Replies

#1 - One need only look at the last 2,000 years of Christianity to see the problem with not having a firm foundation established on God’s Word. God help the Body if we are turning to “friends and family” for Truth. When you put in quality time with the Word, you ARE with Jesus. Its not an either/or kind of thing. If you set aside the Word, you will end up in the religious ditch of relativism, and preaching a social gospel on one side of the road, or persecuting and killing folks who believe differently than you on the other.

John 6:63 (KJV)
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

You cannot separate Jesus from the Word. The Word is God’s Wisdom and Will. Faith comes from hearing the Word. Faith is what pleases God. The Word is Alive and Truth. Faith MUST be founded on Truth. You need BOTH, the Holy Spirit and Truth.

“While the Bible is an important and authoritative guide for Christian faith and practice, it isn’t the foundation or center of our faith- Jesus is.”

There is a really good reason Jesus is referred to as the Word. The Bible is a Revelation of Jesus. And while the author’s sentence sounds nice, to neglect the Word, or treat it as just a guide, opens the door to all sorts of other “guides” that are not God’s Truth influencing your life and undermining whatever faith you might have. And without the Word, there wont be much.

1 Peter 2:2 (KJV)
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

2 Timothy 3:15-17 (KJV)
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

#2 - I am assuming the author does not understand the difference between the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God. The KOH is an earthly kingdom centered on Israel with Jesus as King. The KOG is a spiritual dominion of God. With that Truth in mind, what the heck does the Body of Christ have to do with the KOH?

If he actually would READ God’s Word, especially Romans through Thessalonians, the letters written specifically TO THE CHURCH, he would see the folly of his faith versus works argument. There is either NOW NO condemnation, or there still is. The Body is either made alive in Christ and seated in Heavenly places, or not. Believers are either Children of God, or not. Jesus, Paul, and James should not contradict each other. However, they could be addressing different audiences and different dispensations and all be correct.

#3 - I somewhat agree with his third point. Christians attempt to fight against sin in the flesh. Its a spiritual conflict and needs spiritual weapons. And you must catch a fish before you can clean it anyway. Billy Graham once said, “It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge and my job to love.” There is a whole lot of truth in that statement. Be the Light for others. You may be the only Jesus that a sinner will ever meet. Preach the Word and let it do what its supposed to in the life of an unbeliever.

#4 - Love, but not compromise. I can pray for elected leaders and still know right from wrong, good versus evil. All Believers need to learn not to be easily offended, avoiding strife and division. I value differences of opinions on scriptural issues - iron sharpens iron. It makes me dig into the Word, study, and pray even more.

After reading his bio, it explains much about the article. It appears an effort to swing evangelicals politically to the left, or at least divide them. The Bill Maher video was another big red flag. I am wary of anyone who seeks to diminish God’s Word, a trick of the enemy dating back to the Garden.

Brandan Robertson is a progressive evangelical writer, activist, speaker, and spiritual entrepreneur who is committed to getting Jesus second hearing among the cynical, skeptical, burned, and spiritual but not religious people. He desires to build-bridges across cultural, theological, and political divides and to help others rethink, reform, and renew what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus in our post-modern, post-Christian world.

Brandan is the host of the Project:Awaken Podcast and the director of an action-oriented social justice initiative called Revangelicals for a Better Tomorrow.