Doing Battle With Error

For I am the LORD,

I do not change;

therefore you are not

consumed, O sons of Jacob.

Yet from the days of your

fathers you have gone away from

My ordinances and have kept

not them. Return to Me,

and I will return to you.

Malachi 3:6–7a

            In the attempts by Platonist, Neoplatonists, Gnostics, and others God is not considered to be immutable for they assign to God a place in heaven where He resides separate as having a corporeal body. Furthermore, they anthropomorphize God or make Him to be a God among gods, albeit He is higher than all other gods. In these attempts to understand God, and the existence of man and matter their presuppositions as to God and all things that exist are faulty. They are faulty due to limited and lack of critical thinking; they fall short. For God to be God, to exist implies immutability and finiteness. If God is not all in all, Pantheism, rather that God has no bounds, infinite as God must be if He be God and not other things can exist without His being an immutable God who never changes; His yes must be yes, and His no be no. He as God cannot be wishy-washy, and change His mind for if He did then we cannot have trust in Him; we won’t what is true. We cannot think of a changeable God. This is repugnant to common sense. Some as the Mormon say: “He is a man” which in itself this statement relinquishes any idea of God to be just a little higher than man and does not allow for God to be all in all, everywhere present except possibly in God’s mind. Augustine in his City of God, book 1, chapter 19, wrote: “our God is everywhere present, wholly everywhere not confined to any place. He can be present unperceived, and be absent without moving…”. How can anyone think that God could be changeable, it would be as Charles Spurgeon said in his sermon delivered January 7, 1865, at New Park Street Chapel, Southwark, England: “Others may be capable of such and idea, but I could not entertain it. I could no more think of a changing God, than I could of a round square, or any other absurdity. The thing seems so contrary, that I am obliged, when once I say God, to include the idea of an unchanging being”. There are those who complain of Christianity due to their desire to live without restraint, living even in shameful luxury. I am not here condemning those who are wealthy for many people live in shameful luxury, even at the cost of debt to satisfy their desires. Those who condemn Christianity will point to the calamities that Christian undergo, but they forget, they suffer the same calamities, but they use this as a condemnation because they do not wish to live by Christian standards. They desire to enjoy a luxurious license unrestrained and to lead an abandoned and profligate life without the interruption of any uneasiness or disaster. Yes, those condemners desire each, and prosperity, plenty but this desire is not prompted by having some purpose to use these blessing honestly, yes, they may be philanthropic, but not with any moderation, sobriety, temperance, and piety. Why? For their purpose is to run and do as they like to be autonomous, even in antinomy, to have an endless variety of pleasure, to be free from morals, which are considered to be pestilence to them and to be avoided for they will soften their desires. It is a seduction of an evil mind that influences those who condemn Christianity; they are not prudent people, they wish for impunity for their own vicious luxury and desires. As for those claiming to be Christian, those who have converted to the Christian faith and believe in an immutable God must stay clear from those philosophies that attack the very core of Christian faith. Those philosophers that agree with us in many points, i.e., immortality of the soul, that the true God created all that exists, and that God rules providentially. Yet, they differ from Christianity on other points. We must expose their errors and this we do with the aid of God by means of His word, the Holy Spirit and hold fast to the purity of God who has justified us and sanctified us by His Grace and His Grace alone. Do not become as many have: “…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2Timothy 3:7). Today many people have this prevalent infirmity that even after hearing the truth, as well as it can be presented and demonstrated, they hold tight to a truth that they have developed according to their own unreasonable fancies. They are blinded so not to see the truth that is set plainly before them because they are an obstinate people: “they utter speech, and speak insolent things; all the workers of iniquity boast in themselves”(Psalm 94:4). This will not or are unable to understand our arguments, the are hardened by their contradictions. History attests to this fact, and it is this study of history and those men who by their false philosophies that developed false theologies that we as Christians in this present day are confronted with and must be able to answer them and to aid others who have been affected by such false and wicked teachings so that their faith may become an Authentic Biblical Faith. This means to be able to change from the Inside Out.

            Will you join in this battle for truth? Will you change you ways and live by His commandments? No matter the costs? If yes, then continue this study, and study on your own, check things that are said by your study. Pray for God will answer your prayer. It is not this temporal would that Christians hold onto; it is the world that God has prepared for His children. In time, His time, on the Last Day, God will come for His children, the Savior will call with a shout of an archangel and we will rise to be with Him: forever! Until He comes we have this command to preach the word, to live the word, to care for our brothers and sisters, and to do battle with error. We do all this with love: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that  when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for evil” (2Peter 3:15–17).

But the end of all things is at hand;

            Therefore be serious and watchful

In your prayers. And above all things

            Have fervent love for one

Another,… as good stewards of the

            Manifold grace of God.

                                    1Peter 4:7–8a, 10b

Are you preparing even now for the Sabbath?

Richard L. Crumb