Agreeing On Restoring Honor, Faith, Hope, & Charity

Don Koenig of World and Church Trends and Bible Prophecy has a post up about Glenn Beck.

I can tell my readers that I had not heard the following particular statement by Glenn, but here is what Don has written regarding a quote he had obtained from Brannon Howse:

Want to hear the truth about Beck’s own beliefs from his own mouth? According to Brannon Howse Beck said this:

“Last week on his radio program Beck said “I Am That I Am is the most powerful phrase in any language as it is the name of god, never use it in vain; use it to create who you want to be. I AM blank.”

I agree. Beck certainly took that verse out of context. We could chalk it up to misapplication, but when it comes to knowledge about the Mormon religion, perhaps that might the culprit for the misinterpretation.

Nonetheless, I have written a comment in response to Don's post (which is excellent and I encourage you to read it in it's entirety) as to why I think that Bible-based Christian pastors, writers, and apologists should take advantage of Beck's national audience to get The Word of God out to the masses!


Excerpt from Don's post:

It is with mixed feelings that I am writing this post because most of what Glenn Beck says is as American as American pie. Nevertheless, most Christians leaders so love the sugar in the American pie that Beck is dishing out that they are also gobbling down the deadly crust that molds it. When Glenn Beck stays on politics he is pretty good but when he talks about God he is so far off the Christian reservation that he might as will be on planet Kolob (Where Father God of Mormons lives).


First let me once again comment on Mormonism in general. Don’t be confused just because they use the same terminology as Christians. They do not believe the doctrines of Christianity. They just put their own meaning on common Christian terms. For example, don’t confuse God the Father of Christianity with Father God of the Mormons. The Father God of Mormons was once a man just like us that progressed to become a God before us. Don’t confuse Jesus of Christianity with the Mormon Jesus who is the spirit brother of Lucifer and a God in the making like his brother. Don’t confuse the blood atonement of Jesus with the Mormon’s limited atonement that requires you to still work to achieve your godhood. Don’t confuse the Trinity of Christianity with the separate three gods of Mormonism.

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World and Church Trends and Bible Prophecy
“I Am” beckoning by Glenn Beck - It is with mixed feelings that I am writing this post because most of what Glenn Beck says is as American as American pie. Nevertheless, most Christians le...

My comment there:

I can certainly understand your wariness about Beck because he is a Mormon. However, I disagree with Brannon Howse that Beck is turning evangelical Christians (the Bible-based ones, at least) towards Mormonism.

There were people of different faiths at the rally. There are people of different faiths watching his T.V. show and listening to the radio show. In particular, the huge audience that showed up at the rally were there for the purpose of agreeing with Beck on the need for us all to turn back to our Founding Principles - including faith, hope, and charity. These are three things that all can agree on.

I saw the same kind of caution being discussed in America when the Manhattan Declaration came about and people were being urged to sign on. Some Christians refused (e.g. John MacArthur - a Christian apologist and author whom I greatly admire) and others signed it (e.g. Albert Mohler). I have read a lot of the writings of both men and what they profess agrees with Biblical Christianity. However, they disagreed on the signing of that document. Is one correct and the other wrong to do so?

The Bible states that we are not to place a "stumbling block" in front of others - especially "baby" Christians - so that they veer off in the wrong direction away from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Perhaps it is the "baby" Christians that must be warned and cautioned not to equate Mormon belief with Biblical Christianity.

In the case of Beck, the fact that he has given such a HUGE PLATFORM to Christian leaders and pastors on his T.V. show is enough reason (IMHO) to cheer him on. It doesn't meant that people are going to embrace Mormonism. Most Bible-based Christians will not be swayed in that direction. Recall the Bible verse that says:

Mar 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if [it were] possible, even the elect.

The "if [it were] possible" clause informs us that it WON'T be done! The elect aren't fooled because they are forever sealed in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

What I am seeing (including my own pastor who will be on Glenn's show this Friday) is a unique show giving Christian leaders a platform with a huge audience to express what they believe and how it all relates to our founding here in America; and how our people need a re-awakening to WORK towards restoring our nation.

I have read comments from other Christians stating that perhaps Glenn might be converted from Mormonism to Biblical Christianity. We can all pray for that, of course. I will admit that it is VERY DIFFICULT to change their minds. Been there, done that at my front door and sitting in my own living room having conversations with young "elders." However, there is always hope.
Pastor Miles McPherson was highly criticized by some evangelical leaders for attending and speaking at a convention for "The Secret" (if I recall correctly, I think that is Oprah's new religion?) Anyway, he stood up there and preached the true gospel of Jesus Christ to the audience and told them something like - 'that's the secret.' Ha! Of course, not every Christian pastor and/or apologist is geared up for such a presentation. It just happens to be one of Pastor Miles' gifts.

I sincerely hope that this political divide forming doesn't break the wonderful message that the Restore Honor rally presented to America on 8/28. That would be a most unfortunate development! Rather, I continue to hope and pray that people will go back to their homes and churches and apply the message that we all can agree on -
America needs to restore honor in our nation and we need to utilize faith, hope and charity in order to do so.

Don, you certainly pointed out the VERY important differences between Mormon belief and genuine Biblical Christianity. I am not trying to downplay your concerns. I just think that it would be a missed opportunity NOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE of the national audience that Glenn has created via his show. If you think I am wrong - so be it. We will just need to agree to disagree.

In closing, I want to express how much I have appreciated your excellent post here. Because the message of distinction between what Mormons believe vs. Bible-based Christian belief is immensely important, I plan to link to your post today at my blog.

Christine

P.S. There are some Christian bloggers who used to post at my blog, but now do not visit or comment because they obviously don't like that I write about Glenn Beck's show. Some have abandoned my blog because of this. So be it. My blog is involved in both proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and applying the Word of God to everyday life - including political issues. During the very first God-Blog Conference back in 2004, a professor at Biola U. told me that mixing all of these goals might make for an impossible task. Perhaps, but I keep going anyway. God bless.

Hat tip:

World and Church Trends and Bible Prophecy