don't really believe in it from the heart.

There are two kinds of Muslims: 1. Those who claim they are so, but don't follow that religion much, and 2. Those who believe in their religion enough to kill for it, and even die as a martyr for it!

In Christian Fundamentalism, there also are two classes: 1. Those who claim to be Christians, but don't practice what they preach, and usually don't even live for Jesus, as they continue on in the world, and 2. Those who love God enough to give Him their all, and yea, even die for him if need be.

In Islam, just as in Modern Fundamentalism, there are those who are viewed as "not dogmatic" enough, or just plum "apathetic" to the cause. But both religions have one thing in common: They both focus on trying to make converts by getting their converts to say something instead of believe something.

3. THEY BOTH PUT THE EMPHASIS ON BUILDING BUILDINGS

No doubt you've recently heard of the Mosque that Muslims want to build close to ground zero in New York City. Most Americans are against this, calling it "insensitive," especially since it was Muslim extremists that attacked the Twin Towers and killed so many people. But Muslims seem to not care about what others think. They are interested in building, and they desire as many Mosques as they can get in as many places as they can get them. To them, it's a sign of victory that they are taking over the world.

Now let's look at Modern Christian Fundamentalists. When we study them, we find they too have a desire to build many church buildings, which often times they are quick to call "Temples." (I thought that's what the Jews built). The more buildings they build, the more they can brag about building the "kingdom" and they can gain prestige as a denomination. I've seen it first hand as a missionary, as I saw other missionaries securing a large sum of money to build "buildings," often before they even had a congregation to fill that building!

Once again, we see the similarities between Muslims and Christians in their desire to build houses of worship. But in their haste, they forget the importance of building people.

4. THEY BOTH SEEM TO FOLLOW MEN BEFORE THEY WILL FOLLOW GOD.

Muslims believe that their deity is Allah. But they also believe that to follow Allah, a person must follow Mohammed, his prophet. In other words, Islam is a religion of following a man (Mohammed) instead of worshipping God. For in that religion, you must follow a man in order to get to God.

Further, there are several kinds of Muslims: Sunnites and Shiites. What's the difference? Each one follows a different MAN instead of following God.

Is Christian Fundamentalism much different? Sadly, it is not. Within the Fundamentalist movement there are many different groups or camps. And each one was founded by a man. You have your: Bob Jonesites, Jack Hylesites, Peter Ruckmanites, Chappelites, John R. Riceites, etc. In modern Fundamentalism, it's not about following God, it's about following a man, and you are known by which school you went to, or which group you belong to. See how closely this compares to Islam?

5. THEY BOTH TEACH SUBMISSION TO MAN.

The word "Islam" means submission. And, Islam is a religion which tries to convert the world to its religous system, so that all the world might submit to it and its teachings (like Sharia law). A person who is a Muslim must submit to those in authority over him, and disobedience can and does lead to horrendous physical punishments. (Like stoning, hands cut off, beheading, etc.). Submission to others is key to this religion.

In Christian Fundamentalism we see much the same thing. With the rise of "camps" that were founded by men, Christians are taught to submit to the authority and teachings of the founders of their group. Submission to God and His law (the Bible) is frowned upon, as people are told to submit to their religious leaders (like their pastor, their Bible School teacher, their bus captain, their Deacon Board, their Mission Board, etc. and etc.). People become "Sheepeople" who are instructed to obey without question, no matter what, under threat of ex-communication (just like the Catholics). Though many Fundamentalists preach "free-will," they do not practice it, as they try to enslave others under them (See my blog on Baptist Popes for an example). And by so doing, they becoming nothing better than Muslims who try to use their religion to enslave others to themselves.

6. THEY BOTH TEACH ANGER TOWARDS THOSE THEY DISLIKE

Muslims are some of the angriest people I've ever met. Why? Because there is no love in their religion. It caters to the flesh instead of the Spirit. And because of this, we see many great atrocities practiced in Islam against others (like stoning, honor killings, suicidal bombings, etc.). Muslims are taught to hate "infidels." And instead of converting them, their writings make it easier just to kill them. That's what a "jihad" is: It is a war against anyone who won't conform to their way of life.

So, how do modern Christian Fundamentalists compare? How do they treat others? If you've been in the Fundamentalist movement for long, you'll see there too is a lot of anger and hatred. Instead of love, and the fruits of the Spirit, one usually finds Fundamentalist pastors writing dirty letters to each other in anger, and bitterly attacking others who don't go along with them and their doctrines. Internet webpages and disscussion groups are full of "Christian" Fundamentalists railing on each other, oftentimes cussing each other out and using words that aren't very becoming of those who name the name of Christ. Their anger is not directed towards the "infidels," but rather towards each other. They might not use physical violence as the Muslims, but they bite and devour one another with angry words.

7. THEY BOTH TREAT WOMEN WITHOUT RESPECT.

If you have read the Koran (or what they now call in English the Qu'ran), then you'll know what Muslims think of women. They are looked down upon in their writings, and treated as second class citizens. In Islam, women are likened to animals, and even slaves, and are worth far less than a man according to their own writings. They are even made to dress in a certain way, and even hide their faces from others.

Now compare this to Modern Fundamentalism. Thankfully, most do not treat their women as bad as Muslims do. However, there are many Fundamentalists who do treat women very disrespectfully. So much so, many an Independent Baptist has received a bad reputation because of it. I personally time and again have seen and heard what people say about those "crazy fundamentalists" and their "outdated" and "dogmatic" ideals towards women. Because they chose to follow the Bible, the world brands them as extremists who try to "enslave" women under their own control and authority. (Of course, this is how the world views Fundamentalists.)

But the truth is, the Bible does not downgrade women. In the Bible: The Man is to sacrifice for his wife, while the wife is to submit to her husband. If both are doing that, then their marriage will be a wonderful thing!

The problem is that many a fundamentalist man adopts the Muslim attitude of "I'm better than she is and worth more," so he becomes a "dictator" in his own home, and as the Muslims try to enslave women, so does he try to do the same to his own wife, whom he puts "under his thumb." Instead of treating her with "love" and "respect," he treats her like a dog, and only uses her for what he can get out of her, making sure to use "discipline" often. And she, instead of serving him out of love and respect, serves him out of fear of reprisal. Is this not EXACTLY the way muslim women serve their male counterparts?

Truly, the Modern Fundamentalist Christian movement today has a lot in common with Islam, and Muslims. This cannot be denied. But why is this? What's the cause? I believe it's a lack of following the Bible. Instead of following what GOD SAYS, many a Fundamentalist is listening to man and popular preachers, and adopting what THEY SAY, without checking them out in the scriptures to see if what they say is right or not.

So how about you? Are you a MAN FOLLOWER, or a follower of CHRIST and the Bible. If you are Fundamentalist, and love bragging on being so, let me ask you this question, "How come you and your religion have so much in common with Islam?"

As for me, I'm just a Bible Believer, and I'm doing my best to follow God and His holy word. I don't brag on my religion, claiming it's the right one. In fact, I preach against RELIGION, and stress people their need for SALVATION instead. (Religion enslaves, but Jesus Saves!) I further try to make sure to stress a sinner's need to REPENT, that is turn from trusting their works or their religion, and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

I'm not interested in building buildings that will someday be destroyed, but rather build people, teaching them and instructing them in the ways of God.

I don't try to get people to submit to a man, and follow him. Instead, I try to tell people to submit to God, and His word, and follow the Lord Jesus Christ!

I further don't need to get angry and take out my frustrations on others. I want to show them Christ in me, and His love! And I don't believe in mistreating women, but rather respecting them.