SPECIAL NOTE ON THE GREAT SIN OF THE AMERICAN CHURCH: THE FALSE GOSPEL OF NEUTRALITY AS FATHER TO THE LAWLESS ONE (WITH VIDEO)

THEOLOGY

SCRIPTURE. “The [Holy] Spirit explicitly and unmistakably declares that in later times some will turn away from the faith, paying attention instead to deceitful and seductive spirits and doctrines of demons, [misled] by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared as with a branding iron [leaving them incapable of ethical functioning].” – 1 TIMOTHY 4:1-2, AMP

KEY TERMS:

“HYPOCRISY.” ‘Hupokrisis’ [ὑποκρίσει]: “Play acting under a feigned participle; deceit; dissimulation under condemnation.” NOTE: “Strong’s Greek 5272 names the interior duplicity that pretends to be something it is not. In Scripture it denotes a conscious, willful contrast between outward appearance and inward reality, especially in religious matters.” DK: You will recall that Jesus’ most vicious public denunciation was to the Religious Hypocrites in Matthew 23:1-36). Do not lose site, therefore, of how profoundly: ‘God hates Hypocrisy – and Hypocrites!’

“LIARS.” ‘Pseudologos’ [ψευδολόγων]: From a root word, ‘pseudés’ [ψευδής]: ‘Deceitful, wicked, false, erroneous.’ Therefore: “Mendacious, promulgating false Christian doctrine; speaking lies [in hypocrisy].” NOTE: “The term occurs only once in the New Testament (1 Timothy 4:2), yet it belongs to a larger Biblical vocabulary of falsehood that includes ‘false witness,’ ‘lying tongue,’ and ‘deceit.’ Scripture consistently treats any Distortion of Truth as Rebellion against the God whose very nature is Truth (John 14:6).”

“SEARED.” ‘Kautériazó’ [κεκαυστηριασμένων]: Another term unique to this passage, meaning: “To render unsensitive [to Truth] as when one is spiritually cauterized as with a branding iron [by Falsehood].” NOTE: “In the Greco-Roman world a hot iron was used to brand slaves, mark criminals, and cauterize wounds. To be ‘seared’ evoked a vivid picture: Living tissue touched by a glowing iron loses feeling, forms scar tissue, and permanently bears the mark. Paul draws on that imagery to describe the state of certain consciences—once sensitive, now desensitized and branded with the Emblem of Deceit.”

QUOTATION. “‘We must take sides. Neutrality helps the Oppressor, never the Victim. Silence encourages the Tormentor, never the Tormented. Sometimes we must interfere.’ When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are Persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that Place must – at that Moment – become the Center of the Universe.” ― ELIE WIESEL, The Night Trilogy: Night, Dawn, The Accident, 1987; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘FALSE TEACHERS were and still are a threat to the Church.’ Jesus and the Apostles repeatedly warned against them [see, for example, Mark 13:21-23; Acts 20:28-31; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 2 Peter 3:3-7]. A Teacher, Speaker or Writer may appear to be knowledgeable, disciplined, and moral, and may claim to speak for God. But if that person’s words contradict the Bible, their teaching proves false. Like Timothy, we must guard against any teaching that causes believers to dilute or reject any aspect of their Faith. Such False Teaching can be very direct or extremely subtle. Believers ought to ‘respond quickly’ when they sense False eaching is being promoted.

‘The Truth does not mind honest questions.’ Sometimes a person teaching something that is False may prove to be ignorant of their error and appreciate the correction. ‘A Firm Warning’ may at least keep them from promoting the Deceptive Beliefs that Paul describes (see Colossians2:3-4). These days [the 2020’s], many people, even professed Christians, reject the Truth of the Bible. Because they don’t agree with the Bible’s Teaching on certain hot button social issues. For example, they may carefully create a viewpoint that contradicts God’s Word.

‘If that sounds like you, pray and submit yourself to the Authority of our Holy God’-even if you don’t understand why he would do and say what he does. You are not God. If you follow someone who might be a False Teacher, ask God for Discernment to know whether the person is teaching according to God’s Word or according to his or her own ideas and authority.” DK: And pray about CONFRONTING the offending Pastor (Titus 1:13)– RONALD A. BEERS, General Editor, Life Application Study Bible, 2022, p. 2768; edited).

II. TEACHING

You may have heard me increasingly refer to myself as a “Binary Christian.” Meaning that I am submitted to the inexorable Maxim in the Scripture that there is no ‘In-Between Reality’ located somewhere between the two fixed theological poles of “True and False.” It is judged by God as one or the other – though we may often be confused about such clear distinctions in this present world of False Doctrines, “Alternative Facts” and massive Confusion about Truth in today’s insane world of Trump Christianity.

INDIFFERENCE AS A VENAL SIN. The life and organic wisdom of Jewish Holocaust survivor ELIE WIESEL has left an indelible mark on this old man, not to be soon forgotten, if ever. His opening quotation in this essay established a Philosophical Beachhead for an accompanying statement he made at two different times that takes us an important step further in our Quest for Truth here.

“The opposite of Love is not Hate, it’s Indifference. The opposite of Art is not Ugliness, it’s Indifference. The opposite of Faith is not Heresy, it’s Indifference. And the opposite of Life is not Death, it’s Indifference … ‘TAKE SIDES!’ Neutrality helps the Oppressor, never the Victim. Silence encourages the Tormentor, never the Tormented.” – U.S. News and World Report 27 Oct. 1986; Accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, in New York Times 11 Dec. 1986

We are therefore living in a time that I describe as “DESPOTIC DISREGARD” in which the majority of the American populace (including Christians, tragically) find themselves lost in an ocean of ‘Passive-Aggressive Apathetics’ concerning the many Life and Death issues surrounding us all. But intermixed with these easily malleable, blind citizens is a toxic minority of ‘Ideological Dominionists’ who are in the process of seizing total control over the rest of the nation under the guise of Christian Nationalism. Through their Political and Spiritual Champion, DONALD TRUMP, they have already taken CONTROL OF:

The Federal Government (including the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary), the Republican Party, the Public Schools, the News Media by controlling its agenda for ten years running, the Commercial Centers, most of the Military-Police brigades of the Nation, and over 83% of the White Evangelical Church.

DELUSIONARY NEUTRALITY. Into this barely arguable and uniquely historic Coup d’etat comes the eloquent instruction of DR. DON PIPER once more in a piece titled, “No Neutrality: The Illusion of Indifference to Jesus” (Desiring God, Aug. 21, 2024; edited).

“And [at another time] Jesus was casting out a demon, and it was [controlling a man so as to make him] mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds were awed. But some of them said, ‘He drives out demons by [the power of] Beelzebul (Satan), the ruler of the demons.’ Others, trying to test Him, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven. But He, well aware of their thoughts and purpose, said to them,

‘Every kingdom divided against itself is doomed to destruction; and a house divided against itself falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand and continue to survive? For you are saying that I drive out demons by [the power of] Beelzebul. Now if I drive out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons [the Jewish exorcists] drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges …

He who is not with Me [believing in Me as Lord and Savior] is against Me [THERE IS NO IMPARTIAL POSITION]; and he who does not gather with Me [assisting in My ministry], scatters.” – LUKE 11:14-17 23, AMP

OPEN. “The biggest, most urgent implication for our lives is Verse 23: ‘Whoever is not with Me is against me, and whoever does not gather with Me SCATTERS [skorpizó. ‘puts to flight, wastes, disappears’] ‘You cannot be NEUTRAL to Jesus Christ! There is No Neutrality in dealing with Jesus. If you are not For Him [100%], you are Against him. If you are not seeking to gather Faith and Obedience from those around you, you are scattering people away from Him. And if you say, ‘I’m not against Jesus. I don’t even think about Jesus most of the time,’consider what you just said. To be against Jesus is to be against his Purpose for your life. And his Purpose for your life is not that you ignore him 99 percent of the time.’”

BE NOT NEUTRAL! “‘The God-given PURPOSE of your life is not Neutrality toward Jesus. It is the wholehearted Pursuit of Jesus Christ!’ Very God of very God, who is present in us by the Holy Spirit. To know Him, to enjoy His friendship, to Follow in His Ways, to Gather His harvest with Him. ‘There is No Neutrality toward Jesus!’ Verse 23: ‘Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters.’ That is the Big Reality and the Big Implication for your life: Jesus Christ Triumphant over Satan, and No Neutrality. You’re FOR Him or you’re AGAINST Him!”

DEMONS THEN & NOW. A mute demon possesses a man and makes him mute. He can’t talk. Jesus casts out the Demon, and the man talks. And [SOME] people marvel. But SOME say, ‘He’s doing this by the power of the prince of demons’ (Verse 15). And OTHERS say,‘Come on, prove that you didn’t do this by the power of hell by showing us a sign from heaven.’ Verse 16: ‘While OTHERS, to test him, kept seeking from him ‘a sign from heaven.’ NO NEUTRALITY HERE! ‘You MARVEL or you BLASPHEME.’ You say, “You are amazing!” or you say, “You are satanic” … The demon was real. Jesus conquered him, plundered him, took his spoils for Himself. And one group ‘Marveled’ and another group ‘Blasphemed.’ ‘No Neutrality!’ DK: ‘Is DONALD TRUMP of God or of Satan? CHOOSE WELL: It could define your very Eternity, beloved. Selah.

NO SOUL STAYS EMPTY. Which brings us to Jesus’ Final Response or interpretation of what’s going on in the deliverance of this mute man. Perhaps He turns and looks at the man who is no longer mute, or perhaps He is just saying this to you and me: ‘When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, “I will return to my house from which I came.” And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first’ (Verse 24-26). What’s the point? THE POINT: ‘If you are not FOR Me, you are AGAINST Me. You think an empty house is Neutral? It’s not!’”

TRAGIC ORDER. “Let me say one FINAL WORD by ‘Applying this’ [this is where Truth is translated into Wisdom] to our Culture in America today. Given the MORAL COLLAPSE of the Culture around us, some people are saying that the ‘Cultural Christianity’ of sixty years ago (since the 1950s) is ‘a good thing’ and that we should work for its return. ‘Cultural Christianity means a Culture in which the people are mainly not true Christians, but the Culture is still shaped by the outward vestiges of the so-called “Judeo-Christian ethic’” … THE POINT: The Cultural Room in which I grew up was, in many ways, swept clean and in ‘Good Order’ from an external perspective. Oh, there was plenty of Racism and Greed and Lust. But in many ways, it was ‘EXTERNALLY GOOD, But the Room was not inhabited by the Saving Grace of the Holy Spirit. And the Demons were on their way, if not already crawling through the windows.”

CLOSE. And the … Implication is that in and through our vocations — our 8-to-5 jobs — Let us seek the true good of our city, our culture, the way Jesus did in Verse 23: ‘Whoever does not gather with Me scatters.’ By our Gospel Words, by our Vocational Excellence, by our Deeds of Love: ‘We are aiming to RESCUE people from the Illusion that a clean, well-ordered life can save them. We are always seeking to Magnify the all-satisfying Worth of Jesus, Who came into the world to set people free from unclean spirits, and from the Illusion of Neutrality, and to fill us with the Joy of the Holy Spirit [of Truth!].’”

III. THE LETHAL DANGER OF NEUTRALITY

I very happily came upon a uniquely appropriate essay perfectly suited to today’s Quest. It is by DAN FOSTER, author, blogger, pastor, educator, theologian, and minister to what he calls “Religious Refugees.” Those who simply cannot attend the Conventional Church any longer – For all the reasons we have been discussing here for five years running.

Founder of the ‘Online Backyard Church,’ the title of his piece, “The Seven Deadly Sins of the Institutionalized Church: Challenging the Built-in Biases of Organized Religion” (Medium, Feb. 15, 2024; edited).

OPEN. “Way back in the 6th Century, Pope Gregory found himself doing some serious soul-searching. Amidst the flickering candlelight of his chambers, Gregory was musing about human nature and set out to pinpoint the major Moral Stumbling Blocks that could trip up — even the most devout of believers. Apparently, the Pope had a penchant for listicles because, after a good deal of contemplation, he condensed his musings into what we now know as ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’ … For the non-Catholics and the morally bankrupt among us, here is Pope Gregory’s list of deadly sins: Lust. gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride … Therefore, I have taken the liberty of compiling my own LIST OF DEADLY SINS. But my list of deadly sins is not for the individual; it’s for The Institution.”

WEAPONIZING SCRIPTURE. “As I sat down to write this article, I received a comment on another piece I wrote where a well-to-do Christian called me an Apostate and used a random Bible verse to support his view that I am destined for the Bowels of Hell. Let’s clear something up. Each verse in the Bible has its Context within a certain Book of the Bible. Each Book of the Bible speaks to a certain historical and cultural context. Ignoring that context and cherry-picking verses to suit our own agendas is not just misleading; it’s deceptive … The Bible is not a Weapon to be wielded against others; it’s a Sacred Text that invites us to a deeper understanding of God and ourselves.” DK: “Weaponizing” = To Condemn. “Rebuke” = To Rescue. Selah.
SELECTIVE MORALITY. “Selective Morality is where the Church ranks sins like items on a menu, picking and choosing which ones to condemn and which ones to ignore. Wearing immodest clothing? Wicked, horrible sin!!! Gossiping about the person wearing immodest clothing? No problem. Conveniently, the ones they ignore, of course, are the ones they most struggle with themselves. ‘Jesus Himself spoke often about this phenomenon, likening it to trying to remove the speck from your neighbor’s eye while ignoring the log in your own.’ We’ve all seen it: someone gets up in arms about a minor transgression while turning a blind eye to more significant injustices. Whether it’s condemning someone for a harmless lifestyle choice while ignoring ‘Systemic Racism’ or calling out a small mistake while excusing ‘Blatant Hypocrisy,’ Selective Morality is alive and well in the Church.”
SELF-CONGRATULATION. “Self-Congratulation is a sin that runs rampant within the Church. It’s the attitude of looking down on others with a Sense of Superiority. We say with the Pharisee, ‘Lord, thank You that I’m not like that tax-collecting sinner over there,’ turning a blind eye to our own transgressions while condemning others. In many Conservative circles, there’s a tendency to pat oneself on the back for being on the ‘Religously-Right Side’ of Morality while simultaneously condemning those who don’t meet ‘[Conventional]Standards.’ It’s an insidious form of Pride that blinds individuals to their own faults and shortcomings. Self-Congratulation breeds ‘Arrogance and Self-Righteousness,’ creating an atmosphere of Exclusivity and Judgment within the Church. Instead of fostering Humility and Empathy, it promotes an ‘Us versus Them’ Mentality, where those who don’t fit the mold are ostracized and condemned.”
OVERLOOKING THE MARGINALIZED. “‘There is absolutely no doubt about it: The Bible has a clear Bias toward the Poor and Marginalized.’ Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, we see countless examples of God’s concern for the Oppressed and Downtrodden … Consider the WORDS OF JESUS Himself, Who proclaimed in Luke 4:18–19, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ Yet, despite these clear teachings, the Church has too often failed to live up to this calling. Instead of standing in Solidarity with the Marginalized. ‘We have often been complicit in their Oppression.’We have turned a blind eye to Systemic Injustices and perpetuated harmful Stereotypes and Prejudices.”
POLITICAL IDOLATRY. “Let’s talk about what I like to call ‘Political Idolatry.’ Now, we all know that the Church has a long history of getting involved in politics, but when politics starts to take precedence over real spirituality, we’ve got a problem. One glaring example of this is the Evangelical Obsession with DONALD TRUMP. Now, I’m not here to bash anyone’s political beliefs, but let’s be real: ‘When you start worshiping a political figure like he’s Christ-incarnate, you’ve CROSSED A LINE. Instead of holding political leaders accountable, some segments of the Evangelical Community have chosen to turn a blind eye to Trump’s countless moral failings and indiscretions. They’ve put him on a pedestal, elevating him to the status of a Messianic figure despite all evidence to the contrary. The Sin of Political Idolatry not only undermines the Credibility of the Church but also gives the Church very little wiggle room to maintain its Moral Authority and Speak Truth to Power. When the Church becomes entangled in Partisan Politics and puts its Faith in flawed human leaders, it risks losing its Prophetic Voice. Instead of Challenging Injustice and Advocating for the Marginalized, it becomes ‘Complicit’ [‘compliant or complacent’]in perpetuating Harmful Ideologies and Policies [‘doctrines of demons’].”
FEAR-MONGERING. “Let me make a confession: I became a Christian in the first place because I was terrified of going to Hell. It wasn’t because I loved God; it was purely an act of self-preservation. Do you think that God wants people following him out of fear? Fear-Mongering is unequivocally a sin — plain and simple. When the Church resorts to Fear Tactics to maintain power or enforce obedience, it betrays its own moral values and undermines its credibility as a force for good in the world. Fear-mongering not only exploits the vulnerabilities of individuals but also erodes trust in religious institutions. In essence, Fear-Mongering is Antithetical to the very essence of Faith. Instead of inspiring Love, Courage, and Compassion, it breeds insecurity, anxiety, and mistrust. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: If a church cannot convince people to follow Christ because of His exemplary and compelling Life, then their Christ is not all that interesting or powerful.
THE [LETHAL] SIN OF SILENCE. [“LETHAL:” ‘Sufficient to Cause Death’].“In the Annals of Moral Failings, few are as Damning as the Sin of Silence.’ When confronted with Injustice, Staying Silent can be just as Destructive as actively Participating in the wrongdoing. Take, for instance, the ‘Church in Germany during World War II.’ As the Nazi Regime tightened its grip on power, ‘the Church in Germany largely: REMAINED SILENT in the face of mounting Atrocities.’ Despite the clear evidence of Persecution and Genocide targeting Jews and other Marginalized Groups, many Clergy chose to turn a blind eye, fearing reprisal or seeking to protect their own interests. By remaining Silent, they effectively became ‘COMPLICIT in the Crimes of the Nazi Regime,’ betraying their own Moral Principles and failing to protect the vulnerable. The Sin of Silence reverberates through history, leaving Stain on the Church’s Legacy and calling into question its Commitment to Justice and Righteousness. Yet, it is not a sin confined to the past. ‘In modern-day America, we see a similar PATTERN OF SILENCE in the face of Systemic Injustices and Oppression!’”

IV. A CALL TO REPENTANCE

Mr. Foster, after confessing openly that he too has committed some of the very same sins he listed (as have I, beloved), closes with a rather touching Appeal for Repentance to the Institutional Church – long overdue in my estimation! Here it is in his own words to conclude his excellent essay.

“Repentance isn’t just about feeling guilty or ashamed. It’s about ‘Recognizing’ where we’ve gone wrong and seeking to make things right. It’s about ‘Turning Away’ from the Destructive Patterns of behavior that have led us to this point and ‘Turning toward a New Way of Being — a Way of Love, Grace, [Truth] and Reconciliation.’

So let this be a Call to Repentance — For the Church, for myself, and for all who seek to follow in the Footsteps of Jesus. May we humbly Confess our sins, both individually and collectively, and may we Commit ourselves anew to the work of ‘Building God’s Kingdom’ [as Servants] here on Earth — a Kingdom of Love, Justice, and Peace.”

CODA. In a personally uncharacteristic (for me) Last Gentle Plea for Repentance, I turn to a passage from the Great Prophet to further persuade us to PREPARE FOR YEAR 2026, one that the many Signs and Portents suggest to this old man to call it, “The Year of the Beast.”

“Seek, inquire for, and require the Lord while He may be found [claiming Him by necessity and by right]; call upon Him while He is NEAR [‘qarob,’ קָרֽוֹב׃; ‘as a Father to a son’]. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have love, pity, and mercy for him, and to our God, for He will multiply to him His abundant pardon.” – ISAIAH 55:6-7, AMPC

Hear Him, beloved, Heed Him, please. ‘There is still a little time (but very little).’ Selah.

MEDIA

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/YPKEjWUr3Ok