Dan Delzell.
Given
man's propensity to produce inventive stories while fabricating alternative
"facts," it was only a matter of time before the 24-hour news cycle became
inundated with "fake news." Sadly, we now live in a day where many choose to
"tweet first, check the facts later."
But
in spite of all the bogus reporting that goes on these days, Dana Blanton
correctly noted that "most people believe they can tell the difference between
real news stories and fake ones."
What
about you? Can you tell the difference? I imagine all of us get duped by fake
news from time to time, especially in the realm of politics.
But
what happens when the fake news is actually dangerous to your well-being?
Consider the most critical topic on the planet, namely, your soul and your
understanding of God. I think you will agree that the significance of politics
pales in comparison to the importance of your immortal soul.
The
first thing we must acknowledge is that the biblical teaching regarding man's
immortal soul is either true or false. It was either accurately reported in the
Bible, or it is fake news. And the promise Jesus made about everlasting life is
either spot on, or made up.
So
what exactly did the Messiah say about life beyond the grave?
Jesus
told Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will
live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."
And then Jesus asked Martha, "Do you believe this?" (John 11:25,26)
If
Christ's declaration to Martha was in fact "fake news," then the Bible would
consist of nothing more than a bunch of myths and legends. Thankfully, the words
Jesus spoke are eternally true and thoroughly accurate, and the facts Christ
revealed can be completely trusted.
The
good news of Scripture informs us that those who believe in Jesus as their
Savior "will never die." The moment a believer's body perishes, the soul goes
immediately to heaven to be with the Lord. And one day, we will be given a new
body that will never perish to go along with our immortal soul. (1 Cor.
15:35-58)
Man's
ability to blow smoke and twist facts extends well beyond the temporal issues of
politics and current events. Man is actually quite skilled at presenting fake
news even in the complex realm of religion. And liberal theology is man's
attempt to skirt the issue whenever the Bible presents doctrine that goes
against man's natural sensibilities.
For
example, liberal theologians have a difficult time with the claim Christ made
concerning "one way" to heaven. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the
life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) Liberal
theology dismisses these words of Christ and replaces them with an alternative
scenario. In so doing, these modern-day soothsayers invent fake news.
Likewise,
Jesus spoke as much about hell as He did about heaven. Liberal theologians have
no interest in embracing such a teaching, and so they simply "do away with it,"
as if living in denial changes the eternal realities of heaven and hell.
When
it comes to eternity, fake news gives some folks a feeling of temporary
satisfaction. But it doesn't change the fact that there is nothing fake about
where the soul goes after death. And there are people all over the world who
will experience it personally when they take their final breath at some point
today. They would be the first ones to tell you that the message Jesus presented
about heaven and hell is not fake news.
In
addition to eternal matters, liberal theologians also deviate from the biblical
teaching on sexuality. They brazenly invent their own code of ethics when it
comes to sex. Rather than embracing God's plan for sexuality within the bounds
of marriage between a man and woman, liberal theology contains fake news that
offers people a green light to indulge their strongest sexual desires. Never
mind the fact that those inner cravings can drive a person beyond the biblical
boundaries set in place by our Creator.
So
what is going on here? Why do liberal theologians ignore the biblical teaching
on matters as straight forward as eternity, salvation, and sexuality? The reason
is quite simple. Liberal theologians get their news from the wrong source. They
depend upon human opinions and feelings rather than the Word of God. And the
consequences are far more serious than when fake news gets reported in the
political realm.
How
did we ever get to this point where fake news has become commonplace?
Well,
let's go back to where it all began. The first "fake news" story ever reported
was announced by the serpent in the Garden of Eden. And the serpent began his
fake news narrative by asking the question, "Did God really say ...?" (Genesis
3:1)
In
other words, the moment you can get a person to doubt God's Word, you are well
on your way to getting that person to adopt your fake news story regarding right
and wrong, truth and error, sin and righteousness. Satan was the first one to
ever present fake news, and false prophets have been following in that
deceiver's footsteps ever since.
Liberal
theology is fake news because it simply isn't true. It is merely man's wishful
thinking and his feeble attempt to change the clear message of Scripture. The
reason the opinions of men cannot be fully trusted is because man is capable of
being deceived. The only way to know what is truly real and eternal is to turn
to Scripture and then believe what God says about life, death, heaven, hell,
sin, grace, and the free gift of everlasting life in paradise. (Revelation
22:1-21)
Fake
news is rampant in our world today whether we like it or not. When it comes to
the Bible, however, you can have complete confidence in what has been
reported.
The
apostle Peter wrote, "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of
Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had
its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along
by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:20,21)
You
see, God always tells the truth. The Holy Spirit is not the author of fake news.
There are plenty of people in the world today, as well as many fallen angels,
who already have a corner on that market. And they would love for you to buy
what they are selling.
But
always remember: Buying into fake news comes at a very high cost, especially
when dealing with matters of your soul, your sexuality, and the Savior of the
world. The health of your soul and your body is too critical to base your
spiritual decisions upon fake news.
Thankfully,
the Bible is not man's opinion. "All Scripture is God-breathed." (2 Tim. 3:16)
And so there is nothing fake about God or His eternal message to man. Liberal
theologians went astray the moment they rejected the inspiration and inerrancy
of Scripture. Everything for them went downhill after making that critical
error.
When
it comes to Scripture and to matters of your soul, have you been relying upon
the truth or upon fake news? If you have been getting duped by phony
fabrications, it's not too late to implement some corrective measures.
As
you consider the good news Jesus brought to the world, the question the Lord
asked Martha is just as relevant today: "Do you believe this?" (John 11:26) We
are left with only two options: Faith or unbelief.
Which
road are you on today? Which road would you like to be on?
"Faith
comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of
Christ." (Romans 10:17) This is how a person comes to have faith in the
Messiah.
The
apostle Paul was once a persecutor of Christians, but then he miraculously
became a follower of Christ. (Acts 9:1-22) After his spiritual conversion, Paul
worked tirelessly to reach others who had been deceived by fake news.
"From
morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and
tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.
Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe." (Acts 28:
23,24)
In
other words, some refused to turn away from the fake news of their day, even
though they were being given every opportunity to "repent and believe the good
news." (Mark 1:15) In Paul's day, some accepted Christ as Savior, but "others
would not believe." It was a tragic decision with eternal consequences.
What
about you? Will you cast aside your confidence in the opinions of men, and
accept God's message of salvation with the faith of a child?
As
James put it: "Humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."
(James 1:21)
You
see, you cannot save yourself. Only God's good news in Scripture has that kind
of power. Fake news will mess up your mind and your soul, whereas the Good
Shepherd (John 10:11-15) feeds His sheep with the truth of God's Word.
So
if you want the straight scoop rather than fake news, then always remember this
fact: "It is impossible for God to lie." (Hebrews 6:18)
Dan Delzell is the pastor of Wellspring Church in Papillion, Neb.
He is a regular contributor to The Christian Post. Read
more at
http://www.christianpost.com/news/why-liberal-theology-is-fake-news-173802/#WADBIrot0ERwB4jr.99