
What Do These Men Really Mean by Unity?
by Carl Widrig, Jr.
A Book Review of "The Awesome Power of Shared Beliefs"
by E. Glenn Wagner
"Are
we wasting time fighting those who are our brothers? This is a delicate
issue. We do not want to fight, to cause dissension. Yet we are
not to turn the other way when heresy rears its ugly head.
-- E. Glenn Wagner, p.41.
E
Glenn Wagner is Vice President of Ministry Advancement with Promise Keepers
(PK), the popular mens movement headquartered in Colorado that is having
a very significant influence on the evangelical Church in America in the
1990's.
Mr.
Wagner has recently written a book called 'The Awesome Power of Shared
Beliefs'. In his book, Wagner acknowledges the importance of "earnestly
contending for the faith once delivered to the saints" (39, Jude 3), and
commends the Bereans for examining "what the Apostle Paul was teaching
to see whether or not it was true" (42, Acts 17:11). Wagner assures the
reader that he is concerned about "sound doctrine" (Titus 1:9) and about
"careful study of the Scriptures" (p. 42, 2 Tim. 2:15).
However,
for Wagner, "the way to fight off heresy is to be clearly focused on the
truth" (41). While the Greek scholar W.E. Vine writes that the Greek word
for "contending" signifies, "to contend about a thing, as a combatant",
Wagner's study of the Greek has yielded the conclusion that the Greek
word for contending...
is probably best defined as `staying true,' or `being sharp or alert.'
It has the idea of not being distracted, of staying focused on the important
goals and objectives... contending for the faith originally meant the
idea of being able to clearly articulate the faith. Yet remember,
there is never found a biblical injunction to be combative with
someone in the family of God. (40)
In
other words, if the reader were to follow the example of the Bereans,
and actually find a little heresy in the pages of Wagner's book, Wagner
would rather not see the reader "refute" (Titus 1:9, cf. 2 Tim. 3:16)
him, but rather de facto "turn the other way when heresy rears its ugly
head" and simply "be clearly focused on the truth," while meanwhile his
book continues to be used as discipleship material for Promise Keepers'
small groups.
Actually,
Wagner does allow for "refuting" those who commit "the sin of heresy,"
as long as the heresy concerns a "primary issue" that "has as it's basis
one of the five fundamentals of the faith that we've presented in this
book" (180). In other words, if the "heresy" contradicts
the teaching laid out in The Awesome Power of Shared Beliefs, then
we should "restore him gently" (14-15, Gal. 6:1), and if that doesn't
work,
then
Matt. 18 comes into play... he or she must be put out of the local
church fellowship and/or the denomination. It's not our desire to
discipline someone in sin and to cut off fellowship, but given the
lack of repentance we are left with no other choice when it concerns
a primary issue of Scripture. (180)
So
the reader who decides that The Awesome Power of Shared Beliefs contains
some objectionable material must not "refute" it (the reader could try
to contact Mr. Wagner personally and attempt to "restore him gently";
i.e., the only acceptable way to attempt to prevent Mr. Wagner from misleading
the Body of Christ with his "Shared Beliefs" would be to restore Mr. Wagner
himself). Actually, one who disagrees with Wagner's "Shared Beliefs" must
be "cut off ... given the lack of repentance."
There's
more. Wagner says that the kind of people who would (obey God's Word and)
speak out against Wagner's "Shared Beliefs" have their own problems; namely,
that they are "fighting" and "lobbing grenades" at their own brother,
instead of "focusing on the enemy... the devil" (15-16). Why are they
"fighting"?
...to
validate their own existence... , to justify [their] position; ...
the fundamental cause for fights is low self-esteem. (13-14).
In
light of all this, not having contacted and personally restored Mr. Wagner
myself, I find myself intimidated from publicly presenting any objections
I might have with the material presented in The Awesome Power of Shared
Beliefs. The Lord has given me the grace (and the truth) to continue
though, so on I go...
Biblical
Unity?
In
The Awesome Power of Shared Beliefs, Mr. Wagner, along with six
fellow PK leaders, have greatly elaborated on one of the seven "promises"
of PK regarding "biblical unity":
A
Promise Keeper is committed to reaching beyond any racial and denominational
barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity. (Promise #6)
[emphasis added]
The
Awesome Power of Shared Beliefs is a book about "unity," "biblical
unity" in fact, this despite the fact that the only two
verses in the entire New Testament that speak of "unity" are not
brought up at all in the pages of The Awesome Power of Shared
Beliefs.
According
to William Thayer and W.E. Vine (whose works have been published by Baker
Book House), the Greek word HENOTES (the neuter form of
the Greek word translated "one"), translated "unity" [and could also be
translated, "unanimity, agreement" according to Thayer] in the English
language, can only be found in two verses in the entire New Testament:
Eph. 4:3,13.
As
we examine what these two verses of Scripture teach us about "unity,"
the question must be asked, "If Glenn Wagner & Co. are really interested
in teaching all of us evangelicals what the Bible says, why is it that
they seem to be avoiding what the Bible says? Do their own views come
from the Bible, or are they attempting to superimpose their own views
on the Bible where convenient?"
According
to Eph.4:3, "the unity of the Spirit" is something that can be "kept...
in the bond of peace," "kept" indicating that "unity" is something all
Christians already have "of the Spirit," a unity that is
rooted in our common baptism of the Spirit that makes us "one body" (1
Cor. 12:13). Paul wouldn't be instructing the Ephesians to "keep" this
"unity of the Spirit" if all Christians didn't already have it. This "unity
of the Spirit" is "kept" in "the bond of peace".
Further
elaboration regarding this "bond of peace" is likely found in Col. 3:15a:
And
let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called
in one body.
This
same "one body" language is found in the verses immediately following
"the unity of the Spirit": Eph. 4:3:4-6
one
body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
One Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is
above all, and through all, and in all.
Note
that this "unity of the Spirit" involves interrelated matters
of doctrine.
In
Eph. 4:13, the Bible defines this "unity in the faith and the knowledge
of the Son of God" as "a mature man, to the measure of the stature of
the fullness of Christ". It is a "unity" borne out of maturity, a maturity
that involves all Christians coming to the same "faith" (The faith) and
the same "knowledge of the Son of God." This maturity is contrasted with
the description of this picture of immaturity:
that
we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about
with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning
craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive.
The
Holy Spirit's use of this picture is evidence that "the unity of the faith
and the knowledge of the Son of God," a.k.a. "a mature man", involves
doctrine, "the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God", and the absence
of "winds of doctrine", clearly false doctrine, indicated
by this statement that these "winds" are perpetuated "by the trickery
of men, in the cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive."
This
"interpretation," that the Eph. 4:13 "unity" is all about a mature understanding
of the truth (the faith and the knowledge of Son of God) is further supported
by the very next verse, Eph.4:15:
but,
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him who is the head --
Christ.
This
Eph. 4:13 "unity"/"maturity" is the end reason why Jesus
gave the Bible, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to the Church (Eph.4:11).
The
above material regarding de facto biblical "unity" is not covered
at all in, The Awesome Power of Shared Beliefs. Instead,
as we shall see, another "unity," an arbitrary "faith," and another "maturity",
is set forth for us by E. Glenn Wagner and his accomplices in The Awesome
Power of Shared Beliefs.
Just
the Facts
What
is unity? It is being in relationship to one another. This is a unity
rooted in love, sacrifice, and a common commitment to Jesus Christ
... It is this idea of relationship that will bring us into unity,
writes
Mr. Wagner (23, 11). While this may sound good, the "unity" the Bible
speaks of is rooted in our common baptism of the Spirit that has made
us "one body." "Relationship" is a result of "biblical unity",
never a cause. The early Church of Acts 2 was not "gathered
together in one accord" because they believed in a "relational unity,"
but in the Apostles doctrine, which faith had resulted in their baptism
of the Spirit (Acts 2:42-44, 11:15-16) that caused them
to act "in one accord." Wagner et. al. suspiciously avoid acknowledging
that there is a "unity" that already exists in the Body
of Christ.
Wagner's
error regarding "unity" is enhanced in the Foreword by Promise Keepers
President Randy Phillips, who writes:
Various
denominations have their own uncompromising convictions that mirror
their God-given uniqueness. Yet Scripture reminds us of God's heart:
uniqueness must ultimately flow into unity. (vi).
E.
Glenn Wagner (xii -- xiii) himself cites excerpts of the two passages
in the New Testament (1 Cor. 12, Rom. 12:3-8) that speak of the God-given
uniqueness (or "diversity" as Wagner and Phillips write) among individual
Christians in regards to spiritual gifts. But even among individual believers
it could not be said that "God's heart" is for "uniqueness" to "ultimately
flow into unity," because, in the very context of these two passages,
the many members are already one body in Christ (Rom. 12:5),
all having been baptized by one Spirit into one body (1 Cor. 12:13, cf.
Eph.4:3).
The
simple truth is that Randy Phillips and E. Glenn Wagner cannot demonstrate
that the Bible explicitly states that denominational "diversity"
is "God-given" and thus acceptable, which is what PK wants
us to believe -- if all denominational "uniquenesses" are "God-given,"
then these matters should not be "argued" about for the greater cause
of "biblical unity" -- but this concept is a myth, a faulty premise to
begin with in the pursuit of a "biblical unity."
So
what "denominational barriers" are there that a Promise Keeper is committed
to "reaching beyond" in order "to demonstrate the power of biblical unity"?
The issues that distinguish denominations are "their own uncompromising
convictions" in matters of doctrine and practice. But the Bible does not
say what Randy Phillips wrote, that these matters "mirror their God-given
uniqueness." Scripture indicates that it is not God's revealed will that
"denominational uniqueness" even exist, nor that any "diversity"
be allowed among Christians in matters of doctrine and practice ("diversity"
that would signify destructive immaturity, cf. Eph. 4:14),
except in individual matters of practice we
are not commanded to obey but are instead given liberty
in, (Wagner, p. 181; cf. Rom. 14-15, 1 Cor. 8) as long as another brother
is not stumbled in their own walk with Christ upon seeing our practice
of something (1 Cor. 8:9, Rom. 14:13) not commanded by Scripture.
But
E. Glenn Wagner and Promise Keepers have allowed for additional matters
of "diversity" to exist in the Church in their plan for "biblical unity."
Wagner identifies these matters as "secondary" issues (p.180). A few pages
earlier, he writes,
I
must be willing to put aside nonessential issues of taste and preference
to demonstrate the power of biblical unity. (p.177)
Wagner
isn't just talking about "secondary", "non-essential" issues of practice
that believers are given liberty in according to Romans 14-15. Wagner
favorably quotes Charles Colson:
True
unity is not sought by pretending that there are no differences, as
modern ecumenists have done, but by recognizing and respecting those
differences, while focusing on the great orthodox truths all Christians
share. (p.26)
For
Wagner and Promise Keepers, "secondary issues" that we are to "put aside"
[i.e., don't "earnestly contend for"] include those matters of doctrine
other than "the great orthodox truths all Christians share" (what Wagner
refers to as "one that has as its basis one of the five fundamentals of
the faith that we've presented in this book" (p.180)). What exactly are
"the five fundamentals of the faith" presented in The Awesome Power
of Shared Beliefs, "the great orthodox truths all Christians share"?
The
Five PK Fundamentals:
- The
Bible
- God
- Jesus
Christ
- The
Holy Spirit
- The
redemption of man
Do
all Christians, all Christian denominations, "share" the same detailed
beliefs regarding the above "primary issues" of "the faith"? Who is going
to determine the details of "the five fundamentals of the faith" in the
first place? PK of course, the details of which "faith" Wagner equates
with the Apostles and Nicene Creeds, and "The Fundamentals" (10, 36-38),
which sounds reasonable at first (as long as you accept
these things in the first place and find that they say exactly
the same things The Power of Shared Beliefs teaches).
But
what if some Christians or denominations were to think that there should
actually be additional "fundamentals of the faith" added to Wagner's (PK's)
list? Too bad; PK has already narrowed the list down to five items, the
details of which have been provided in, The Awesome Power of Shared
Beliefs. Anything that the Bible teaches that The Awesome Power
of Shared Beliefs does not teach is not
part of "the faith once delivered to the saints" according to PK (p.39,
Jude 3).
Who
gave PK the authority to assume such a role of leadership over the Body
of Christ, determining (in a de facto a priori fashion) such things as
what "shared beliefs" all Christians are to rally around in the name of
"biblical unity", a "unity" on the one hand that they don't eagerly acknowledge
already exists (among "denominations", i.e. all Christians) according
to the Scriptures (Eph. 4:3), and a "unity" on the other hand that will
only exist when the Body of Christ
comes
to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a
mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ
(Eph.4:13), that we should no longer be children, tossed to and
from and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of
men, in cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive (Eph.
4:14),
which
unity PK has inoculated the Body from even getting close to if "the faith"
includes/excludes anything contrary to the "5 points" of "Shared Beliefs"?
Maturity
Recall
that in Eph. 4:11-15, the concept of the "maturity" of the Body of Christ
is taught to be the job of pastors (among others, Eph. 4:11) to affect
via "speaking the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15) "until we all come to the
unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God" (Eph. 4:13). PK
Vice President of Ministry Advancement, E. Glenn Wagner, has redefined
"spiritually mature" for us on pages 44-46 as exemplified in David, on
the basis that he was "a man after God's own heart (will)" that was "willing
to repent": these attributes of David could easily be the case of a new
believer (that is, a believer who is not "spiritually mature")!
Nowhere
does the Bible point to these two attributes as the definition
of Christian maturity. E. Glenn Wagner doesn't even address a single verse
in the New Testament having to do with Christian maturity. There is simply
no way that PK's game plan for "biblical unity" would accomplish the "unity
of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God" maturity "God intends"
for the Body of Christ, the very reason God has given "pastors" to the
Church in the first place (Eph. 4:11)! One must ask the question then,
"Has God given PK `pastors' to the Body of Christ? Is PK really a "move
of God"?
Unity
Will Result In "Awesome Power"
So
why is PK promoting "biblical unity"? "The Awesome Power of Shared Beliefs"
is why. According to the teaching of PK, "Awesome Power" will be the result
of the Church attaining "biblical unity." Their chief text relating to
this is found in John 17, Jesus' prayer for "those who will believe in
Me through" the word of the apostles. Wagner, on pages 24-25, quotes extensively
from the passage following, conveniently employing "... " to cut out a
few verses out of the context, so as to make it appear that Jesus' prayer,
"that they may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent
Me" could be answered independent of "the glory which You gave me I have
given them, that they may be one just as we are one" (John 17:22), most
likely (according to the context of John 17, cf. v..5,24) referring to
that "eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor. 4:17) that "will be revealed in
us" (Rom. 8:18) when Christ our life appears for us in the clouds (Col.
3:4) to take us to be with Him, "gathering together into one
all things in Christ" (Eph. 1:10), when we will behold His "glory" (John
17:24).
Ignoring
all this, Wagner points to the initial fulfillment of Jesus' John 17 prayer
as "the explosive growth" found in "the first six chapters of the book
of Acts" (28), demonstrating that "unity brings with it a power. It is
a power spoken of in Acts 1:8" (27).
Awesome
Power Will Result In Revival
PK's
"purpose" for "biblical unity": "that the world may believe" (26). Let's
think about this for a moment. What does "that the world may believe"
mean to PK? Is not PK implying that "the world" does not
believe at present, that a "biblical unity" would be a precursor to "the
world" "believing"? What would it look like if "the world" did "believe"
according to PK's implied meanings in this language? What a wonderful
thought: this "that the world may believe" almost sounds like a worldwide
revival, the salvation of perhaps a billion souls; that if a "worldwide
revival" didn't happen, Jesus' prayer would not have been answered by
the Father, and God would be a failure -- Oh No!; perhaps we better adopt
PK's interpretation of Jesus' prayer for "unity" then, that when the church
"unites" (and we know it will since Jesus prayed it would
[and we have already learned from PK that the Church is definitely not
"in unity" in any shape or form at present], so we might as well be obliged
to follow "this move of God" called Promise Keepers, lest we be found
to fight against God!), a worldwide revival will break out: the one thing
keeping millions and millions of people from accepting Christ are all
these "denominations" -- it's not that all those unbelievers are totally
depraved, not of "the elect" to begin with, or any other reason really
(according to PK's mentality at least).
Transforming
Culture
Will
not "the world believe" that the Father sent Jesus when the Father sends
Him again to return to earth with power and glory with His Church to establish
the millennial kingdom spoken of in Revelation 20, an event that will
"transform culture" (p.174)? That's not E. Glenn Wagner's thinking:
We're
not transforming the culture. The culture is transforming us. It's
time to reverse that trend. That's unity's purpose. (p.27)
That's
PK's ultimate purpose for "biblical unity", to "transform
culture" to reflect the "ethical standards" (175) PK promotes so much.
But their desire for a "transformed culture" flies in the face of God's
plan as revealed in the Scriptures!
Conclusion
Misrepresenting
what the Bible teaches about "the faith," "unity", "spiritual maturity",
the context of Jesus' prayer in John 17, and God's plan for the future,
among other things, PK is trying to make this present world a better place
to live. PK's whole de facto game plan to "unify" [take over?] the Church
in the name of "keeping promises" (isn't it "good" to "keep promises"?)
and "point men" is at best "of man," doomed to fail according to the clear
rendering of the Sacred Text, and is doomed (as it already has) to wreck
(subtle at times but) very real havoc on the Church, tossing everyone
to and fro with their adulteration of the Scriptures.
In
light of all this, we must remember according to The Awesome Power
of Shared Beliefs (p. 22-23), PK is not promoting organizational unity
(even though they are an organization that recruits "point men" at their
stadium-filling meetings/wake-up calls and has "discipleship material"
to get everyone on track with the PK agenda), is not preaching unity at
expense of truth (forget all of PK's false doctrine on basic concepts
like "unity", "maturity", etc.), nor a lowest common denominator unity
(forget the 5-points thing), nor are they a political organization with
a hidden agenda (forget about "President" Randy Phillips et. al. and the
plan for a 1997 PK March in Wash. D.C.), nor does PK promote a unity enhanced
through program/curriculum (please disregard all the reading comprehension/group
study questions at the end of each chapter of PK books), nor are they
a dangerous organization that could take advantage of the power of shared
but false beliefs like the Nazi's did in W.W.II (p.36)
Reprinted
from the October 1995 issue of The Christian Conscience Magazine.
Carl Widrig will be reviewing two books by Coach Bill McCartney's Pastor,
James Ryle, in the May issue of The Christian Conscience.
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