"The Mystery of Godliness"

"With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" ( Micah 6:6-8 ) 

Paul said in 1 Timothy 3: 14-16: "I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory." 

Until recently, I had never looked into the beliefs I was taught at a young age in the charismatic movement that took the globe by storm back in the 1960s, which came on the heels of researching the history of the Word of Faith movement, which in turn led to more unplanned investigating because I discovered it's all connected in a tightly woven web like the ones the spiders of Healing Brook delicately, but firmly weave along our livestock fencing this time of year. 

In my study and research into some of the movements in the twentieth century American church, I find one common denominator always before me: In each movement, supposedly a movement claimed to be of God, I can't find him. I can't see the Gospel of Jesus Christ, only a replacing of Jesus for an agenda or formula, personal experience, spiritual gifts, and otherworldly practices sprinkled with a measure of Christianity.  

Each group has their own agenda to put forth. 

It's feels cold and manufactured, like a business. 

Superficial. 

I've watched dozens of sermons and interviews and read many of the movements' books and articles. I've based my assessment from the horse's mouth. Their websites are full of words like "networking," "dominion theology," "Seven Mountain Mandate," "restorationism." I've paid close attention to their activities and conferences lately, and it's disturbing.

Where's the Gospel? 

Where is the unpacking and explanation of the core doctrines of our faith? Where is the preaching of God's Word as Paul instructed Timothy in his pastoral position at Ephesus? Our Reformation fathers were willing to give their lives in fighting for the supreme authority of the Bible and justification by faith alone. If God did have "generals" - it would be these courageous souls. 

The early days of Pentecostalism, with the faith-cure healers and their aberrant doctrine and unorthodox healing methods, the Latter Rain, Word of Faith formula, the health-wealth emphasis on worldly achievements and success, the charismatic, third wave, the demon-slayers, and the NAR with their initiating of new apostles and prophets into their organization, ushering in a new era in church history, they say, for one, exercising authority over current pastors and elders, is what Paul calls "another gospel" in his letter to the Galatians. ( Chapter 1 ) 

In addition, the history of all of these movements, coming about a little over a hundred years ago, (isn't that suspicious?) is interwoven together sharing a foundation that's built upon British Israelism, Christian Science, New Thought Mysticism, Keswick Higher Life, with a sprinkling of Christianity. And a boat load of pride. All of us must battle pride for the rest of our lives; it's a daily battle that gets us coming and going. However, we should see growth in humility in our sanctification process - and especially in our shepherds. Jesus said that we would know them by their fruits - a diseased tree can't bear good fruit. Their fruits are bad because the trees are bad. The roots are bad. 

A good teacher and pastor is kind and welcomes hard questions. They bear good fruit because a good tree can't bear bad fruit. ( Matthew 7 ) 

These are my initial observations. It doesn't mean that every church involved in these movements believes all of the false theology or that there aren't sheep in these organizations and denominations. The Farmer and I were. Jesus rescues his lost lambs. We tend to not think much about this, until we're one of them. ( John 10 ) 

I find myself having to pull back a bit to process all of this. It's heavy stuff. I think of Augustine's explanation of the "visible" and "invisible" church. 

In attempting to understand why God allows certain things that seem beyond confusing to me in this world, and mostly in the church, I am reminded that he has not called his sheep to understand the world or the church, his ways or his means, but his Word. We are commanded to understand his Word, and we will do well to do this. And I've found that when I dig deep into the living and breathing Word of God, allowing it to transform and renew my mind, my vision also sharpens and my focus becomes clearer into the mysteries of godliness and wickedness of this world. 

This research project, more than anything, maybe, has caused me to cling to Christ and his Word more than anything else in memory. Another thing I don't understand is why he has had such grace on me. 

As the prophet Micah brings to remembrance in the type and shadows of his book, God did give his first born for my transgression, for the sin of my soul. 

That's what I do understand. 

And that's more than enough. 

Stay biblical my friends! 

Stay true to God's Word. 

💜

Another archive photo I stumbled upon: 2005
At Bush Gardens with the man children, the year before we found the land for Healing Brook.