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| GODLY effect can never be measured in terms of human success, e.g. numbers of people, new churches and so on. While these things are important, for, if Christ is truly in our midst, there will be progress, impact and growth, standing alone they can be very misleading. In some cases the increase in numbers of people and even of new churches planted, can be the direct result of the lowering of Biblical standards. DOCTRINE and DUTY is not simply a convenient division adopted by all of the writers of the New Testament Epistles. It is the divinely selected measure of TRUTH and of REAL SUCCESS in the Kingdom of God. Jettison your doctrine and very soon the sense of godly and biblical duty will die. The hierarchy of the Assemblies of God in Australia have revealed their hand. They issued a book, which was allegedly (by their own testimony) endorsed by all the present National Executive Members, recommending the dropping of all references to the millennial reign of Christ and to His imminent return. The motivation was basically a desire for wider recognition and an increase of transfer growth from those churches and denominations which could not agree to or comply with their (the AoG) doctrinal tenets of faith on these matters. Such a motivation is simply carnal. It is not based on conviction but simply on pragmatism, which is and has always been the great bane and scourge of true spirituality and real revival. Furthermore it contains a sneaky element of dishonesty, for a secondary reason put forward for the change was that certain of their own ministers do not adhere to the official AoG position on these matters, notwithstanding the fact that these same ministers have (or should have) signed a statement to the contrary. So basically there are two issues here: 1) A Denial of DOCTRINE; and 2) A Question of HONESTY and INTEGRITY. In my view the second is more significant than the first and it is the one thing that has again reared its head in the compromise that is now being suggested. Vital to the rationale of the leaders of AoG in Australia was the proposed widening of the denominational boundaries via the recommended "change of name" to that of Christian Churches of Australia to replace and/or run along side of the traditional name of the Assemblies of God in Australia. Quite obviously there is a very strong ecumenical emphasis embodied in this change, while there remains the desire to retain links with the so called world-wide Assemblies of God, which is a misnomer if ever there was one for, apart from the self propagating Church Growth movement linked to Paul Yongi Cho et al, there is no such thing as an international AoG, nor can there be, based on the declared modus operandi of Assemblies of God from its inception, being that of local autonomy. Furthermore from a legal perspective each national expression of AoG must also remain independent. The notion itself is laced with deception. But it's worse than that. Due to the reaction of some good thinking people among the rank and file pastors and members of Assemblies of God there has been a reasonably strong resistance against the recommended doctrinal changes put forward by their leaders in Australia. Thank God for that! (Does this amount to a vote of no confidence in the leaders?) However, from reports that we have received it seems to be quite clear that those same leaders have not "repented" but simply changed tack. Now they will, largely speaking, drop the recommended constitutional changes and will form a new umbrella group without involving a Conference vote and so, now or some time in the future, achieve their objective notwithstanding the resistance expressed by those who actually voted those leaders into office, ostensibly to represent the best interests of all and not just their own carnal and humanly contrived desires. The writing is on the wall. Isn't it strange how secular and religious history find their counterpart expression in denominations within Christendom. The Third Reich just before its destruction engaged itself in a flag planting exercise across Europe. King Ahab, as we have seen elsewhere in this issue of CETF, attempted something similar by breaking and setting aside covenants. Why will we never learn? There is nothing hidden that shall not be revealed. We stand on the threshold of the Return of Christ, who will come back not when we decide or determine through our efforts, be they honourable or dishonourable. He will come again when He decides and He will set up His everlasting Kingdom. Then we all will be judged for the honesty of our motive and not just for our pragmatic success. Truth is its own safe-guard, and it alone will defend US on that day. Meanwhile our consuming passion and continuous pursuit must be conditioned by "the love of THE TRUTH". Without that we shall be deceived. In fact if we don't have that love for the truth then God Himself will deceive US - compare 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11. Appeared in Volume 5.1 March/April 1999 |
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