A New Faith for the 21st Century

"Greetings from New Zealand" -- A sad glimpse of the changing church.

New "Faith" for the 21st Century

By C. J.

New Zealand, July 25, 2010

New Zealand sheep pictured on the left side

Note from Berit: The letter below is a wake-up call to Christians today. Its twisted view of our holy and loving God are not unique to New Zealand. Around the world, His Word is being adapted to a post-modern standard that undermines all His wonderful gifts and promises. American church leaders are fast embracing the latest gimmicks that feed the "flesh" (human nature) and dull discernment. Now, after years of smiling at "small" distortions, the “Christian” masses hardly blink at the rising onslaught of blinding deceptions. But here is an important reminder:

"Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things..." 2 Timothy 4:2-5

The minister (a freemason) at our Presbyterian church announced not too long ago that he was going to say something controversial, but it was not quite the right time to do so. I now have a hardcopy of that message, which is titled: "Do you believe? or Do you have faith?"

"Many religious practitioners have insisted on an external God imposing behavioural requirements of people who were always subject to rewards and punishments after death. This literal interpretation of religion has visited much suffering on humanity before the perpetrators realized it was wrong....

"The 'God' is not 'up there' in some mythic heaven; the real religious presence is to be found in the hearts and minds of people, and in their relationship with each other and in the context in which they live."

"Most people [that] come to see me do not ever talk about God. They don't believe in God. They have no place for religion and they have given up going to church."

"In matters of faith and religion in the 21st century, we see that the God of our parents and our ancestors, and the God of so much of the scriptures cannot be our God...

"God is not a supernatural being 'up there' sitting in judgement, holding the keys of rewards after we die...

"In this way I am an atheist." [C.J: As in the Power of "Positive Atheism".] A positive atheism means that we see religion as an important part of life but our conception of God has changed; God is not what people have painted him to be...

"A positive atheism sees our religion without that punitive patriarchal personal God, and it searches for an intelligent, emotionally mature, meaningful religious influence, focused on an evolving understanding of a humanity that embraces the growth of all we can mean by a Good Spirit; affirming life, courage, beauty, goodness."

"Christianity can exist without that old theistic view of God."

"You will say, 'If we give up our old God, our father God...who will we pray to?'.... We pray to God, the Good Spirit of life, that the Good Spirit will be part of our life."

"That positive atheism is liberating, it is intelligent, it is mature, it is immensely constructive and profoundly inspirational."

My Aunt said what this minister is preaching is nothing more than New Age deception. Like most spiritual deceptions there is an element of truth, but it is not the gospel of Jesus Christ.

A few weeks ago, the minister effectively torpedoed the deity of Christ Jesus. (I don't think too many in the congregation picked up on it.) So, it seems, we can forget about the Son of God/the Son of Man, being God incarnate -- at least to the minister.

Somehow I think I would rather trust the belief of my late God--fearing Nana than what this minister is preaching. (I still remember Nana playing and singing "Jesus loves me" on her piano to us children standing alongside.)

I am not quite certain what next to do. Start asking awkward questions perhaps? The congregation is either enthralled by the minister's "biblical exposition" or too scared to say anything.

SECOND LETTER

Once again, greetings from New Zealand. From my observations the western world (what is left of it) and the western Christian church are truly under attack - and have been for some time! More than a few Christian writers I have spoken to can see the impending collapse. It is not that Christianity will disappear; it will just be redefined - i.e. politically-correct - and remolded to fit a new globalist paradigm. CJ

"...many false prophets will rise up and deceive many." Matthew 24:11

"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." Colossians 2:6-8

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33