Pride, Pragmatism and Profit: The Three Snares That Have Compromised Evangelicalism (Part Two)
Hello, I’m Brannon Howse, and welcome to the Worldview Weekend Hour. Tonight I’m going to bring to you Part 2 of our series in “Pride, Pragmatism, and Profit.” Pride, pragmatism, and profit, the three snares that have compromised evangelicalism. Three snares that have compromised evangelicalism. We’ll look at a lot of Scripture tonight, so I hope you have a Bible close by.
Now, before I get to what I had originally planned for Part 2, I first need to stop and play some new video clips for you that have occurred this week. Because as you know, on my national radio program, and on this broadcast last week, I played for you video clips of Glenn Beck speaking at Liberty University. He was speaking about his Mormonism; he was talking about Joseph Smith, who was a martyr. Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism as not a martyr. He was not murdered. He was in a jail. Someone slipped him a gun. He got into a gunfight and was killed. He was not a martyr.
But yet, there was Glenn Beck at Liberty University, promoting Mormonism and talking about our God, our Father, and saying that, “I’m of a different Christian denomination. I’m a Christian; I’m just of a different denomination. I’m a Mormon.” And I told you why, biblically-speaking, that is contrary to what the Scriptures say should be occurring at a self-professed Christian university, Liberty University. And it describes itself as the world’s largest Christian university, has as their slogan – right behind Glenn Beck in the video – “Training Champions for Christ.” So, this is not acceptable at all.
Well, we were one of the first national talk programs to talk about. We’ve been talking about Glenn Beck for many years and his ecumenicalism. Other – quote – Christian leaders are evangelical leaders that have been saying that Glenn Beck is a Christian when he’s not. Clearly, he continues to profess the false doctrine and teaching and false Jesus, false god, false gospel of Mormonism. And so, we’ve been on this a long time.
We’ve also spent quite a bit of time exposing David Barton, who spoke for us for many years. I considered David Barton a close friend. He’s been in my home. We traveled together for ten years to our conferences. But when Glenn Beck organized his One Nation Under God-type rally there on the lawn of the Lincoln Memorial in August of 2010, and David Barton was involved, according to – reporting to me himself, he told me he was helping organize the Black Robe Regiment that ended up being all faith looking to God, I told David we couldn’t work with him anymore.
And then David began to proclaim publically that he believed that Glenn Beck was a Mormon and a Christian. I was quoted in a CNN article, in August of 2010, expressing my disagreement with Glenn Beck and those who were going to unite, looking to one god, and why this was a violation of the Scriptures. And this article was cited by Glenn Beck on his radio program. And when he cited the article, he said, “Here come the religious bigots.” Well, he had to have been referring to me and one other guy that was quoted in the CNN article piece he was referring to who were not in agreement with him.
And so, yet again this week, Glenn Beck has come out on his radio show, which we also have a video of, calling religious bigots those of us who disagree with his Mormonism and disagree with a self-professed Christian university bringing in a Mormon to speak to Christian kids at a self-described Christian university. Glenn is very upset about that.
Here is our first clip of Glenn Beck, who says that those of us who are doing this – and I think he’s referring particularly to myself and Ed Decker. Ed Decker was on our radio program, and I asked Ed Decker to watch these video clips and write an article. He did, and we distributed it to nearly 200,000 about what Glenn Beck was doing at Liberty.
And so, Ed Decker and I have been talking about David Barton, and Glenn Beck, and what Glenn Beck was doing at Liberty University for a long time. And so, I can only assume that indeed Glenn is referring to Ed Decker and myself, and maybe a few others, but because he makes the point there’s a group of “rookies,” he calls us, that have been going after David Barton and himself, I could only assume he means Ed Decker and I, because Ed Decker and I have, for some time, been on this topic for – well, since 2010.
But here’s the first clip, and I’m playing this so you can understand really what’s going to happen when Christians speak up. You see, everything we do has a reason. Every clip we play, I play for a specific reason: to give an example to you, to teach. Everything we do here really is teaching. Right? We’re teaching. We’re instructing.
And what I want you to come to understand is, if you stand for biblical truth, which clearly tells us not to be involved in spiritual enterprises with unbelievers, or those who preach another Jesus or another gospel, if you’re not involved in pragmatism, if you say, “I’m not going to be involved in compromise; I’m not going to be involved in pragmatism – which is “the end justifies the means,” situational ethics, moral relativism, “Yeah, I’ll put up Glenn Beck to speak,” or, “I’ll put up some famous false teacher to speak, because it’ll bring in more people, or it’ll make me look more tolerant and acceptable; I’ll do that,” and many people are doing that, for that very reason; that’s pragmatism –well, if you’re not going to be involved in pragmatism, which I hope you won’t be, and you’re going to stand for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the true biblical Gospel, and you’re going to call out those who are preaching another Jesus and another Gospel, I want you to understand you are going to be maligned. Jesus Himself told us it would be this way.
You’re going to be called a monster, as you’re going to hear Glenn Beck talking about in a minute. You’re going to be called a bigot, as you’re going to hear Glenn Beck talking about in a minute. And you’re going to be compared to extremists – extreme extremists who are categorized as hate groups. Folks, there’s nothing more loving than pointing out those who are following false teaching, those who are following a false gospel, a false Jesus. This is not hateful.
But I want you to understand that being a believer and standing for truth comes with a price. Now, we need to say what we say with love. We need to be as wise as a serpent and as gentle as a dove. But no matter how gentle you are, no matter how loving you are, when you stand for truth, you’re going to be labeled. And here, I think, is a perfect example of Glenn Beck going on his national radio program and declaring what Ed Decker and I and others are saying as being hateful, bigoted. And you need to understand this is only going to get worse, and it’s going to increasingly come from a false, dominant church. Here’s Glenn Beck:
Christians – most Christians are not like this at all. But there’s this group of people that have a problem with David Barton and me and everything else, and I don’t really care. I really don’t care you’d say about me. Please, stand in line. You want to say something? You’re rookies. You’re rookies.
All right, you know, guilty as charged in the sense that, yes, we’ve been calling out Glenn Beck and his ecumenicalism and his Black Robe Regiment that sought to unite all faiths and look to one god, including, according to Glenn Beck, imams, Islamic imams that were involved in that Black Robe Regiment, in August of 2010, there at the Lincoln Memorial.
Yes, we’ve been calling out David Barton. I talked to David Barton privately in August of 2010, urged him not to be a part of this, but when – hey, look, when he, David Barton, was calling Glenn Beck a Christian – a Mormon and a Christian, that’s when I realized, “Wait a minute. If David can’t figure out that someone he knows, Glenn Beck, a Mormon, is not following the Jesus of the Bible, and he’s still in his Mormonism, which is good example, certainly fruit that he’s not a believer...”
If you stay in a false religion with a false Jesus and a false gospel and a false god, a god that Mormonism teaches evolved from being a man of flesh and bone to becoming a god who now sits on a planet near the star Kolob and has eternal sexual relations with his goddess wives and sends spirit babies to this planet, and every Mormon man can evolve and become his own god and have his goddess wives on the planet where he has eternal sexual relations with them and sends spirit babies to his Earth or his planet – I mean they believe in millions of gods and millions of planets being populated by god sitting on other planets, sending those spirit babies to those planets of their own. This Earth is simply the world of the Mormon god of this world. There are millions of Mormon gods populating their own planets.
Now, if you want to believe that kind of Star Wars theology, that’s clearly up to you. You can do that. But don’t expect Christians – biblical Christians, Bereans – to embrace it, to endorse it, to not call it out. And when I saw that David Barton was calling Glenn Beck – a Mormon, a New Age Mormon, I believe – a Christian, then I thought, “Well, how can David Barton tell us that the Founding Fathers in America were Christians? He can’t even look at someone that he knows personally and judge the fruit there, the doctrinal fruit. And I’m going to trust David Barton to tell me who in the list of Founding Fathers were believers?
And yet we see that David Barton tries to tell you that Adams, and Washington, and Jefferson, and Franklin – these guys embraced Christianity or some of them were believers or were Christians. No. Most of your big eight Founding Fathers were not Christians. They mixed Christianity with New Age or with Age of Enlightenment or Age of Reason. And I go into that in great detail in my book Religious Trojan Horse. To a degree, I’ll be going into it in further detail, this nationalism, this national patriotism. I’ll be going into it in greater detail in my book Harlot Church, because this whole ecumenical patriotism, ecumenical nationalism is really helping build a false, dominant church, I believe, just like it did in Germany.
So, when I realized that David Barton can’t even judge someone sitting in front of him, Glenn Beck, by his doctrinal fruit, as to being a believer or not, how can I trust David Barton when it comes to history? So, yes, Glenn Beck is right when he says that there are those of us who have been going after David Barton and him for a while on these issues, and we will continue to warn the Church about people like David Barton and Glenn Beck, because I believe theologically this is not consistent with the Scripture or what the Scripture teaches.
In fact, I want you to watch this quick video clip of David Barton being interviewed, declaring that Glenn Beck is a Mormon, but yet he’s also a Christian. Watch this clip.
David Barton: Here’s a guy who was raised as a Catholic. He found Jesus in Alcoholics Anonymous when he really screwed up his life. And he’s now going to a Mormon church, but that doesn’t say anything about his personal relationship with Jesus, and that’s what people need to look at.
Interviewer: So, you believe that he is a Christian in every sense of the word?
David Barton: I do.
All right, so clearly the Bible tells us that we can know someone from their doctrinal fruit. But here is Glenn Beck, just this last week, saying he would like to know where in the Bible it says that Jesus hates. Where in the Bible does it say that you will know a tree by its fruit? Where does Jesus say in the Scripture that you’ll know someone by their fruit or a tree by their fruit? Glenn says, “I can’t find that anywhere in the Bible. I’ve read the Bible several times; I can find nowhere where Jesus says you’ll know a tree by the fruit. I can find nowhere where Jesus does not embrace people.”
Well, let me tell you something, I can show you specifically, and will, if you get your Bible. I will show you specifically where Jesus says that you will know a tree by the fruit. I’m sorry, Glenn, if you can’t find it, but I will give you the passage. I’m sorry you can’t seem to find Scripture that says that Jesus does not embrace everybody, because he didn’t embrace everybody. And as far as what Jesus or God hates, there are definitely things that the Word of God tells us that Jesus – and Jesus was God Incarnate – there are things that Jesus and God hate, the Trinity hates, and I’ll show you that as well. But first, watch this clip from just this last week, Glenn Beck trying to declare what we were doing was wrong, and can find nowhere in the Bible where we are to judge him or anyone else by his doctrinal fruit, or the fruit from the tree. Watch this clip.
Liberty University is being smeared, absolutely smeared. And they’re being smeared by religious people, people who claim to be followers of Christ. Now, I have read the Bible several times, and I just can’t find the place where Jesus hates, and I can’t find that, where He is not embracing people. I can’t find the place where He says, “You’ll know a tree by the fruit.” I just can’t find that anywhere.
All right, let’s take Glenn Beck to the Scriptures. Jesus Himself, in Matthew 7:16-20, does indeed say that you will know someone by their fruit. Now, Glenn says, “I can find nowhere in the Bible where Jesus says, “You’ll know a tree by its fruit.” Well, here it is, Matthew 7:16-20. Jesus said:
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
What was Jesus speaking of? What fruit? Good works? Feeding the poor? Fighting for nationalism, patriotism, freedom, liberty? Is that the kind of fruit? No, the fruit being discussed here is the doctrinal fruit, the fruit that confirms they’re a believer. Their doctrinal fruit: who they say Jesus is; what is the Gospel. That their lifestyle, yes, works is important, but works is not what saves us. There is no works for salvation. Ephesians tells us that, “Not by works, lest any man should boast. It’s a gift of God. It is by grace through faith that you have been saved.” Right?
Works is not the root of our salvation. Works is the fruit of our salvation. Those who are true believers will produce fruit: biblical fruit, spiritual fruit. They will exhibit the fruits of the Spirit. They will exhibit a love of God’s Word. They will exhibit a love for other believers. They will exhibit a quick tendency to respond and defend the Gospel when it’s attacked. They will respond quickly when the Word of God is under assault. These are just many fruits – doctrinal fruits – that we can see from a true believer, and that’s what Jesus was discussing here in Matthew 7.
So, when Glenn says that he can find nowhere in the Scriptures where Jesus says, “You’ll know a tree by its fruit,” Glenn, it’s right there, Matthew 7:16-20. But we also see it in Matthew 3:8, “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.” Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Someone that is truly repentant of their sins by the power of the Holy Spirit, “that God may grant them repentance,” the Bible says. Repentance comes through God. God grants repentance. God the Holy Spirit is what allows people to have the spiritual understanding to repent of this sins, place their faith and trust in Christ, and we see then what we read in I Corinthians 7:9-11, that godly sorrow produces repentance unto salvation.
But right here in the book of Matthew, again we see that there are fruits that confirm that someone indeed has repented. 1 John is a perfect example of this. The book of 1 John Chapter 5 states that this book was written that you may know you have eternal life. The book of 1 John, I believe, has at least ten hallmarks that I have found, ten hallmarks of a true believer, someone that has truly repented. And I have an article on our website at worldviewweekend.com entitled “The Most Important True or False Test You’ll Ever Take.” And thousands and thousands have read that article. In fact, the video clip of it, at one point, was over 30,000 people had watched that video clip. And in fact, I think it was far more than that. But anyway, we have done a lot of writing and television on the fruit of someone that repents according to the book of 1 John.
So, Glenn, I would say to you, Matthew 3:8, “Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance.” Jesus spoke a lot about a tree and knowing whether it was a good tree or a bad tree, based on the good fruit or bad fruit that it produced. And so, yes, we are to judge people doctrinally. And I know that may upset you, Glenn, but the Bible says we are to judge everybody’s doctrinal fruit, and people are to judge my doctrinal fruit as well.
We see this also in 2 Peter 2:12-15:
But these, like natural brute beasts [speaking about false teachers] made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness –
You see, right there in 2 Peter, we’re seeing the fruit of false teachers. We can examine the fruit and see whether it is someone who is a follower of Christ, or someone who has rejected Christ; someone that’s teaching truth, or someone that is not teaching truth.
Now, Glenn says he doesn’t see in the Bible where Jesus did not embrace everybody, “I don’t see where Jesus didn’t embrace people.” Well, let me show you. Jesus did not embrace everyone. In fact, we read also in the book of Matthew, Matthew 7, where it says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of Heaven.” You see, Jesus doesn’t embrace everybody and say, “Come on, everybody gets in. Universalism: I embrace everybody.”
No, Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 7 that’s not the case. He says, “But he who does the will of my Father in Heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me you who practice lawlessness.’” You who practice lawlessness or iniquity. They’re workers of iniquity, meaning their life is marked more by disobedience than obedience. They practice iniquity or sin or lawlessness.
What is the law? The Word of God, the moral law. It is kind of a Cliff’s Notes version, if you will. You don’t commit adultery; you don’t have hatred towards someone. If you have hatred toward someone, that’s equal to murder. The Bible gives us the Ten Commandments about coveting and lying. And we see that the person that practices iniquity or lawlessness jumps in with both feet as a willing and wanton lifestyle, unlike the believer, whose life is marked more by obedience than disobedience. Yes, believers still sin, and sometimes they even commit gross sins. But they should come under immediate conviction and repent. If they’re truly saved, they will come under immediate conviction, and God will chastise them, because whom He loves, He chastens. Right?
So, we see that we are to judge whether someone is a worker of iniquity, and Jesus does not embrace everyone. As Glenn said, “I can’t find where Jesus doesn’t embrace everyone.” Jesus doesn’t embrace everyone. And in fact, he’s throwing many of them straight into Hell, and that’s what we see going on in Matthew Chapter 7. We see Jesus not embracing the false teachers of his day, the Scribes and the Pharisees. Matthew 23:27, Jesus says, “Woe to you.” By the way, the word woe means judgment. “Judgment to you.” He’s judged them, hasn’t He? He’s judged their fruit, and He’s pronouncing judgment to them. “Woe to you,” or, “Judgment to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.” Wow, that’s pretty strong judging there, isn’t it? “For you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanliness.”
How about John 8:21. Jesus doesn’t embrace everybody. Jesus, again speaking to the religious leaders of his day says this – and this is what we read in John 8:21, “Then Jesus said to them again, ‘I am going away, and you will seek Me and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.’” Jesus doesn’t embrace everyone, and he tells the religious leaders of His day, “Where I’m going, you cannot follow.”
And they begin to mock him and say, “Well, where are you going, Hell?” They were mocking Him, saying, “What are you going to do, commit suicide?” Because they believed that if you committed suicide, you automatically went to Hell.
And so, He says, “Where I am going, you cannot follow.”
So, they’re saying, “What’s he going to do, kill Himself? Commit suicide and go to Hell?” They were assuming they were automatically going to Heaven.
No, Jesus was saying to them, “You are of your father, the Devil. You cannot follow Me; I’m going to Heaven. You’re not, you’re of your father the Devil, and you’re going to Hell.” Jesus did not embrace everyone.
So, Glenn says, “I can’t see where Jesus didn’t embrace people.” Well, I’ve given you several passages right here. I’ve given you Matthew 7. I’ve given you Matthew 23 and John 8:21. Then he says he can’t see where God hates, or where Jesus hates. Well, how about Psalm 5:5. We read in the Word of God, as men were inspired by the Holy Spirit to write it, Psalm 5:5, “The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; you hate all workers of iniquity.” How about Psalm 11:5, “The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.” How about Proverbs 6:16-19:
These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.
So, you see, my friends, Glenn Beck has, I think, given us a perfect example of what happens when we’re not involved in pragmatism: the end justifies the means, situational ethics, go along to get along. You see, if we wanted to be a part of the good-old-boy club, we would look at what Liberty University is doing and say, “Isn’t that wonderful?” And we would say nothing, and maybe we’ll get invited to go to Liberty and get a big honorarium and can speak to all those kids and potentially try to sell books to them and expand our network. Or you can stand up and say, “You know what? That is not what my calling is. My calling is not to look out for my own best interests, but to look out for the best interests of others in the Gospel.
And so, I’m not going to be a part of the good-old-boy club. And when I see something like this, I have an obligation biblically to speak out and say, “Whoa, wait a minute, this is not biblical. This is dangerous for the Church. This is dangerous particularly for those young people sitting there.”
And Glenn Beck goes on to say, “Are you telling me that these kids cannot tell who is speaking, and that I’m a Mormon, and they can learn from that?” Well, the issue is this, Glenn, this is not to be taking place at all. This is not even to be taking place. This is a matter of what the Bible says. The Bible doesn’t say it’s okay to bring someone in to speak about their Mormonism at a Christian event, at a self-described Christian school. The issue isn’t, “Well, can’t they tell that I’m a Mormon, and this is what I believe?” The point is, it’s a convocation service at a Christian university that claims that they’re training young people for Christian ministry.
And so, it’s about a spiritual enterprise. It’s about the fact that 2 John 1:9-11 is being violated. It’s about the fact that Romans 16:17 is being violated. “Mark those who are contrary to doctrine and avoid them.”
So, this isn’t a matter of Glenn getting upset and saying, “Well, are these people not able to understand that I’m a Mormon and that’s why I’m there? Are their kids morons?” That’s what he says on his radio and TV show. “Are these kids morons? Are the kids of these people that are upset morons?” He also goes on to make the comment that he’s not trying to get anyone to change their faith. He’s not trying to get anyone to change their faith.
Well, if he’s not trying to get anyone to change their faith, then why does he belong to the Mormon Church, which former Mormon Ed Decker tells us, and told us on our radio program this week, that the Mormon Church has 83,000 missionaries in the field, trying to get people to convert to Mormonism, change their faith. And yet, Glenn Beck says he’s not trying to get people to change their faith? I would say he absolutely is, if he’s part of the Mormon Church, which he says he is.
So, we have a real problem here with what Glenn Beck is saying and what Glenn Beck is not understanding. Glenn Beck also says that he was just simply challenging kids to know their faith, know what they believe and defend it. That he was talking about the founder of his faith, Joseph Smith, and Mormonism, but he was challenging the kids to know their faith and defend it and even be willing to die for it.
Well, let me ask you this, Glenn, what do you think we’re doing right now? What do you think we were doing last week and in our articles that seem to have upset you? We’re defending the faith. You asked are we willing to defend our faith and for it. “Yes,” is the answer, and we’re doing it. And when we started defending our faith, you now have gotten upset and started calling us bigots. Well, I’m sorry, Glenn, we are mandated to do this according to the Word of God, and that’s what we’re going to do as lovingly as we can and pray that you will come to understand, through the power of the Holy Spirit, what is the real Gospel, the real Jesus of the Bible, not the Jesus of Mormonism that was the brother of Lucifer. Watch this clip by Glenn Beck.
Do you think your children are morons? If you send your children to Liberty University, are they so stupid that they can’t hear a speech by a guy who says, “Look, the leader of my church died for what he believed in; the people who were in my church in the 1800s lost family members, lost homes, lost everything. In fact, lost their country, had to leave the country. I challenge you, do you know your faith so well you can not only defend it, but you’re willing to die for it?
All right, here’s one more clip by Glenn Beck. Watch this:
But I want to make it really, really super clear, there is no difference between the people who are currently trying to take down Liberty University, because they’re not – quote – Christian enough, or me because I’m not – quote – a Christian. There is no difference between you and the people who are trying to run other people out of the square. See, this is the reason why progressives are so frightening. This is why you lose a lot of people. This is why your churches are dwindling, because you think you’re standing for something, when indeed, you’re standing for hate and bigotry.
I think Jesus was hanging out with prostitutes and sinners, wasn’t he? You won’t even listen to a man who says, “Hey, do you know your faith so well? I challenge you to know your faith – not my faith – your faith so well you’re willing to die for it.” Stand with one another. That frightens you so much. If it does, you might want to consider that you’re on the wrong side.
The lord that I know of is a – he is a god of peace and love and reconciliation, of comfort. He owns vengeance, not you, not me. We are turning into a land of monsters. We really are.
All right, so, my friends, there you go, and we’re going to continue to speak out, and I think this is exactly what happens when you don’t go along with pragmatism. And I want you to be aware of it. I want you to be aware, when you don’t go along with pragmatism, you’re going to be attacked.
Now, last week we left off on this series, “Pragmatism, Pride, and Profit,” dealing with Jerry Falwell. We talked about Jerry Falwell from the Los Angeles Times, November 16, 1997, called “The GOP’s Own Asian Connection, Reverend Moon.” It talked about the fact that the author of this peace, who was a correspondent for the associated press and Newsweek editor at one time, correspondent for the Associated Press and Newsweek, he reported in this 1997 article that Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University received $3.5 million through another organization that went to Liberty University.
We cited an article at forbes.com, where their senior vice president of the university and provost, Ronald S. Godwin, sat for an interview with Forbes and admits that he worked for Jerry Falwell for several years, and then he left, worked for Reverend Moon, and then went back to working for Jerry Falwell. We’ve documented, brand new this week, from Christianity Today, February 9, 1998, the article entitled “Finance: Moon-Related Funds Filter to Evangelicals.” In this February 9, 1998, article out of Christianity Today, it states and quotes Jerry Falwell as saying that he’s going to continue to work with Moon and the Unification Church at this time. The article said, “However, Falwell says that while he does not endorse the Unification Church’s beliefs, he will keep speaking to groups that receive Moon funds, such as the Washington Times Foundation.”
The point I’m making here is, we discussed last week, if you didn’t see Part I, that Jerry Falwell, according to numerous news reports, that his Liberty University received funds from Sun Myung Moon. We discussed that Sun Myung Moon believed that he was Messiah. He was the third Adam. He taught a salvation by works, that his followers were to completely exhaust themselves working for Moon, selling trinkets and flowers on the streets. He professed that the blood of Christ and the cross was foolishness. According to Ron Carlson, my friend the late Ron Carlson, who did a study of Moon’s beliefs, Ron told us that Moon taught his followers to hate the cross and hate the blood of Christ.
And I believe that many religious leaders, and they’re not the only ones, Tim LaHaye, according to Christianity Today worked with the Unification Church and Moon at some rallies, and others as well. You can look it up online and find it. And the point I’m making is, I believe that pragmatism – compromise, moral relativism, situational ethics, the end justifies the means – has caused many people to enter into ecumenical events, spiritual enterprises with people that preach another Jesus, another gospel, and that gives them credibility. And many reports state that that’s exactly what Moon was doing. He was funneling money around, to evangelical organizations, in order to then have them come and speak for his different events to give him credibility.
And then we’re told specifically, in 2 John 1:9-11, not to do that. That if someone comes, bringing something other than the essential Christian doctrines, don’t greet them. Don’t give them a greeting of solidarity, of spiritual solidarity, that you agree with him. Don’t even greet them, lest you partake in their evil deeds. And that’s what’s going on in 2 John 1:9-11, specifically dealing with false teachers that would come into someone’s home and stay in their home, in a community, in that day that John was writing, and they would use that well-known follower of Christ in that community. They would use them by staying in their home and use their reputation to give themselves credibility to deceive people.
And we’re told in the context there not to do that same thing. It’s not saying you can’t invite your neighbor over for a hamburger or a hotdog; we’re talking about spiritual enterprises here. But you don’t invite false teachers into your home, or you don’t give them a greeting of solidarity. You don’t give them a greeting of solidarity by appearing at events with them where the name of Jesus or God is being used. That then makes it a spiritual event or a spiritual enterprise. So, we’ll pick up from there.
Here’s an article from pajamapages.com, “Liberty University’s provost was a senior Moonie apostle and collaborator.” And the article is talking about Godwin – Ronald Godwin, who, as I said, according to forbes.com worked for Jerry Falwell, then went to work for Moon, and then went back to Liberty University, where he reportedly is still on staff today.
World magazine has picked up on this at worldmag.com. Appearing on the video with Hinn – talking about Benny Hinn, we covered this some time ago – appearing with Benny Hinn, the Word of Faith false teacher, and long-time Liberty donor Dan Reber, is Ron Godwin, Liberty University senior vice president for academic affairs. The text announced that Hinn and the Liberty University Institute of Biblical Studies in Lynchburg Virginia, were forming a – quote – powerful worldwide ministry connection – end quote.
Then the article in World magazine, at worldmag.com, closes by saying:
Two bloggers, James Duncan and Liberty grad Matthew Grant McDaniel, posted quotations from cult leader Sun Myung Moon that seems to paint Godwin as a disciple of his in the early ’90s, when Godwin worked for Moon’s newspaper, the Washington Times. But Godwin told me –
The author of this at World mag.
But Godwin told me he only worked at the Times and with “hundreds of other professionals at the paper. I was never a member of the Moon’s church, nor was ever a spokesperson for Moon himself. Moon often made claims about various non-church employees at the paper that were totally false.”
Well, let me just share with you some of the speeches that Reverend Moon gave, according to unification.org. If you go to unification.org, you’ll find these speeches. I have printouts of these speeches right here. These are lengthy speeches. This is 30 pages. This one here is 20 pages. This one here is 18 pages. If you go to unification.org, you’ll find these speeches from ’91; ’91; this one is June of ’91; June 1, June 12, ’91; April 25, ’93. And you’ll find that Moon is making references to Godwin. And we can only assume that’s the same Godwin that Forbes Magazine interviewed that worked for Jerry Falwell, then went to work for Moon, and then went back to work for Jerry Falwell. It seems to be the case, too, because World mag is quoting Matthew Grant McDaniel and his article at pajamapages.com that says, “Liberty University’s provost was a senior Moonie apostle and collaborator.” If this is not the same Godwin, it seems to me this would have been a great time for World magazine to say that. So, we have to believe this is the case.
But look at these speeches by Moon. To help you understand how serious it is when pragmatism comes in, and often for money reasons – and in fact, remember the Los Angeles Times, back in ’97, stated that what Moon does is he buys people’s support when they’re vulnerable. The article in L.A. Times again said, “Much of Moon’s influence buying is done in secret and often occurs when conservatives are vulnerable to being bought.” Well, I guess Liberty University, at the time, was in financial trouble, and Moon swoops in and offers $3.5 million. But it must have come with a price, because now you have Jerry Falwell admitting to Christianity Today that he was traveling around, speaking at Moon functions, at Unification Church functions.
And so, this pragmatism comes with a price, and people begin to compromise. And I want to show you how dangerous this is. Here’s a speech again, according to unification.org, coming January 2, 1992, in New York, by Reverend Moon. He says, “Father,” and Moon often referred to himself in the third person or as Father:
Father sees the presence of Dr. Ron Godwin, Dr. Bob Grant, and Dr. Don Sills as very precious. Father looks at these precious three collaborators, supporters, and members of this great movement almost like Jesus’ three disciples. The three of them are really accomplished giants in our world. By uniting with Reverend Moon’s ideology, they will become even greater. Those three champions just bring them and work them day and night. If they can’t keep up with the schedule, and they run away, that is all right. I will bring somebody else. But I think those three strong men won’t run away. Father invited Ron Godwin to join in this great crusade, not because he is such a great business man. He is, but more importantly, Father is concerned about Jerry Falwell.
So, again, Jerry Falwell comes up in connection to Godwin.
Father is –
Again, remember this is Moon. He refers to himself as Father, because see, they were thought to be the first original parents, the true parents. True parents.
Father is concerned about Jerry Falwell, who represents the great Southern Baptist Christian community. He is not fulfilling his responsibility, so Father would like to see if Ron Godwin can fulfill it. Unless he knows me now, Jerry Falwell is in the position of a foreign person. Jerry Falwell cannot become president himself. He should come together with Father and make the spiritual and moral foundation for a god-chosen man to be president of the United States.
You see what’s going on here folks? This cult leader, Moon, is wanting to find someone he can groom and put into the White House. Moon goes on to say, according to unification.org website, in this speech:
We have to have a righteous god-centered president in this country, not just anybody.
Now, listen to this:
The Washington Times is a side activity. The prominent mission is a spiritual mission. That is basically what Father is saying. This is very important. The Washington Times is secondary.
Folks, he owned the Washington Times, but he’s saying that wasn’t what’s really important. What’s really important is I’m involved in a spiritual event. That’s what he’s saying. This is a spiritual mission. He goes on to say, “As far as Father is concerned, your primary mission is a spiritual mission, and the revival of Christianity is crucial. The AFC,” which stood for the American Freedom Council, “alone cannot save the country.” That’s one of Moon’s front groups. “Christianity must be rejuvenated. All Christian ministers must be reeducated.”
Okay, so here you have a cult leader wanting to reeducate Christian ministers. And here you have self-professed Christians sitting there, listening to this. Why would Godwin not get up and walk out and leave? Why would he be a part of this, and why would Liberty University have him back? And in fact, we see in one of the articles here at forbes.com that Godwin admits, according to forbes.com, that it was very controversial for Falwell to hire Godwin back to work for him again after he had been working for the Moonies. Well, of course, because here’s Reverend Moon, a cult leader who’s teaching his followers to hate the cross and hate the blood of Christ, here he is saying that we’re on a spiritual mission, and we need to reeducate the ministers of America, that they need to reinvigorate Christianity. They need to become new Christians they said. He said:
They must become new Christians. Unity with Reverend Moon is of vital importance.” Notice that again. “Unity with Reverend Moon is of vital importance. Without it, no matter how much they do, God will not be on their side. You should be a champion for the teaching of The Divine Principle.
That’s one of the books Moon wrote.
You should be able to teach them and testify to them much better than anyone else, because you have that background. What American Christianity needs is not revival; it is already too late for that. American Christianity needs resurrection. After World War II, the greatest revival came to American Christianity, but it did not do any good. The United States continues to go further down to a difficult position. Without Reverend Moon, that resurrection cannot be a true one.
Now the transcript, according to the unification.org website, unification.org website, the transcript says this – this is what the transcript says:
At this point, Dr. Grant, Dr. Sills, and Dr. Godwin stood up and grasped their hands together, holding them high. Father waded through several rows of members to himself grasp the clasped hands of the three, making four.
My friends, can I ask you, what is Godwin doing there? Why is Godwin a part of this? Indeed, is this the same Godwin that went back to Liberty University and is there today? According to news reports, it appears to be the case.
Well, again, does this not show us pragmatism? The old follow-the-money? Isn’t it interesting that he worked for Falwell, then he worked for Moon, and then some money made its way back to Falwell through Moon, according to the Los Angeles Times? And then the guy’s back working at Falwell. And we go from the Moonies to the Mormons, as I said last week. This road of pragmatism continued, sadly, for Jerry Falwell and much of evangelicalism.
Here’s a perfect example. This comes from the Baptist Press, October 10, 2003, Lynchburg, Virginia, Baptist Press. It said:
Rick Warren and Jerry Falwell may seem worlds apart, but they’re worlds merged when the California pastor brought Saddleback Church staffers to the Liberty University campus, in Virginia, to teach more than 13,000 ministers and students how to be purpose driven.
So, it’s very sad that Jerry Falwell just seemed to go from one pragmatic thing to another, I believe. And it’s a real trap: pride, pragmatism, and profit. And it’s a snare for all of us, and it’s been a major snare, I believe, for evangelicalism.
Now, what does the Bible say about this snare of pride? Genesis 3:4-5, here’s what we read – Genesis 3:4-5, there in the Garden of Eden, Satan appearing to Eve in the form of a serpent, and we read this:
Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God –
That’s pride, folks, “You’ll be like God, knowing good and evil.” Isn’t that what Satan said in Isaiah 14:13-14? “I will... I will... I will... I will... I will...” Five times Satan says, “I will...” Here’s what we read in Isaiah 14:13-14:
For you have said in your heart: “I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation, on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.”
That’s exactly what Satan was saying to Adam and Even in the Garden, “You will be like God.” Look at what Genesis 3:6 says:
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
Notice what Genesis 3 is saying here. Look, so when the woman saw. When the woman saw. The lust of the eyes. “When she saw,” as Genesis 3:6 says, “that it was pleasant to the eyes,” doesn’t this sound like our foundational text that we started out with last week, and I said this would be our foundation text, and that I would describe what it means? Doesn’t that text in Genesis 3:6, “When the woman saw the tree, that it was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes,” doesn’t that sound just like 1 John 2:16? “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world.” Isn’t this very interesting? The lust of the flesh. That’s referring to our sinful flesh, that even as believers, we battle. Right?
Romans 6 talks about us dying to our self, dying to our flesh through the spiritual baptism in Jesus Christ. Faith, repentance, and Jesus Christ, and we’re spiritually crucified with Christ. And that’s that flesh we’re doing battle with. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid? How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?” It’s that old flesh that we’re dealing with. Right? Romans 6, 7, and 8.
And that’s what this is referring to in 1 John 2:16, the lust of the flesh. And then the lust of the eyes. We see things, just like Eve in the Garden of Eden, when the woman saw that it was pleasant to the eyes. That is a way for Satan to trip us up; one of the snares is to see something, and that lust of the eyes.
And then the pride of life, which says, “I’m going to be very important, and I’m going to parade my successes for all to see, and I want the accolades and the applause of men, and I want that pride of life. That’s what it’s referring to. And that is what causes many people to be involved in that pragmatism. They want a bigger church. They want a bigger organization. And so, they begin to get themselves in debt. And then, once they get themselves in debt, and they’re about to go under, their pride says, “I can’t fail, because people will say, ‘You see? I knew he wouldn’t make it.’ Or they’ll point and they’ll laugh, and they’ll say, ‘Look, he failed. He is a miserable failure.’”
So, their pride says, “I can’t fail.” Their pride got them into that spot to start with. Their pride caused them to build more than they should, to do something they shouldn’t do for the wrong reason. Their pride caused them to go into debt to get it. And now their pride’s going to cause them to compromise, or lead them to compromise in order to get out of debt, which means they’ll now either water down the Gospel to get more donations and more followers, or they’ll be subjected, I believe, to being bought up by someone like Reverend Moon. Just as we saw the L.A. Times saying, much of Moon’s influence buying is done in secret and often occurs when conservatives are vulnerable to being bought.
And so, we don’t want to fail. We don’t want to be made fun of. And so now pragmatism. The pride, the pragmatism, and now the compromise for the profit. The pride of life, “I want the accolades of a lot of people. I go into debt now to get what I want, to be popular, a big organization, big school, big church, big book sales. I water down the Gospel. I get in trouble, and to save myself, I become involved in even more pragmatism for the bottom line – the profit.”
Look at what John MacArthur has written concerning Eve. This is very interesting and very much something we should look at a little further. John MacArthur says about Eve, there in the Garden of Eden:
Well, by verse 3, this is all being internalized by Eve, and she’s beginning to not trust God as fully. I mean she trusted God 100 percent up to this point. Now she’s beginning to not trust God. She’s beginning to see him as restrictive and narrow.
And I said this last time, and I repeat it because I think it’s sort of a nexus in the discussion here. As soon as one does not completely, unreservedly, and wholeheartedly trust in the wisdom and absolute goodness of God, as soon as one does not believe that the purposes and the commands of God are for our best and highest joy, sin has entered the heart. Because anything less than loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength is sin. That’s how you break the law.
And so, if you have any level of distrust, any level of questioning God’s goodness, any level of questioning God’s wisdom, that’s sin. That’s sin. So, it’s when she [meaning Eve] – when she’s internalizing this that sin comes into her heart. So, she joins the cause of Satan and makes God appear harsh by adding the words or touch it, as if God had said that, when God’s words in Chapter 2, verse 16 and 17, don’t say that at all.
So, her heart has set its course. Set its course, “God is harsh. I’m beginning to feel that.” She’s not defending God, nor is she offended that God’s goodness is being attacked and that God’s commands are being questioned.
So, you see, when did Eve really sin? When she physically ate of the fruit, or when she conceived it in her mind and that fruit looked good? It was good to the eyes; it looked pleasurable, and her heart began to change in turn. Many theologians debate when sin really entered into the world. Very interesting. But what was it? The lust of the eyes. Matthew Henry, Concise Commentary on 1 John 2:16 says this:
There is the pride of life, a vain mind craves all the grandeur –
Oh, all that pomp and circumstance, all the praise of men.
– and pomp of a vain-glorious life.
This is ambition.
And thirst after honor and applause. This is, in part, the disease of the ear. It must be flattered with admiration and praise. The objects of these appetites must be abandoned and renounced as they engage and engross the affection and desire. They are not of the Father, but of the world. The lust or appetite to these things must be mortified and subdued. And so, the indulging of it is not appointed by the Father, but is intuited by the ensnaring world.
So, you see, my friends, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life. The Bible has a lot to say, warning us about this snare of pride. We’ve looked, I believe, at examples of where pride and pragmatism and profit have caught many, and it has compromised the Gospel. But this is a warning for all of us.
What else does the Bible say about pride? Well, more than we have time to look at tonight. But look at Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law.” What does this verse mean? Where there is no revelation, where there is no following of God’s Word. That’s what this means. No revelation, no revealing of God’s Word. When we don’t study God’s Word, we don’t study God’s revelation, then what happens? The restraints are thrown off. And then what happens? Consequences, compromise, pragmatism.
Where there’s no revelation, where there’s no studying of the revealed Word of God, then all the restraints are cast off, and now we’ll work with Moonies, and we’ll work with Mormons. We’ll work with Catholics in spiritual enterprises and events. Whatever will benefit us. So, our pride causes us not to go to study God’s Word. It’s very dangerous.
Proverbs 16:5 says, “Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.” Proverbs 11:2, “When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.” Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 26:12, “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
Now, next week I want to look at the issue of pragmatism with you. Pragmatism. Because pragmatism really means “the end justifies the means.” And pragmatism, in fact, was started by a guy by the name of William James. William James was involved in the occult. William James wrote the book The Meaning of Truth. And he wrote, in that book, that, “The pragmatist always means truth for him who experiences the workings.” So, whatever is true for him, whatever is true for me, that’s what’s big in a post-modern world, right?
Post-modernism: truth and reality are created by man, not by God; whatever works for me. That’s post-modernism. That’s part of pragmatism. The end justifies the means. And that was promoted by a guy by the name of William James. In fact, William James is one of the 21 radicals I look at in the book Grave Influence: Grave Influence: 21 Radicals and Their Worldviews that Rule America from the Grave. This is one of the 21 radicals I look at, William James.
But next week, we’re going to pick up and we’re going to look at pragmatism. Pragmatism. Because pragmatism is very much connected to evangelicalism today; it’s a major snare. And it goes back, and is actually connected to what’s called modernists, the modernists, and we’ll get into that. And I have some more video clips for you next week that I think reveal the three snares of evangelicalism is pride, pragmatism, and profit.
And again, this is not a program where we’re pointing out people and saying, “See, look what they’ve done; we’re better than they are; we’ve conquered pride, pragmatism, and profit.” No, no, no, no. We’re showing some history here, because history’s important, and we’re using these as examples. But this is an example to all of us. This is a teaching I teach to myself as much as anyone.
We all must be aware of the snares of the father of this world, Satan, which is pride, pragmatism, and profit – the love of money. The love of money is a root of all evil. Right? And so, we need to be aware of the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life – the three snares, I believe, of Satan, that have caused evangelicals to compromise ever so much, and it’s sad.
And so, we’ll get into a lot more next week, as we finish up this three-part series on pride, pragmatism, and profit. All right, next week we’re going to get into pragmatism and its connection to the modernist. You may even say, “I don’t even know what modernist – who the modernists were, or what is modernism?” Well, I’ll explain it next week, but it’s an important thing for you to understand, because modernism today has now morphed into pragmatism. I’ll explain how, as we continue to look at the three snares that have compromised evangelicalism: pride, pragmatism, and profit. Thanks so much for watching. Till next week, I’m Brannon Howse, take care.
