New Spirituality - or Is It?
STUDIES & DOC
New Age Spirituality and The Emergent Church?
Or
The Great Falling Away?
This is not meant to be a complete study, nor an in-depth review. This is only a light, very light, touch about how the Christian church of today has lost almost all influence in society, from coast to coast in the United States, and even the world. This, I believe, may be the Great Falling away. Then, again, it would seen that in every third and, or forth Generation, this kind of falling away from a previous accepted truth does occur. This may be the way of all things, to repeat the errors of the fathers, and, perhaps, why we as believers, are not to call any man on this earth our father -- as believers we are to recognize only the One in Heaven as our Father, and thus, separate ourselves from those following in the errors of the fathers of this earth. If we judge ourselves, then, who is righteous enough to huge us? Only One, the One in Heaven, the One who has promised to return and restore all that needs to be restored. Until then, let us take up the Sword of Truth, His Word, handed down to us by His Servants, by His Apostles. I believe that those of us who have lived in this past generation (1960-2000 -- give or take a decade) have witnessed the Great falling away. Falling away from accepting the Word of the Living God and His Son and our Savior as the absolute truth. Even those who claim to believe in a Creator God tend to accept the written word as no long the base for all truth, but as stories -- as suggestions, over commandments. And what has the fruit of this new Emerging Church been? Just look around. The Mega Churches are rich but silent as the society they live in crumbles into the pit where the devils and demons live, all the while, declaring, among themselves, their spirituality, their own righteousness as they forgive sin. The evidence is all around. Homosexuality is accepted as normal. Sexual immorality is a thing, not an evil. Men claiming the rights of women. Men, in their lowest form, insulting the beauty and glory of the woman, calling themselves transgender, as if they have the right to determine what male and female is. What liars, what insults to nature and our Creator. And who allows this to happen? Where are the Preachers? Where are those voices that used to point out the sin? Where have the Fundamentalist gone?
From Fundamentalist, to Evangelical, to Emergent Church
The Church of fundamentals -- those following the tenets of the Hebrew/Christian Bible, following and teachings its FUNDAMENTAL, moral principles. Even among religious groups that did not agree with one another about certain doctrines, the "moral guide" that held authority over the flesh, came from the pages of inspired writings, accepted as the very word and teachings, teachings from a Heavenly God and Father, addressed to and for the benefit of all mankind, transmitted by His servants, preserved for all mankind -- all for the purpose of leading mankind eventually to salvation -- the eventual deliverance from our sinful nature. The message, the teaching, the One Doctrine, kept a Mystery until the comong of our Lord and Savior, YaHshua, His Doctrine above all others -- 2 John 1:9 -- no matter other doctrines of the flesh, or the spirit of the flesh -- 1 Timothy 4:1-2. The fact is revealed by His Word, and His written word -- that we need a Savior and it is revealed that our Father in Heaven gave us His One and Only Son -- the One Life worth all of humanity, from the beginning of time to now -- paying the price for us, for all of us. This one doctrine of our Savior, our redeemer, and our advocate in Heaven, YaHshua. To Him has all power and Glory been given. The Mystery has kept hidden has been revealed, and yet, still to this very day, people are inclined to listen to the devils, hearing the doctrines of devils. Consider this; If in the First century, the word was accepted as "inerrant" (by Original Authors, for it is understood that copies can contain minor mistakes), and yet, even in that time so close to the events reported, it was seen by the Apostles of our Savior, a turning of professing believers to the doctrines of devils --
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 1Ti 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (The context goes on to give examples of what was happening in those days -- of those attempting to enforce the Old Covenant over the New -- attempting to put New Wine in Old Skins -- Matthew 9:17)
The fundamentalist of the Christian Faith may differ on minor points, but all agree to needing a Savior, and to leading a moral life, built around the teachings that come from the "inspired writings" of His servants and His apostles. All, following the basic teaching found in the Ten Commandments, delivered to the people at the Mountain of Laws, to the first Congregation of YaHWeH. And yet, in this day and age, these modern times, the title, Fundamentalist, has been turned into a dirty word by others claiming to be followers of the very same Word -- liars all. No matter how sweet to the ear, anyone who says that these modern times and views override the inspired, inerrant word of the Living God and His Apostles, are the deceivers we have been warned about.
2Ti 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live Godly in the messiah YaHshua will suffer persecution.2Ti 3:13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
1Co 6:9-10 Or don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of the FATHER? Don't be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortioners, will inherit the Kingdom of the FATHER.1Co 6:11 Such were some of you, but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the Name of the Lord YaHshua, and in the Spirit of our FATHER.
Those of the Fundamental Church, followed the fundamentals of Biblical teachings, as true and right in a physical conduct and thinking, the Bible being the book of moral truth and the measure by which all truth should be determined. The fundamentals of the Holy Bible, were followed, were lived in everyday life. The Fundamental way, the acceptance of what had already been delivered, the words already recorded, as the accepted truth and way of life to eternal life. The rebellion against this rule of conduct, for most of Christianity, seemed to be coming to an end in the 1960-80. The decade of the 50s enjoyed an Evangelical calling to the Word, as world famous preachers and teachers, such as Billy Graham, and others preached the morality of the Word, from town to town, even nation to nation. And still, within a decade later, the enemy entered and the slippery tongue of the serpent entered many of those classified as Evangelicals, and out of this new crop, this next generation of preachers and teachers, influencing Pastors and congregations of professing Christians, using the foot hold laid down by the previous teachers and preachers of the word, having found a foundation upon which to stand as they removed one Fundamental Teaching after another, teaching a doctrine of Tolerance, of Forgiveness, not from God, but from men and women professing to be the kindest, the gentlest, the most loving of all. Not even a full generation had past for these charlatans to gain a foot hold, even to the point of taking over the works before them. Preachers and teachers in the Evangelical movement, gave way, not always without a fight, but gave way to the New Evangelical Movement -- redefining what Evangelical meant.
Moving into the Original Evangelical movement, with its Tent Revivals, and call to repent, and offers of baptism, even with all of that came the backlash of the 60s and 70s, the Free Love, meaning, sex and drugs, leading many to spiritual enhancements, brought on by the collapse of a moral conscience with the introduction of mind altering drugs. Out of this love fest, this sexual free-for-all, came the cutting away from the previous generations "fundamentals" of law and order, of moral responsibility and the book that condemned such conduct, the Hebrew/Christian Bible. The Evangelical movement, while still a popular term, was cut short by what became known as the Hippy Movement, or the Flower Power, all exhibiting the rebellion of mentally deficient children in adult bodies, in rebellion to all authority. However, out of this free-for-all, came seekers of things of the spirit world. The Eastern religious practices found eager children in rebellion, ready and willing to accept a different kind of spiritual fun. The New Evangelical crop of preachers found that softening the message would appeal to this generation of Flower Children, all tired of being told what to do, rebelling against authority, were being appealed to by music, music that previous generations of believers would have found offensive, but attracted the young people. This New Evangelism would grow in appeal.
So many different groups broke out of this Hippy Movement that they are hard to identify. So many different personalities gained control over so many others that the lives destroyed have never been tallied. Literally, physically destroyed, and many more spiritually. Out of this backlash of free love and drugs, seen by some, as a rebellion against adult authority, which mostly had been Biblically based, came many of the Politicians, and teachers in the schools of Higher Learning, so called, of today. The title, Evangelical, has been reduced to something completely different from what it meant in the 20th and 21st century. Out of the Free Love rebellion, came the Jesus people, the Jesus Freaks, and religious leaders of every kind -- some leading groups of people to their physical, as well as spiritual deaths. Many in the fundamental way, had produced children finding the Evangelical way exciting, but at the same time becoming enticed by the "free-for-all" of the 60 and 70s, and moving to inherit the works of their Fundamentalist fathers, began working to change from teaching the Bible as the way, as the only guide to moral attitude and conduct, and invite in other concepts and teachings, leading to what some have called the Emergent Church.
The Emergent Church, rising out of the ashes, and all of that came before. It is amazing at how many Leaders of the very successful Fundamental groups have been and were, taken in a different direction by their sons, literally. Sins of the sons and the fathers at issue with one another. If the Father began to embrace the new theology of feeling, all love and no law, then the son of that leading father would go the other direction and seek to restore the original Fundamental teachings. If, on the other hand, the Fundamentalist father, continued with the Bible as the base of all real truth, then the son would turn to the all "love" and no "judgment", embracing many of the Eastern views about morality. A new title had been discovered for this movement away from the Fundamental view and the Bible no longer being the absolute, moral teacher -- no long the absolute authority on truth. In other words, the Holy Bible was no longer the true Word and words of our Creator. This became, the Church emerging out of the ashes of the 1960 and 70s.
From this brief account, bringing us into this present day, what do we see? What has the Emergent way brought to the Christians of today? A society that is split down the middle. R
2Co 6:14 Don't be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?2Co 6:15 What agreement has the messiah with Belial? Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever?2Co 6:16 What agreement has a temple of the FATHER with idols? For you are a temple of the living the FATHER. Even as the FATHER said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their the FATHER, and they will be my people.2Co 6:17 Therefore, " 'Come out from among them, and be separate,' says YaHWeH. 'Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you.2Co 6:18 I will be to you a FATHER. You will be to me sons and daughters,' says YaHWeH Almighty."
A good site for information and research: