Part 8 – The 2nd Version of the Christian Church at Large

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called The "At Rest" Christian.

My wife Linda and I were saved in 1968 through the preaching of salvation in Christ that we first heard at a conservative Baptist Church, in North Plainfield, New Jersey. It was a rigid fundamentalist Bible believing church. Aside from the faults that I will discuss herein, thankfully, many are still saved in and through first hearing the word of salvation in such a denominational church setting, hearing a message of God’s grace and the free gift of salvation “through faith” alone in Christ.

Note that Paul praised God that “Christ is preached” whether in purity or not.

“But what does it matter, so long as either way, whether in pretense [for personal ends] or in all honesty [for the furtherance of the Truth], Christ is being proclaimed? And in that I [now] rejoice, yes, and I shall rejoice [hereafter] also.” (Philippians 1:18 (AMP)

Paul says this above because Paul trusted the Holy Spirit anointed “words” of the gospel as “the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16). Whether the word is preached with right or wrong motive, the Holy Spirit can still cut through to the lost ones, convicting and saving them. Jesus said, “the words that I speak they are spirit and they are life(Jn. 6:63). Though we seek to, none of us holds the truth perfectly.

“Fundamentalist Believers (Non-Pentecostal)(e.g., Conservative Baptist, Nazarene, Christians & Missionary Alliance, etc.) have historically been the rigid religionists. Though of late some of these have softened in an effort to ‘build their church organizations.’

Fundamentalism is based upon a literal interpretation of the Bible and founded based the ‘Five Solas’ of the early Protestant Reformation; Sola Scriptura (the Bible alone) Sola fide (through faith alone), Sola Christus (in Christ alone), Sola Gracia (by grace alone), Sol DeoGloria (All glory to God alone).

Fundamentalism came to be self-defined as such in protest against the rationalistic interpretation of Apostate Modernist, humanistic, Christian churches that seek to discredit Biblical supernaturalism. Fundamentalism stood in stark contrast with the Modernist / Humanist / Liberal denominations, which we’ve already discussed in Part 7.

The Modernist/Humanist are the reasonists / rationalists of our day, not holding to the supernatural elements of the Christian faith. Thus, Christ as God in the flesh, His immaculate conception, the grace gospel of Christ, His effectual redemptive work of the cross of Calvary, and His resurrection are foolishness to the Modernist. It certainly is supernatural to believe in; 1) an almighty God who 2) came in the flesh of Jesus of Nazareth, who 3) was born of an immaculate conception by God the Father in an unmarried young Jewish girl, and 4) that upon His redeeming death of the cross for all mankind, 5) He resurrected as “the life-giving Spirit,” who 6) could thereby dwell within and be one with the human spirit of every believer who will receive Him (Col. 1:27).

This rationalism of the Apostates, when full grown, scorns the miracles of the Bible, sets aside core doctrines of “the faith” such as the virgin birth of our Lord as a thing unbelievable, laughs at the gullibility of those who accept many of the New Testament miracles, rejects or reduces the resurrection of our Lord to the fact that death did not end His existence as a spirit of some sort. By their folly they sweep away the promises and expectation of His return for “the body of Christ” and then later His second coming to earth as mere dreams.

It does not matter by what name these liberal modernists are known. The simple fact is that, in robbing Christianity of its supernatural content, they are undermining the very foundations of the faith. The Modernists boasts that they are strengthening the foundations and making Christianity more reasoned and rational and more acceptable to thoughtful people. But, Christianity is rooted and grounded in supernaturalism, and when robbed of supernaturalism it ceases to be the truth of “the word of God,” becoming merely a system of ethics or moral principles at best. I proudly stand as a Biblical supernaturalist!

So, the true Fundamentalist believer is saved and does enjoy the blessing of Christ as their “New Garment” of righteousness, made of the fulled (processed, whitened) cloth made possible only by Christ’s shed blood and death of the Cross.

But, most often, that’s as far as the fundamentalist go. I recall that only several months after being saved and hearing the salvation message over and over each week, I was looking for more than just being ‘saved.’ I was looking for what I now recognize as the deeper life and understanding of God, my salvation, its purpose and its destiny. This restlessness initially led me to learn of the Pentecostal teaching about the reality of Holy Spirit who is little spoken of among Fundamentalist

Therefore, under Fundamentalist teaching most new believers are stymied soon after their salvation because Fundamentalist don’t usually go into the realm of the Holy Spirit in any detail, and I later came to realize why. In some cases, this is a reaction to the Pentecostals, who talk so much about the Holy Spirit. The Fundamentalist have a fear of the Paul’s admonition to “walk in the spirit” (Gal. 5:25) and being under the influence and guided by “the Spirit,” thinking it to be risky. So, actually, they don’t trust in the “new wine” of indwelling “Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” to guide them from within and live through them under the bounds of the Scripture “rightly divided.”

Since they consider the Holy Spirit, His power, and guidance, as dangerous, they most often resort to external religious standards as ‘laws’ to guide them and in trying to control the flesh’s impulse to sin. The result of this is that though Christ in fact does indwell them they lack the reality and power of Christ “Spirit of life” in them as “New Wine” and as the “new wineskin” of the inner “law of the Spirit of life” to guide then in their Christian living.

The individual Fundamentalist is limited by the authority of their denominational doctrinal biases, thus missing out on the reality, joy and “power of Christ” in their life as the “new wine (of “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus”)as the their “life” (Col: 3:4a). Most know nothing of the “New Wineskin” of the inner “Law of the Spirit of life” (Rom. 8:2), that spontaneously inwardly governs, corrects, and reproves all the members of “the body of Christ,” in accord with the written “word of God” as it appears in Paul’s thirteen epistles to the Gentile “body of Christ.”

Most Fundamentalist also see God as being up there or afar off, not seeing Christ now as the indwelling “Spirit of life.” Missing the reality and power of His “Spirit of life,” they most often still preach or imply the need to imitate Jesus of Nazareth and to ‘do good works’ in order to keep in God’s favor. Seeing God as ‘afar off,’ they neglect the close, intimate, personal union that is made possible by “Christ in you (Col. 1:27). So, they most often live by an external religious code of “doing” what they are told is “right” and “good” and “not doing” what is wrong. This renders Christ within them to be “of no effect.”  “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4 (KJV)

The Fundamentalist must do good and abide under the denominational manmade doctrine and rules in order to have good standing with the church hierarchy and God. The rules vary from church to church, but when my wife and I were saved at Hydewood Park Baptist Church in N.J. in 1968, we had to give a verbal testimony or confession of our faith in Christ, be water baptized, and sign a pledge to not eat in restaurants that serve liquor and of course not drink any form of alcohol, nor go to the movie theatres. The verbal testimony was as the early Puritans required for church membership. Linda was later counseled by the older women to not to wear open toed shoes, sleeveless blouses or the color red. They consider your testimony based on what they see. This performance-based requirement of course leads to hypocrisy and certainly no rest “in Christ.”

Today, more than a few so-called Fundamentalists churches have become what I call neo-evangelical churches, with its worldly styled “entertainment” venue to attract the young, while also attempting to exalt ‘the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth’ (on earth), in His earthly ministry. Yet, Paul wrote; “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh (in his earthly ministry to Israel), yet now henceforth know we him no more.” (2 Corinthians 5:16). But, we should note that the Red Letters printing of Jesus’ words in some Bibles is irrelevant since the whole “word of God” is Holy Spirit inspired. So, with regard to whose words bear more weight, the Fundamentalist would say the words of Jesus are more important than the words of Paul directly; even though Paul’s words came directly from the risen Lord Jesus in Heaven (cf. Gal. 1:12) for us today.

 

But then, do they preach the Jesus of Nazareth of the Gospels because they truly desire to obey all the “words of Jesus”? No! In fact, they flagrantly disregard and disobey Jesus’ words He spoke to Israel in the Gospels even His words of the Sermon on the Mount and the Great Commission that they so highly proclaim. With regard to the Sermon on the Mount, they do not subject themselves to the law of Moses as Jesus instructed (Matt. 5:17-19); do they bring gifts to altars of sacrifice as Jesus instructed (5:23-24); do they give freely to all who ask of them as Jesus instructed (5:42; 10:8-9)? Do they refrain from laying up treasures on earth as Jesus instructed (6:19, 25-26); do they sell what they have and give alms (charity) as Jesus instructed (Luke 6:30; 12:33)? No! They proclaim words of Jesus that they do not and cannot keep. Thankfully, we have Paul’s words of the grace gospel for the Gentiles.

And while professing obedience to Jesus’ so-called “Great Commission” (to Israel) as ‘the Church’s marching orders’ in the Gospels, true Fundamentalists do not proclaim faith plus water baptism and repentance’ for salvation as Jesus instructed in Mark 16:16. This is because they do know salvation is ‘by faith alone.’ While they do water baptize, they consider it symbolic of a changed life. Also, they cannot perform the miraculous signs as Jesus instructed in Mark 16:17-18; they don’t give the Jew first place in their ministry as Jesus instructed in Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8, and they don’t teach others to “observe all things” that Messiah commanded in Matt. 28:20 cf. 23:1-3. So, they mix Jesus’ instructions that were for Israel ONLYwith only some of Paul’s grace gospel for “the body of Christ,” which makes grace cease to be grace.

And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace…” (Rom. 11:6)

So, most Fundamentalist would set the teachings of Jesus in His earthly ministry to Israel over the teachings that Paul later received directly from the resurrect Christ (Gal. 1:12). Unknowingly, they are determined to minimize that which God has “magnified” — which is, the authority of Paul as the (one) apostle of the Gentiles.” “… I (Paul) am the (one) apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify (honor) mine office” (Rom. 11:13). The Holy Spirit gave Paul these words to write. Thus, the Fundamentalist would minimize Paul, whom God has “magnified.”

They close their ears to the often repeated and Spirit-inspired claims of Paul that the glorified Lord Himself spoke from heaven to Paul, and then through Paul alone in writing his thirteen epistles for the Gentile “body of Christ.” Jesus committed to Paul the dispensation (administration) of the grace of God,” the grace program for the day in which we live. (cf. Acts 20:24; 22:6-10,17-21; 26:12-18; Rom. 11:13; 15:15,16; 16:25,26; I Cor. 3:10; 11:23; 15:3; II Cor. 5:16; Gal. 1:1,11,12; 2:7-9; Eph. 3:1-4,8,9; 6:18-20; Phili. 4:9; Col. 1:23-27; I Thes. 4:15; II Thes. 3:14; I Tim. 2:5-7; II Tim. 2:7-9; Titus 1:2,3, etc.).

“But I (Paul) certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me (Paul) is not after man. 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of (from) Jesus Christ.” (Gal. 1:11-12)

They obviously ignore the stern rebuke the Galatians received of Paul for failing to recognize Paul’s teachings as a message from the risen, exalted Christ (Gal. 1:6-12). They have taken lightly Paul’s words to the Corinthians:

“…if I come again I will not spare: since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me…” (2Cor. 13:2-3).

They’ve set aside Paul’s inspired admonition to heed none but Paul’s writings for doctrine and godliness.

If any man teach otherwise (other than Paul’s message), and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.” (1 Timothy 6:3-5)

Only Paul brought us the “revelation of the mystery (the God-planned secret)” that “had been kept secret since the world began,” (Rom. 16:25), which consist of the core truth of Christ IN you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27), and the truth of the corporate joint body that consist of all believers (Gentiles an Jews, all now as Gentiles, cf. Gal. 3:28). Christ “in you” is God’s all-sufficiency for and in the life of the believer. Apart from this as our core understanding, many Christians set about trying to make themselves righteous in God’s eyes, as though they are separate from Him… when in fact Jesus Christ lives IN them as their new and only legitimate life (cf. Galatians 2:20).

Even the best of the faithful believing Fundamentalists often has an arms-length relationship with the Lord as if the Lord is still ‘up there,’ even while He dwells within them. Most are fearful of walking by the indwelling Spirit. So, most lack real awareness of and faith in His indwelling all-sufficient life as their all in their daily living under God’s pure grace. Consequently, many resort to trying to make themselves more acceptable and favored by the Lord by trying to keep certain aspects of “the Law” along with their denominational expectations. As all denominations, they have created a doctrinal box from which its adherents are not permitted to stray, even if they endeavor to walk in an intimate union with the indwelling Lord.

Until about 75 years most fundamentalists, clung to their Scofield Reference Bibles (1909). E.I. Scofield picked up where Darby left off. Historically, John Nelson Darby presented the Bible rightly divided according to Paul’s mystery gospel, including the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. He is considered the father of dispensationalism. The Fundamentalist at that time really saw Jesus Christ as their righteous “new garment,” the one who died and shed His blood for the forgiveness of all their sins and saving them. They knew they were clothed with Christ’s righteousness. They were regenerated and saved by grace and enjoyed the “new garment” of Christ’s righteousness by which they had; a) justification and redemption, and b) unending right standing before God.

Yet, today most fundamentalists today are fallen from grace, trying to add to the work of Christ’s cross-work after being saved, as if they can now make themselves even more righteousby what they do, say, eat, drink, wear as clothing, etc. With that fall from the pure “grace of God,” the Fundamentalists adopted the “New Reference Edition of the Scofield Bible” (~1950), which largely expunged Scofield’s commentary that supported the uniqueness of Pauline revelation from the resurrected Lord.

Even worse, over the past 50-75 years many fundamentalists have morphed into what I call neo-evangelicals; embracing the show business of church entertainment and ‘the man-centered seeker sensitive approach’ to ‘doing church’ in order to attract numbers, abandoning “the preaching of the cross” as being all-sufficient. It you ask a person in the world, "Who are the Evangelicals?" The likely answer, due to their political involvement would be, "They are the radical right wing extremist" ... they would not say, "Oh they are the ones who preach a gospel about Christ." This, even though the word evangel means "gospel"

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18)