Recently, I viewed a video presentation by Brannon Howse regarding the corporate church and its role regarding Christian charity. What follows is a transcript of Brannon Howse’s video on his new book, Religious Trojan Horse, which he’s hocking as much as possible to make his money back on its costly investment. It’s a mammoth work, and I am certain it was costly to produce. A man is entitled to make money back on his investment, and if his work serves the Lord, the Scriptures teach that a man is worthy of earning his living from the Gospel if this is his vocation and God’s calling on his life, as it says: So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel. (1Corinthians 9:14)
Now before anyone think that I am taking issue with Mr. Howse’s support of the truth; let me make it clear that I am in agreement that as far as false teachings of the cults and their teachers and “prophets” are concerned; I agree with Mr. Howse and others who oppose the cults and false prophets, just as does Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, Dr. Michael Brown, Jan Markell, Eric Barger, Chris Pinto, James MacDonald, and every Born Again Evangelical Christian.
What I take issue with is some of the unbiblical methods and statements that Mr. Howse, David James, Jimmy DeYoung, and others have made, and continue to make in the guise of “discernment” against Evangelical Christians for what to them appear to be infractions of orthodoxy because such and such was seen with such and such, and so and so said this at a prayer rally they weren’t supposed to attend, because according to these gentlemen (Howse, DeYoung, James, McMahon, Ice, and others) to have done so was to partake in “deception and spiritual darkness.” It’s time these men are challenged biblically on what the Scriptures do say about such things, and God’s grace be brought into such discussions, because it is missing in their rhetoric and their “biblical studies.”
One of the more flagrant examples of this is the following. I’ve written this transcript verbatim on what Brannon Howse teaches in this video as best as I can, considering Mr. Howse’s prodigious oral ability to run his mouth like an out of control freight train; it was hard to keep up and write everything down, but I believe I was able to do it. (LOL) I quote:
“Hello, I’m Brannon Howse, and welcome to the Worldview Weekend House. Tonight we continue our series on Twenty Similarities Between the False Church and Nazi Germany That Gave Rise to Adolf Hitler, and the Growing Global False Church That Will Give Rise to the Antichrist. In our last program we got about halfway through our point on “social justice,” so we’ll continue that tonight, and move forward with more of our twenty points…
“Alright, well let’s get underway with our, ahh..Twenty Similarities Between the False Church and Nazi Germany That Gave Rise to Adolf Hitler, and the Growing Global False Church That Will Give Rise to the Antichrist. One of our similarities, as I’ve said,..(pause) we stopped halfway through…was ‘Social Justice,’ so let’s pick it up right there. Let me begin by asking you this question; ‘Is the church called to social transformation projects?’ Is the church called to be involved in social transformation projects? Pastor Tim Keller, Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, and an untold number of pastors and churches embrace the idea that the corporate church is to transform their communities through ‘Social Action.’
“But this is not at all a biblical idea. My friend Pastor Jesse Johnson has written extensively on Tim Keller – by the way revue, (unintelligible).. Tim Keller is the pastor of a church in (pause) New York who has written many books; one on being ‘Generous Justice’ – ‘Generous Justice.’ Instead of calling it ‘Social Justice’ he calls it ‘Generous Justice’ instead of calling it “Redistribution,” he talks about ‘reweaving a community.’ But Tim Keller and many others are embracing this idea that it’s the job of the church to be involved in transforming their community through ‘social action programs.’ And my friend Jesse Johnson has written extensively – as I said – not only on Tim Keller, but on some of these other folks; and why it’s not the biblical calling of the corporate church to be involved in ‘social transformation.’
“Listen to what Jesse Johnson writes, he writes quote ‘When Tim Keller says “It’s biblical that we owe the poor as much of our money as we can give away,” Robin Hood ethics gradually eclipse the Great Commission mandate…The Bible simply never commands the church to give anything to the poor of the world, other than the gospel.”
He goes on to say “The Keller quote above came in an interview promoting his most recent book, Generous Justice, but it is not a new line for him. Way back in Ministries of Mercy, Keller said that the church has a mandate both personally and corporately to try and lower the poverty rates in our world, as well as a call to care for the homeless in our community (page 21). He even defines mercy ministry as a ‘meeting felt need through deed’ and he describes sin as producing alienation from God, others, and nature.’ He writes, “this in turn produces theological, psychological, social, and physical needs; and the church must have as its goal the correcting of all of those needs.”
‘“But the fact of the matter,” writes Jesse Johnson, “is that nowhere does the Bible command the church to care for the poor of the world; to lower the poverty rates in society, or to care for the homeless in our community. There are zero verses that command this, and several that even argue against this. Ironically, some will, ahh (pause)…flip over to Matthew for instance – Matthew, chapter 24 – and I’ve heard this done a lot lately in regards to how it’s the calling of the church to be involved in giving amnesty – they don’t want to call it ‘amnesty’ – the Neo-Evangelicals and New Religious Right pushing for ‘amnesty for illegals’ – they don’t want to call it amnesty, but that in effect is what it is. And in addition to citing Old Testament passages out of (pause)..context, that deal specifically with the nation of Israel, ahh they’ve also taken Matthew 24 out of context – actually Matthew 25 (as Mr. Howse leaves through his Bible searching for the passage) – Matthew 25, they’ve taken that out of context where Jesus says (pause as he reads) that umm, umm..(pause) “If you, you know; give someone water, or clothe them – in fact, let’s look at what it says – Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me” – and they go on to use this passage, many today not only those pushing for ‘amnesty’ for illegals, but many folks who are say[ing] it’s the job of the church to be in..(pause)…trans..ahh (pause)..be in the business of transforming their community or ‘social justice,’ they’ll point to this pass-passage in Matthew 25 and way, ‘See what are we doing these things?’
“But again, if you look at the context of the Scripture. Jesus says in verse 40, “…the least of these, My brethren.” Jesus is referring in particular to disciples; to (pauses for effect as he waves his hands) ‘believers.’ He is not (pause)…referring to doing this for ‘unbelievers.’ That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be kind and compassionate, and loving to the ‘unbelievers’ nor does it mean we can’t be involved in biblical mercy ministries inside the church, or in ministry outside the church to give the gospel; of course we’re supposed to that, that’s the Great Commission, right? Part of the Great Commission is evangelism, that part is making disciples; teaching them what the Bible has to say; but nowhere do we see in the Scriptures – unless you take Scripture out of context, like Mathew 25 here – are we called to be involved in lowering the poverty rates of the world or in transforming our communities through ‘social justice?’ Again, zero references to Scripture – unless of course, you’re taking Scripture out of context – as I just explained.
“I know that such a declaration by a pastor or a Christian talk show host such as myself – that the church is not commanded to help the poor – may come as a shock to some, but (pause) Jesse Johnson is not saying, nor am I, that individual Christians should not help those in their communities that are in need when it is done as a platform to share the gospel. Jesse Johnson and myself are simply (broken sentence).. and others that have taught on this (pause)..correctly, are simply declaring that nowhere in the New Testament description of the church do we see that the calling of the corporate church is to be involved in social work, or moralizing, boycotting or social transformation. The corporate church is partly described in Ephesians chapter 4 as being called to equip the saints for the work of ministry; which is the proclamation of the gospel, as well as biblical discipleship.
“Pastor Jesse Johnson describes how the corporate church should use its limited resources, and when the biblical model of the church is followed, it can effect society. He said, “The fact is the church should be using her resources to further her one mission in the world, and that mission is reaching the lost with the gospel…the commands given to Israel concerning the poor do not apply to the church…” I can I just stop right there? You see, part of the problem is people have taken verses that deal specifically with the nation of Israel, that was a theocracy, and they take, ah, oh, ah.. (pause)…Old Testament Law – civic and ceremonial law – meant for Israel, and they try to apply for the church today. And they say, “This is what the church ought to be doing,” but we have the model for the New Testament Church in the New Testament; particularly in the epistles. But people take (pause)…Old Testament references related to Israel, saying, “This is what the church ought to be doing.”
“We cannot confuse the church today with the nation of Israel, and when people do that, that is called Replacement Theology. Replacement Theology is when people take Scripture that is meant for Israel, and they apply it to the church today. Or when they say, “Anytime you see Israel mentioned in the Scripture – in the New Testament as well – it means ‘the church’ – no, when the Bible mentions Israel, it means ‘Israel.’ When the Bible mentions the church, or a group of believers that have come together to ahh, ahh. (pause)…exercise their spiritual gifts for the edification of the saints, and the proclamation of the gospel, it means that; ‘the church’ – a local body. ‘Israel’ means Israel; ‘the church’ means the church. But people today have taken verses related to Israel and applied it to the church. They’ve really practicing a – really – Replacement Theology. So Jesse Johnson is right when he says, ‘The commands given to Israel concerning the poor do not apply to the church. God’s testimony was manifest to the earth through a theocracy is different than how the gospel goes forward through the church, and this change affects social ethics…In no way am I implying Keller has sacrificed evangelism, but I am making the observation that when money is going to soup kitchens, it is not going to missions. To guard against that, the church is never commanded to show compassion for the poor as a means for expanding the kingdom. Simply put, you owe the poor the gospel; Jesus died to purchase for them the privilege of hearing the testimony of his death and resurrection. (1Timothy 2:6) That is both the most and the least you can give, and Robin Hood ethics do not overlap with the Great Commssion.’” (Ibid)
“Jesse Johnson is so correct. Let’s not confuse ‘social justice’ – which is Socialism – is a phrase by the way coined by the Communists; “Social Justice” is a phrase coined by actually a Jesuit priest. Let’s not confuse ‘social justice’ – ie – Socialism; redistribution of wealth – with ful-filling the Great Commission and preaching the gospel. Johnson correctly explained that helping the unsaved and needy outside the church, is not the corporate – notice what I’m saying? – not the corporate calling of the church; but meeting the needs of believers inside the church, such as widows, orphans, and the needy inside is part of the corporate responsibility of the church. But what does the Bible say? Pure religion is this, to care for the orphans and the widows, right?
“Jesse Johnson writes, ‘I agree that sin and suffering are profound in this world. My heart breaks at children in poverty, AIDS victims without medicine, and the horrors of abortion. But, more than that, my heart breaks at the horrors of hell. I see the church as called to equip the saints to go into the world and preach the gospel. The biblical mandate is evangelism, and I see that given to individuals. If the poor are evangelized and are converted, they fall under the church’s care-and there should be no one in need in the church.’
“Jesse Johnson writes, ‘Alexander Strauch argues that in meeting these people’s needs the elders and Apostles actually set the pattern that mercy ministry is an individual responsibility; because the church leadership decided not to leave the priority of the word of God and prayer’ (Howse interrupts, “as we see in Acts chapter 6, verse 4”) (Acts 6:4), the church selected individuals to take over of this responsibility. The reality, Strauch says, is that even this official church function was not a church priority compared to preaching, but was a priority for individuals to perform.’ You see what Jesse Johnson was saying is, what we do corporately as a church is we fund the gospel, we fund missionaries, to..who go out into the world; both in our inner cities, and.., and in foreign lands, and they preach the gospel. The church doesn’t take up collections and go and dig wells, or take up collections and go out and having campaigns to end poverty…”
The rest of the video is a self-promotion of Worldview Weekend Ministry and a public complaint against Christian radio and television stations that will not air Mr. Howse’s broadcasts against other Christians. Mr. Howse doesn’t get it does he? They’re obeying the biblical mandate to stay away from contentious people within the church, and he is a contentious person within the church. The reason they won’t air his broadcasts is because he is contentious, not because they’re persecuting him for preaching the Gospel. He’s not preaching the Gospel. He alludes to it, and talks about it, but he doesn’t share it. What he is being is contentious.
He’s being contentious about other Christian Evangelicals and using his expensive air time to rail against him day in, day out, five days a week, every week. There is no commandment that stipulates that anyone has any obligation to air Mr. Howse’s (anyone else’s) contentious allegations and complaints against other Christians with whom Mr. Howse has a pet peeve against.
But let’s not digress from what we came here to address, and that is the content of the transcript I’ve written above from the monologue of Mr. Howse’s video in which he posits that the church has no responsibility whatsoever to help the poor and indigent of mankind, and that such is the responsibility of individuals only and not the church. Howse is absolutely correct that the Great Commission is not a mandate given to Christians to exact “Social Transformation” to a community, or to bring “Social Justice” to society, but to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to bring them to Christ and His redemption.
Social Justice and Social Transformation are terms that were invented by social activists within the liberal wing of the Protestant Church and among the Maryknoll Order and others who espouse wars of national liberation to foment violent revolution in overthrowing governments they deem despotic. These terms were invented by hardline Communists who see Jesus as a revolutionary community organizer, and preach a social gospel based on Liberation Theology, and Black Liberation Theology; the type of theology that Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago teaches under the leadership of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama’s pastor of twenty years. This is not a biblical theology and it is not a biblical concept of Christian Orthopraxy. It is nothing less than Marxism/Leninism couched in Christian rhetoric with a smattering of Scriptures to appear to be biblical. It is not.
Brannon Howse and those whom he cites in the video presentation, are correct in exposing this false social gospel and explaining why it is not biblical. But where they go wrong is in completely divorcing the church from Orthopraxy – the practice of the Christian Faith put into action – or rather, certain aspects of it that I believe they confuse and reject as a “social gospel” and or practicing “social justice” and “social transformation.” Because of this tendency to confuse one with the biblical view of charity, these men reject wholesale the corporate church’s role in Orthopraxy, and leave it to the individual and his conscience. They forget that the individual and his conscience is what drives the corporate church. When two or more are gathered and form a consensus to take an action on something, this is the corporate church in action, not what people like Keller and others promote.
I have always held in contempt the views of people who see themselves superior to other people because of their beliefs, or because of how they practice their faith. But I have had a special loathing for views such as those posited here by these well-meaning, but very literal practitioners of the Letter of the Law who have little or no room for those outside of the church and their needs, because they must “preach” before they do anything else. As I write this, I think of James’ admonition and criticism of those who claim to have the true faith (and by extension and inference, “theology”), but who lack the action to put that faith into action outside of the box of their very limited circle of church community. Mr. Howse and his colleagues’ views embody everything I have always contended with, and the Word contends with as nothing but faith without works, being dead by itself. (James 2:14-26)
Our first example where Mr. Howse and the teachers he cites digress from the spirit of God’s Word is their rigid literal application of the “letter of God’s Word” forgetting the heart and transcendent Spirit of God’s Word – their literalism proscribes and excludes everyone outside of the Christian Faith – and thus, prevents the proper application of God’s Word practiced towards outsiders – Christian Orthopraxy. They are so hung up on literal application that they forget the very heart of God’s Word and its intent and proper practice.
In his Letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul writing in the Holy Spirit, exhorts his readers to the correct use of Orthopraxy, not just to fellow brethren, but to outsiders as well, for he writes:
Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
(Galatians 6:9-10)
Note, that Christian charity does not begin and end at the church door, but it extends beyond the church doors to the world, otherwise he would not have exhorted us to DO GOOD TO ALL PEOPLE, then make the distinction, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH. Who do we do good to? All people, but especially to our beloved brethren in the faith – those of the household of God. Therefore you’ll see that the prophet Micah, not making any distinctions, says of the Lord, that He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8) This is why when Paul and the others visited Jerusalem, he relates how the elders made one parting but very important request of them; and it was –They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do. (Galatians 2:10) James, writing in the Holy Spirit, makes no distinctions, when he writes:
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
(James 1:27)
You will note, he does not write to visit Christian orphans or widows of the brethren, but uses the generic “orphans and widows” to denote the general public, and not just people within the church. Otherwise, how would the church handle those who come to her for help who are not always of the faith? Are they going to turn them away because they are not of the faith? Would Christ do this? Did Christ ever turn anyone away? Of course you know the answer. Therefore we read where James writes about how we ought to treat people who visit our houses of worship; how we are not to show any partiality towards them, but to treat them both the same. Note, again James intentionally uses the generic term “a man” rather than “a brother” because Christian Charity and Orthopraxy does not end at the church door. The Word of God does not make the distinctions these men apply to it. James even uses the generic term “your neighbor” as opposed to “your brother” to emphasis the universality of Christian Charity.
My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?
If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
(James 2:1-13)
Everyone is familiar with the story of the Good Samaritan. How appropriate is this story for the topic under discussion here. Let’s go to the Scriptures and glean from it the instructions of life and living and correct conduct to all men:
And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”
(Luke 10:25-37)
A little background on the Samaritans from the commentary to John 4:4 from the Harper Study Bible New American Standard Bible, written by Dr. Harold Lindsell:
“The Samaritan village of Sychar (modern Askar) is on the east slope of Mt. Ebal, not too far removed from Mt. Gerizim. Some of the Syriac texts of the New Testament raise the question whether Sychar should not be Shechem. Recent excavations at Balatah, between Ebal and Gerizim, have shown it to be ancient Shechem, which is nearer to Jacob’s well than the site of Askar. The Samaritans had their temple on Mt. Gerizim (although it was destroyed by John Hyrcanus in 128 B.C. and never rebuilt). The Passover was held annually on Mt. Gerizim, not far from the ruins of the temple, but the regular place of worship was probably at the base of Gerizim, not far from Shechem.
“The Samaritans of Jesus’ day formed a substantial element in the population. The Jews hated them and had nothing to do with them. The Samaritans were a mixed people of Assyrian and Jewish blood. When the northern kingdom of Samaria had been conquered by the Assyrians and the Jews had been carried away, their territory was repopulated by Gentiles from the Assyrian empire. Over the centuries the Assyrians intermarried with Jews to form the hybrid group known as the Samaritans.”
(Dr. Harold Lindsell Ph.D., D.D., Commentary on John 4:4 and 4:5, The Harper Study Bible New American Standard Bible, page 1344, bottom, Zondervan Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1985.)
The reader will note that Jesus went out of His way to illustrate that out of all of the people who walked passed this man who had been waylaid by a bunch of bandits on the road, and severely beaten; it was the kindness of a perfect stranger – a member of the most hated race of Jesus’ day among the Jewish people – the hated Samaritan; a descendent of Jews and Gentiles who settled the land of the northern kingdom of Israel after the Assyrian invasion and exile of the Jewish population from the land. It was the Samaritan, and not the Jewish Levite, or Jewish priest and not a fellow countryman who helped the victim, who was presumably Jewish. The Samaritan, a foreigner and one who was not even accepted by the faith of Rabbinic Judaism in Jesus’ day – who helped and paid for this man’s care. It was the Samaritan – a member of a hated and despised people who themselves despised the Jewish people, whom Jesus made the hero of his parable.
The answer: Why did He do this? What was Jesus saying here; what is He saying to us as His followers, and not just to Second Temple Israel? He is showing us that the man who was a true neighbor to this man was the one who showed him kindness and charity, the one who helped him recover and paid for his recovery with his own money. The Samaritan stranger, the foreigner; provides for us an excellent object lesson and commandment; to “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48)
“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12) Is the Lord making any distinctions here about how to treat others? No. He uses the generic term “people,” because that is how we are to be with all men.
When exhorting us to sell our possession and give, it is not to the church alone that Christ exhorts us to give, but when we sell our possessions to raise money to give, it is to charity according to the Scripture. The church isn’t even mentioned here, but a generic charity is. What’s the point? We must do good to all and not just to those of our faith, as Howse and others claim. Those who welcome a prophet into their home will receive a prophet’s rewards, etc..Christian charity is universal, not just for members of our faith and community, but for all. (Matthew 10:41)
“Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
(Luke 12:33-34)
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
(Romans 13:8-10)
Brannon Howse, and the teachers whom he cites as authorities would have us be good Christian brothers towards one another regarding Christian Orthopraxy – the practice of our faith – but poor neighbors to those outside of the Christian Faith. They’d keep the church doors open for believers in need, but shut them to unbelievers in need. They’re so rigid in their interpretation of the Scriptures that they would miss the opportunity to do what James exhorts all disciples of Christ to do to everyone who visits our congregations and that without any kind of partiality – for God hates unjust weights and measures (Leviticus 19:36, Proverbs 16:11, Micah 6:11) – and what Paul exhorts us to do to all men, especially to those of the household of faith such as ours, and with it, to share the Gospel as we help also to meet whatever need the person may have at that moment.
Man in his theology and traditions sets limits as to what God does and what we should do. God does not set limits on His grace, why should we? What right do I have to deny another the same grace He extends to me every day? The reason what Mr. Howse and his colleagues preach does not sound right and does not bear witness is because it is not right and is not what the Word of God teaches.
Isn’t it interesting that the same Law and commandments that these gentlemen preach to call people to repent is the same they disregard and apply only to Israel when it inconveniences their theological worldview and their rigid literalist/minimalist Eisegesis they apply to God’s Word and its practical application? So, by their criteria, if the Law says, You shall not commit adultery, we should disregard that law because it was given strictly to Israel under the bilateral Mosaic Covenant exclusively ratified as their civic and religious national constitution, and not given to any other nation. Of course, we know that this literalist/minimalist interpretation of the letter of God’s Word is not a proper application of it, because Jesus took issue with the religious bigots of His day precisely on such a miss-application of God’s Word. Such was the case when they brought to Jesus a woman who had committed adultery. We read:
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”
(John 8:1-11)
When Jesus was faced with the adulterous woman who was caught in the very act with another man, and was brought to His attention; He did not argue against the application of the letter of the Law against adultery and the application of capital punishment, He went beyond it to the very heart and spirit applied to the situation which that law addressed, and challenged every person there who was without sin to be the first to hurl the heavy stones at the adulterous.
The letter kills, but the spirit imparts life. So it is in the present case, and therein lies the problem with people who think like this in every age. God desires mercy and not sacrifice, but the letter of His Law demands sacrifice, and so do these men. This is why the church today is dead, and government had taken over its role of “provider” for the sick, the elderly, the disabled, and the poor. This is not how it ought to be, and it has nothing to do with “social justice,” or “social transformation,” and other invented phrases of the Left. It is the grace of God extended through His servants to all who need it by action, and by word of mouth – Christian Orthopraxy.
I am reminded again of the oft-quoted refrain by Martin-Niemöller about the spirit of apathy and indifference that was exhibited in Nazi Germany among the population, which he experienced firsthand himself, of which he writes:
“First they came for the “Communist" and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
“Then they came for the "Socialist" and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.
“Then they came for the "Trade unionist" and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist
“Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.”
Now what difference is there in the behavior of Germany’s Christians who exhibited this behavior and that of what these men like Howse, Johnson, and others teach and proclaim as a “biblical standard of behavior” that Christians who form the corporate church – as they call it – should follow towards people outside of the church? Apathy and indifference towards others has no place in the Christian church, and especially in the life of the individual believer who comprises this church. To hear such callous disregard justified by the misuse of God’s Word is contemptible. It is one of the reasons why we get a black eye every time these people open their mouths to speak “for the church.”
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