I shudder to think of some of the things I have taught in the past. Nevertheless, Christ died even for those sins of mine. And even for the errors I am still making. May He in His mercy keep me from leading any of His flock astray.

On the topic of being a heretic, I read Harold O.J. Brown’s book on Heresies quite some years back. (It’s a superb book, and I highly recommend it.)

I came away from the experience severely chastened at the woeful extent of my ignorance, and how easily I might have fallen into so many grave Christological errors.

I of course am grieved that I have led people astray by wrong teaching and have been open to correction and immediately implemented it, some times with tears, to the saints who look to me for sound instruction. Having said that…

And He died for those sins too…

Historically the great councils of old corrected doctrine.

I find it helpful to think of the Ecumenical Councils (so called because they represented the entire church) of the early church as codifying unambiguously what the historic orthodox church everywhere had always believed.

This codification was undertaken, as you observe, in response to various errors that arose from time to time. (This is shown very clearly in Brown’s book on Heresies. He enables you to begin to see how Christ uses even heresy to benefit the Church, by helping her better to define and understand orthodoxy.)

I think it is true to say that every Christological error arose (and was ultimately rebutted) during the first few hundred years of the Church’s life. The various cults of Christianity merely repeat those same errors, albeit often dressed up in fresh clothes.

Thus, the Councils were extremely valuable at a time when there was confusion about what the Bible really taught.

Their decrees were not authoritative because they resulted from the whole gathered church, but because they codified the clear and incontrovertible teaching of Scripture. Any who rejected the doctrines of Scripture thus proclaimed were not sheep, for they neither knew the voice of the Shepherd, nor did they follow Him (John 10:4).

Thus, we disregard any teaching of a council or synod if it contravenes the teaching of Scripture. For we hold to sola scriptura, a doctrine which is, of course, taught by Scripture itself.

The council of Trent and Dort and Nicea etc. corrected errors in the church. Leaders from around the ‘world’ assembled and defended with vigor their views of important doctrines to the benefit of all the church.

I see that my friends have already reacted to your mention of the Council of Trent in conjunction with the phrase ‘corrected errors’ :-)

As Ken mentioned, this council is where the Church of Rome anathematized the Gospel, thereby declaring itself outside the bounds of the historic orthodox Christian faith.

As examples of its errors, here are two of its canons:

CANON XI.-If any one saith, that men are justified, either by the sole imputation of the justice of Christ, or by the sole remission of sins, to the exclusion of the grace and the charity which is poured forth in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, and is inherent in them; or even that the grace, whereby we are justified, is only the favour of God; let him be anathema.

CANON XII.-If any one saith, that justifying faith is nothing else but confidence in the divine mercy which remits sins for Christ’s sake; or, that this confidence alone is that whereby we are justified; let him be anathema.

The Council of Trent

As Cecil said, Rome condemned herself by ‘enthroning error’ that was diametrically opposed to the true Gospel of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ’s righteousness alone.

Trent taught doctrine that was contrary to the revealed Word of God, and thus we disregard it.

Post reformation when the church became horribly and finally divided, we solved doctrinal problems a different way. Instead of with Paul pleading “with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (1 Cor 1:10 NKJV) and realizing the corporate import of staying so perfectly joined, we solved our doctrinal problems by further division so that now, some 500 years later, we have over 25,000 versions of our faith (denominations) mostly divided doctrinally. God help us.

The early Councils enabled the Church to state unambiguously what it had always understood the Scriptures to teach with regard to the fundamentals of the faith.

Much (not all) of the error in today’s visible church arises not because these fundamentals are unknown, nor because Scripture is unclear concerning them, but because they are rejected by many who nevertheless claim to be of Christ.

A new council could not correct this problem, because it arises not from confusion or uncertainty over the teaching of Scripture, but from unbelief. Men refuse to receive the clear teaching of the Bible because they do not like what it says.

Now, the visible church has always been an admixture of unbeliever and believer, error and truth – as indeed Christ taught that she would be (Matthew 13:24–30; 24:24–25). She is as He foretold, and His foreknowledge reassures us that He is sovereign over her. Those hostile to the Word of God (the ‘birds of the air’ – Mark 4:4) have always nested under the shade of the Mustard Tree (Mark 4:30–32), although perhaps many are frightened away when the refining fire of persecution (Isaiah 48:10) presses in hard.

And so what is manifest now is nothing new. We thus have no cause for despair, even if today’s manifestation of unbelief (25,000 denominations, as you put it) bears a form different from that of times past.

The whole creation nevertheless groans in pain, and we ourselves with it. As Paul says:

‘Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (Romans 8:23–25)

We share in the pain. But we eagerly await deliverance. We long together that true brothers and sisters in the Lord might be one. And, one day, we shall see this accomplished in glory.

Yet it is a present distress to us that there are many factions in the Church even over matters not of fundamental doctrine. It is not good that we have ceased to be kind to one another, tenderhearted, and ready to forgive.

How much better it would be if we, who hold steadfastly to the Faith Once Delivered, were to continue to dialog amicably about our distinctives, vigorously seeking to persuade one another of the soundness of our claims from Scripture – all the while listening carefully and with all humility to each other’s exposition, with the expectation that there might be some nuance or understanding uncovered that we had as yet missed.

Whenever I find frustration arising within myself at the disunity and error that I see, I remind myself that the Church belongs to Christ, and that He is sovereign over her. She is in her present distress because He permits it. And He does so for her good (Romans 8:28).

I therefore content myself with the realization that these problems are not mine to solve, but the Lord’s. Though I am answerable to Him, and it is incumbent upon me to hear His voice and – with all humility, diligence and longsuffering – to play the part commissioned of me.

With this reminder that Christ loves His bride, I begin to look around me with new eyes. No longer in despair, but out of wonder that our God is so great that He can bring good even from this chaos. But then, this is the same God who, when the ‘earth was formless and void’ (Genesis 1:2), had but to speak His decrees to usher into existence a creation that He Himself called ‘very good’ (Genesis 1:31).

And now, having begun to walk by faith and not by sight, and thereby beginning to see truly for the first time, I perceive faintly that yes, good can come even out of our present divisions.

For I see the sovereignty of God proclaimed boldly by one group, and the precious distinction between Law and Gospel treasured publicly by another. While yet a third highly esteems the practical service that we should render to our brethren and neighbours. And thus, though I discern only dimly, seeing ‘men as trees, walking’ (Mark 8:24), I am confident of this very thing: that He who has begun a good work in all the Church will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). On that day, my sight shall be restored, and I shall see clearly. (Mark 8:25). ‘For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.’ (1 Corinthins 13:12)

As I contemplate this present distress, I turn time and again to Ephesians 4. There is the unity of the Spirit, which we are given by virtue of us being of one body and one Spirit in Jesus Christ. This unity we are exhorted to endeavour to keep:

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is 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 you all.

Ephesians 4:1–6, NKJV

And then there is the unity of the faith, which arises as the servants of the Word fulfil their appointed ministries:

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 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 of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ – from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:11–16)

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. (Eph 4:29–32 NKJ)

I notice that the particular offices mentioned in v. 11 are all connected directly with the Word of God. We have been given the completed Scriptures through the apostles and the prophets. The evangelists and pastors and teachers continue to proclaim them.

These ministers, and their ministry, are the gift of God. Thus, both the unity of the Spirit and the unity of the faith are gracious gifts from Him.

The result of the Word of God going forth through his appointed ministers will eventually be that ‘we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God’. The Ministry of the Word is designed and given by God to bring that about, to protect us from ‘every wind of doctrine’ and the ‘trickery of men’.

I observe also that the result of the proclamation of the true Word of God (which speaks of the One who is Truth) is that we should be ‘speaking the truth in love’ to one another, that we ‘may grow up in all things into Him who is the head’.

When we compare what is going on in the visible church with this picture of the centrality of the ministry of the Word, the cause for the present disarray becomes plain. We are disunited, fractious and ineffective because we have abandoned the means God has given by which unity comes: we have forsaken the proper teaching and exposition of the Word to the flock.

Starving sheep are not being fed by the appointed ministers of the Word: evangelists, pastors and teachers. The sheep are thus easy prey for deception, and every wind of doctrine blows them about. Since they are not being fed the truth, neither are they able to speak it to one another in love. And thus, the Body does not grow into her Head.

When we understand this, the remedy is clear. We need evangelists and elders and teachers who are ‘skilful in teaching’ (1 Timothy 3:2) and who will rightly divide the Word of Truth. We need those who are able to ‘convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching’ (2 Timothy 4:2). We need those who will shepherd the flock and serve as examples to it (1 Peter 5:2–3).

Let us pray the Lord, that He may have mercy upon His Church and raise up many such as these.

When these ministers of the Word fulfil their commission and feed the flock, the sheep will be equipped to ‘withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand’ (Ephesians 6:13). They shall know the One who is Truth, and they shall speak the truth to one another in love.

The need of the Church is manifest: faithful evangelists and elders, qualified according to Scripture and who proclaim the Word of God ‘in season and out of season’, convincing, rebuking, exhorting, with all longsuffering and teaching. Yet the Church would sooner conform herself to the world than turn to her Bridegroom and His Word, being thus transformed by the renewing of her mind, that she may prove His good and acceptable and perfect will.

Oh how tragically blind and pathetic she looks, this forlorn and hungry bride! Yet her Groom says to her:

Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.

Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you –
The sure mercies of David.

Isaiah 55:1–3

Let we the Church repent and turn again to her Lord and Master, even He who loves her and gave His life for her! Let her look to Him and His Word, for she is His pearl-without-price. He says of her, ‘I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.’ (Matthew 16:18) He shall most surely ‘sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.’ (Ephesians 5:26–27).

And so, we are reminded that the true Church is the Lord’s. He is sovereign over her, as indeed He is over all things. He is working all things together for her good, for she loves God and is called according to His purpose.

We little sheep need not therefore fret, but rather be comforted. For our glorious Saviour is working His purposes through even the great distresses of our latter times – and that for our own good.

Let us therefore ‘hold fast our confession’ (Hebrews 4:14). Let us be speaking the truth to one another in love. ‘For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Hebrews 4:15–16)

One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism! One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all!

Enter the “watchmen”. For all the positive things you say about them which I agree with there is a startling error that I believe you neglect and this may have to do as well with the Alpha, et al discussions. It is the error of context. That is, does ‘any saint’ have Biblical, spiritual jurisdiction over ‘any saint’? This has been a question which has haunted me.

I have am in no position of authority over any other believer, save for my wife.

But I have been charged with loving my brothers and sisters, as we saw together from 1 John 3. How could I shut up my heart to them?

And I have been called to ‘speak the truth in love’. And I have the hope that I might by so doing even ‘save a soul from death’:

Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. (James 5:19–20)

Given the love that has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, how could I hold from speaking loving truth to brother when I see him err? For a timid and cowardly silence would demonstrate my cold-hearted disregard for him.

No! I shall speak boldly, even if it pains him for a time, for I would see him saved from death.

And I have a further duty of love: to alert my brothers and sisters to dangerous false teachers who might otherwise deceive them. This is primarily the responsibility of the elders, of course. But where elders fail, shall we who perceive the danger stand idly by while the wolves plunder the flock? Unthinkable!

I’ll give you an example, suppose some ‘famous’ brother falls into sin. The ‘watchmen” alerts his following to this saints sin. The ‘watchman’ demands full accounting etc.

Rather than demand full accounting, the watchman should instead proclaim to him repentance and the forgiveness of sins in Christ.

Here’s the question: Does the watchman have jurisdiction according to the scriptures?

The watchman is not his judge, but his loving brother who would see him declared righteous in Christ on that final day when we shall all stand before the Great White Throne.

What if the fallen ‘famous’ brother is corrected by his elders and he repents his sin and is restored by his elders? Isn’t his the Biblical way?

Yes, the elders to whom he submits have primary responsibility for his welfare. If only they would do their appointed work!

Now consider doctrine: Suppose a group believes something which I believe is surely ‘no gospel at all’. Do I have a responsibility to correct them. That is should I be going to all 25,000 groups and setting them straight like we do with our pet projects (like Warren in your case). And surely wouldn’t you think this is a serious dilemma?

I am reminded of another question: ‘Who is my neighbour?’

Whom is the Lord giving me the opportunity to love? I shall serve them!

It’s hard to know what to do and how to do it. If you asked me what a reformation would look like, it would be to reunite the church, to submit to one another, to our Lord Jesus and to his precious word. Bring back the councils!

I think I have probably covered this ground above :-)

Pax.

Good to read your ‘discerning’ post and this identifying of ‘Christ-less’ Alpha testimonies is something that both Tim Chapman in his article and myself in my book and video also draw attention to. Perhaps I could quote a relevant portion from my book -

‘Tim Chapman wrote:
‘The lack of focus on Jesus is seen very clearly in the testimonies people give – testimonies which Alpha quotes with approval in its literature.’
Referring to various ‘testimonies’ Tim Chapman continues:
‘This is deeply troubling… The focus of his attention is specifically identified as being not the Lord Jesus, not the Cross but the third session “How can I be filled with the Spirit?” Sadly such a testimony is repeated again and again. This is hardly surprising, as guests are made expectant of variously; “physical heat sometimes accompanies the filling of the Spirit and people experience it in their hands or some other part of their bodies”. The experience is described as “glowing all over, liquid heat, burning in my arms when I was not hot”. Still another said “I didn’t want to come to the weekend and I did. But I would call myself a Christian now. I would say that I felt the Holy Spirit. I was feeling I was loved. It was really a tremendous overwhelming feeling of love”. Again what is conspicuous by its absence in so many of these testimonies is any mention of Jesus and his atoning sacrifice on the Cross, which is the heart of the Biblical gospel.’

When I spoke publicly on Alpha in 2000, I made exactly this same point and I cited several examples. I mentioned the TV presenter Diane Louise Jordan. In the March – July 2000 Alpha News there were three pages devoted to her ‘testimony’. In those three pages there was not one reference to sin, Christ or Calvary. The major influences in her ‘claimed conversion’ were her emotional reaction to a visit to Lourdes and an encounter with an apparition of her dead sister in a hotel room in Argentina.

Since then, in the March – June 2003 Alpha News in two pages of ‘testimony’ by former female spiritualist Sam Ryan, yet again there was no reference to either sin or Calvary. In the July – October 2003 Alpha News in two pages of ‘testimony’ Leila Bagnall makes no reference to Calvary.

Disgraced MP, Jonathan Aitken refers to his ‘conversion’ in these terms, as apparently someone was praying for the Holy Spirit to descend on him:
‘I obeyed his instructions to stand with hands outstretched at waist height, palms upwards, praying that the Holy Spirit would come… At this point my palms suddenly began to tingle with a strange physical sensation which strengthened until my hands and wrists became hot and uncomfortable as though they were being charged with an electric current. Then I began to cry.’

Other apparent claimed Alpha converts would include former spice-girl Gerri Halliwell and page three topless model Samantha Fox. The life-styles of these two ladies since their claimed ‘conversions’ would place lots of questions marks over the validity of Alpha’s claim that they ‘came to faith’.

A ‘convert’ in the TV series – when asked what he had been ‘saved’ from – answered by saying ‘from the way he used to live’. He had embraced a ‘new life-style’ – but had he received ‘eternal life’?

From the ‘Tree of Alpha’ one can pick a large basket of ‘questionable testimonies’.

“As we continue to assess Alpha the question must be asked: ‘Does Alpha declare all the counsel of God?’ Are all the vital and crucial elements that make up ‘all the counsel of God’ included in it?… Tim Chapman (an Anglican curate) wrote a helpful article entitled ‘The Alpha Course Examined’… Tim Chapman, in his article, wrote:

“the penal substitutionary nature of Christ’s atonement is given very little weight – that Christ died not simply in our place but took upon himself the wrath of God against sin. It is skimmed over in the course. This is hardly surprising given that there is an incorrect view of the disease of sin in Alpha; the cure of the cross is similarly misrepresented. We are left with a hollow view of why Jesus had to die at all. Thus the cross ends up being little more than a visual aid, which proves that God is self-sacrificial and loving. The death of Jesus is presented as being an act of love yet without any connection with the reality of God’s holy anger. This is a far cry from the biblical teaching on the atonement.”

The ‘Jesus’ of Alpha is portrayed more as a ‘Solver of human problems’ rather than as a ‘Saviour from sin’. He comes across like a spiritual ‘Jim’ll fix it’ character rather than ‘The Good Shepherd who gave His life for His sheep’. He is presented as One who rescues people from the consequences of their ‘wrongdoings’ rather than as One who redeems people from the condemnation of their ‘sins’. I think Alpha’s Jesus would appeal to former soccer idol, George Best, with all his alcohol problems, but the Biblical Jesus would not – unless of course the Spirit of God did a dealing with him… – the missing link in Alpha is its failure to address the seriousness of sin. They do not adequately explain the Father’s view of sin. They do not adequately explain the Son’s redemption from sin. They do not adequately explain the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin… If ‘teaching’ is false then any resultant fruit from that ‘false teaching’ cannot, according to this passage [Matthew 7:15-18] be ‘good’… From the ‘Tree of Alpha’ one can pick a large basket of ‘questionable testimonies’.

If any of your readers are interested the book can be obtained via the publisher on http://www.twoedgedswordpublications.co.uk/Books/Books.htm and click to download their book catalogue – alternatively I still have some copies available and I can be emailed on takeheed@aol.com By way of interest the other 2 topics addressed in the book relate to C S Lewis and Philip Yancey.

I also have a number of ALPHA-related articles on my ministry web site on these links http://www.takeheed.net/Index_for_NFTF_articles.htm and http://www.takeheed.net/Index_for_ASSORTED_ARTICLES.htm and there you will find an ALPHA category with links to various articles .

Finally I also have a DVD of a talk I gave on ALPHA and that too is available from myself through contact on takeheed@aol.com I feel this talk best explains my concerns and it also has a section of video at the end that shows sadly how ALPHA comforts and cocoons sincere Roman Catholics in their false religious system – a real heartbreaking tragedy.

I think I get you guys’ point (some councils blow it, big). Is your implied point though that the current method is valid or Biblical or faithful to koinonia and ecclesia?

My larger question was: How, in light of a divided church, can we faithfully bring one another to account, especially concerning doctrine? And my concern is that in judging from afar (through long distance shouts blogs, books, magazines, or worse, preaching) we avoid the very thing that the council of Jerusalem (hard to critique that one) did, which is to confront, in relationship and in the context of the church the errant brother in the hopes of their restoration… correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. 2 Tim 2:25-26 (ESV)

Bobby Capps

Here’s my problem and I invite your counsel. The gospel, it’s faithful and full proclamation, it’s power and it’s import to the saving of a soul is an urgent matter. I am beginning to understand why some so ferociously defend it. I have deferred, out of my own weakness, to my fellow brothers and his weakness. I appreciate what your father said in regards to taking a sermon and critiquing it. I too have said that if all twenty years of my sermons were to be examined I would surely be found to be a heretic. I of course am grieved that I have led people astray by wrong teaching and have been open to correction and immediately implemented it, some times with tears, to the saints who look to me for sound instruction. Having said that…

The New Testament was written in the context of the church as a closed unit. That is the apostles had authority over what was being taught and exercised it. The council of Jerusalem is a perfect example of how a doctrinal drift is to be addressed and the correction was surely made throughout the whole church. The letters which corrected doctrinal errors were written to the ‘city church’ or the ‘regional church’ and had the effect of correcting regional error, like for instance an error in the church in United States or at the Isle of Man.

Historically the great councils of old corrected doctrine. The council of Trent and Dort and Nicea etc. corrected errors in the church. Leaders from around the ‘world’ assembled and defended with vigor their views of important doctrines to the benefit of all the church.

Post reformation when the church became horribly and finally divided, we solved doctrinal problems a different way. Instead of with Paul pleading “with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (1 Cor 1:10 NKJV) and realizing the corporate import of staying so perfectly joined, we solved our doctrinal problems by further division so that now, some 500 years later, we have over 25,000 versions of our faith (denominations) mostly divided doctrinally. God help us.

Enter the “watchmen”. For all the positive things you say about them which I agree with there is a startling error that I believe you neglect and this may have to do as well with the Alpha, et al discussions. It is the error of context. That is, does ‘any saint’ have Biblical, spiritual jurisdiction over ‘any saint’? This has been a question which has haunted me. I’ll give you an example, suppose some ‘famous’ brother falls into sin. The ‘watchmen” alerts his following to this saints sin. The ‘watchman’ demands full accounting etc. Here’s the question: Does the watchman have jurisdiction according to the scriptures? What if the fallen ‘famous’ brother is corrected by his elders and he repents his sin and is restored by his elders? Isn’t his the Biblical way? Now consider doctrine: Suppose a group believes something which I believe is surely ‘no gospel at all’. Do I have a responsibility to correct them. That is should I be going to all 25,000 groups and setting them straight like we do with our pet projects (like Warren in your case). And surely wouldn’t you think this is a serious dilemma?

It’s hard to know what to do and how to do it. If you asked me what a reformation would look like, it would be to reunite the church, to submit to one another, to our Lord Jesus and to his precious word. Bring back the councils! :-)

Thanks again…
Bobby