Emergent or submergent?

“There are many ways to God.”
“Jesus is just my way.”
“All religions are true in their own way.”

We have all heard statements like those before. Sometimes, even Christians who don’t understand their Bibles will say them.

Have you ever wondered how God reacts to this? It’s insulting.

I have mentioned the emergent church before. It’s a popular new movement taking place in the evangelical church that has caught the interest of many.

The emergents get it wrong

Here is a statement from one of its unquestioned leaders:

“Missional Christian faith asserts that Jesus did not come to make some people saved and others condemned. Jesus did not come to help some people be right, while leaving everyone else to be wrong. Jesus did not come to create another exclusive religion.”

Sorry to disagree, but this is all wrong.

First of all, Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners. Plain and simple.

As Paul wrote, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15 NKJV).

He did not come to “help some people be right, while leaving everyone else to be wrong.” We ALL were wrong and separated from Him by our sins. The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 NKJV). And only those who believe in in Jesus Christ will be saved.

Another emergent leader I quoted before writes:

“I must add, though, that I don’t believe making disciples must equal making adherence to the Christian religion. It may be advisable in many (not all!) circumstances to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu, or Jewish contexts.”

This sounds very inclusive and loving, but it is flat-out wrong and unscriptural. We want people to become “followers of Jesus” in a biblical context!

The Bible teaches that you become a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 says, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (NKJV).

Jesus plainly said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life . . . ”

Insulting the Holy Spirit

That brings us to the sin of insulting the Holy Spirit. I have been blogging about specific sins we can commit against the Holy Spirit, and I have briefly dealt with lying to, grieving, and quenching the Holy Spirit.

Now let’s consider insulting the Spirit. What is that? It’s when we reject the work He has come to do.

It is the office of the Holy Spirit to present the saving work of Jesus Christ to the unbeliever. Jesus said, “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8 KJV).

But when someone refuses to accept Jesus Christ, he is really denying the very mission of the Holy Spirit and is saying that he doesn’t need salvation. They are saying that Jesus cannot save them and His shed blood was a waste! His death was unnecessary.

This is a blatant insult to the Holy Spirit of God. As it says in Hebrews 10:29, “Think how much more terrible the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God and have treated the blood of the covenant as if it were common and unholy. Such people have insulted and enraged the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to his people” (NLT).

To resist the Holy Spirit’s appeal is to insult God and cut off all hope of salvation.

The Bible poses this alarming question: “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3 NKJV).

Tomorrow, I want to talk about how insulting the Spirit can actually lead to resisting and ultimately blaspheming Him, which is the only unforgivable sin.