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Declaration (Tract Version)
Posted by: Admin on Friday, July 12, 2002 - 11:08 PM |
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CHRISTIANS! ARE YOU BEING DECEIVED?
Our LORD Jesus Christ did warn us!
‘False prophets’, ‘false apostles’, ‘deceitful workmen’, ‘hired hands’ and ‘savage wolves’ will come amongst us to distort the truth and draw disciples after them.
(Matthew 24:11; Acts 20:29-30; John 10:12; 2 Corinthians 11:13)
Prosecution file... | Despite a Pentecostal and charismatic awakening the western world has forsaken the true God, embraced false gods and ignored its Christian heritage. | | Repeatedly, revival, earthquakes, and a ‘new move of God’ have all been wrongly predicted by false prophets and teachers (Deuteronomy 18:20) | | Toronto and Pensacola have come and gone | | Bogus healings and gold fillings have been exposed on prime-time TV | | The world scoffs | | The evangelical church often contents itself with looking for signs (Matthew 12:39) when it should be obeying Jesus Christ and preaching the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 24:14; Romans 15:16) | | Western church attendance’s are generally static or falling | | Belief in absolute biblical truth is waning amongst professing Christians | | Many are wrongly trying to become more like the world in a vain attempt to reach it. |
A new post-Christian, neo-pagan age has dawned and the evangelical church did little to stop it? Where was the Godly leadership the evangelical churches needed?
What has gone wrong? Will leaders be held to account (James 3:1)?
Jeremiah 5:31 The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way…- Many church leaders have succumbed to the ‘Nicolaitan spirit’ [power over the laity – Revelation 2:6,15], failing to exercise servant leadership or feed the flock with the true Word of God. They have failed to teach how to defend the faith, present the gospel, refute evolution or understand the historic role the Church has played in Western society.
- True ‘Bereans’ (Acts 17:11) sounding warnings, have been branded as legalists’ with a ‘critical spirit’ by others who uncritically accept false ‘faith prosperity’, ‘kingdom now’ and self-esteem doctrines.
- A hyper-charismatic emphasis on mystical experience has been erroneously elevated above the central importance of the gospel and biblical truth. False prophets and teachers are rarely challenged (2 Timothy 4:3-5).
- General complacency and an exaggerated emphasis on unity [at the expense of truth (1 Corinthians 11:9)] have replaced evangelistic fervour. Many churches have become fellowship clubs, not gospel centres.
The time has come to reaffirm essential CHRISTIAN doctrines!
Taken from the Cambridge Declaration of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals (1996)- SOLA SCRITURA : Scripture alone is the inerrant and authoritative rule of church life. It is the only source of divine revelation.
- SOLUS CHRISTUS : Salvation relies on Jesus Christ’s substitutionary atonement alone.
- SOLA GRATIA : We are saved from God’s judgement by His grace alone. Salvation is in no sense a human work.
- SOLA FIDE : Justification is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
- SOLI DEO GLORIA : Worship is a whole of life commitment to God alone. The law and the gospel cannot be neglected or confused with entertainment, self-improvement, self-esteem or self-fulfilment.
This Declaration is a cry for a new reformation.
The only hope for genuine revival lies in recapturing the central priority of the Gospel.
The only alternative is churches where CHRIST is truly honoured
and the Bible faithfully expounded and believed.
Begin by challenging poor leadership.
Check everything against God’s Word.
Rediscover the Church’s mission in Western Society.
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