Just to Clarify...
I do not remember a day
when I have received so many encouraging and positive emails and so many
really negative ones too. Looking through my inbox today has truly been
a roller coaster ride. I may publish some of the responses in a future update but
suffice to say its gone from "Thank God there is somebody out there like
Eric Barger" to "Take me off your gospel hating list."
I don't want to revisit
everything that I said in either
yesterday's email (January 22) or the one sent on
January 17. Everybody, including me, is tired of hearing about and
discussing Rick Warren. However, I want to make an addition and clarify
a point that I think some folks missed. First, the clarification.
Isa, as
some who are upset with me have stated, is indeed the Arabic name for
Jesus. However, the whole point I was trying to make (and obviously
didn't do so well with) was that the Isa of the Qur'an is
NOT the Jesus of the Bible but only one of many
counterfeits. There is no presentation of Jesus as Savior in the Qur'an.
There is no "Christ," only Allah. The Qur'an only includes a version of Jesus
that absolutely false
things are stated about. These include: "Jesus, son of Mary, is
not God or son of God" and "O People of the Scripture! Do
not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save
the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of
Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him.
So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not "Three" - Cease! (it
is) better for you! - Allah is only One Allah. Far is it removed from
His Transcendent Majesty that He should have a son." (Surah 4:171)
In fact, of the 97
mentions of the word "Jesus" or "Isa" in the Qur'an you will never find
any indication that THIS Jesus is God incarnate.
Clearly, from the standpoint of the Qur'an, ISA is a
"different Jesus" than Jesus Christ.
With that said, understanding what I do
of Rick Warren's history defending the idea that Allah (of Islam) is
also Jehovah
God, it was clear to me that his
inclusion of "Isa" in the prayer was nothing more than conscripting
the
false Islamic version of Jesus as being equal to the real thing.
It was clearly no accident and I
do not believe that Warren was just trying to be cordial and reach out
to Arabic speakers by including Isa. After all, if that
were true then where was a tidbit to placate Hindus and Buddhists? There
was none. Yet, Warren covering three of the worlds five major religions
in his prayer but did so in such a way that the majority of Christians didn't recognize
what had happened. Those who pointed out his universalist leanings are
being branded by many as the problem. I know this all to
personally today. (Let me check my email to see if anyone has written to
call me the Antichrist yet...)
What I am saying is
that it has been an agenda in Rick Warren's thinking to unite
Christians, Jews and Muslims. It fits with his obvious preterism. It fits with
his PEACE plan and it fits in his affiliation with the Council on
Foreign Relations, the World Economic Forum (where he announced last
year that "the future of the world is religious pluralism."
The problem is, until Jesus returns it just doesn't fit with the Bible!
As I pointed out
yesterday, his affinity with Islam is perhaps most evident through his
affiliation with the Yale University effort to bring Christians, Jews
and Muslims together in dialog. There, Warren has asserted that Jehovah
and Allah are the same deity. One doesn't have to extrapolate too far
then to deduce that if this is so then he also believes that the
Isa of the Qur'an and Jesus of the Bible are one
in the same as well. As I have stated, the very premise of the letter
produced by the heretics, liberals and neo-evangelicals (such as Warren)
at Yale states that both Christians, Jews and Muslims all worship the
same God. Is anybody getting this???
Warren's mention of
Isa placed his stamp of approval on the Qur'an my friends. Even though Arabic Christians may use the name Isa,
without the title of "Christ" (which he did not
mention in the prayer) Warren has stepped over the edge into at
least limited universalism. And my next statement will further
substantiate this.
During the prayer Dr.
Warren nearly quoted the New International Version of Deuteronomy 6:4
"Hear, O Israel; The Lord is
our God, the Lord is One." (Warren added the "is"
I have highlighted.) This prayer is known as the Sh'ma or Shema, perhaps
the most important statement of faith to the Jews.
Warren immediately
continues, "And you are the compassionate and merciful one..."
These words are repeated again and again in every
English version of the Qur'an. NO MUSLIM COULD MISS THAT.
Actually, the
English Translation of Al-Qur'an
starts every chapter called a "Surah" (except for one as I recall)
with the words "In the name of Allah, the compassionate and
merciful One."
Since Warren and his
buddies at Yale have openly stated and signed a letter that they believe
Jehovah and Allah are one, then logically Dr. Warren must also believe
that there is no problem in quoting the most used phrase from the Qur'an when addressing "God
Almighty" as he did at the inauguration.
I sincerely hope this sheds extra
light and clarity for those still interested. Most likely, I won't be
addressing this topic again, at least for a while. However, this won't be the last
time the world will hear religious mixtures such as Warren presented
this week in prayer. Just wait until Antichrist steps up to the podium
someday in the future.
For information on Isa
visit:
http://www.answering-islam.org/Intro/islamic_jesus.html
Comments
Support the Ministry by ordering these related materials here!
Recent Ministry Updates:
January 22 - Just When I Thought I Could Say "Amen"...
January 17 - Let's Review - What was that about Rick Warren anyway?
December 30 - What You Said About Warren and Obama
December 27 - Rick Warren Should Have Rejected Obama's Offer
December 20 - Twenty-Five Years of "Taking A Stand!"
December 13 - "I simply couldn't get up until the film was over..."
November 26 - "Bringing
Twilight
out into the Son"
November 22 -
"The
Death of Discernment - How The Shack
Became the #1 Bestseller in Christianity"
August 15 - "The Errors of the Emergent Church"
August 7 - "Evangelical Meltdown - Islam and Christianity at Yale"
This
powerful DVD message illustrates the desperate need for clear and decisive
biblical apologetics in the Church today. Find out why author and Christian
apologist, Eric Barger, believes that the popularity of William "Paul"
Young's emotionally charged story, The Shack,
signals an unprecedented lack of discernment from within Christianity.
Learn about
the unbiblical, unorthodox theology contained in this runaway bestseller and
soon-to-be-released motion picture and how it threatens to deceive untold
numbers of both Christians and seekers in our midst.
DVD
Add to Cart
CD Add to
Cart
|
Universalism has become the "politically correct" religion of choice of many
in public life today. Through the misguided ministries of Carlton Pearson,
Mike Williams and others, a form of Universalism known as "Universal
Reconciliation" has made inroads into modern Christianity as well. In this
DVD presentation, Eric Barger defines and illustrates Universalism and
compares it to biblical Christianity.
Above all, this message clearly illustrates the biblical truths of salvation
through Jesus Christ alone, the absolute need for a regenerating, "born
again" experience and the fact that eternal and unending separation from God
awaits all who reject salvation through Jesus sacrificial death.
DVD
Add to Cart
CD
Add to Cart
|
SPECIAL
"One of Everything" OFFER
For a gift of $250 we'll send:
This offer now includes:
18 full length DVDs
10 audio CDs
5 BOOKS
$424 value for just $250.00
(plus shipping) (Add
to Shopping Cart) |
* Build a library of Apologetics Materials!
* Get them for your church!
* Order Multiple Sets - Give them as Gifts!
* Support the Ministry of Take A Stand!
Topics include:
Mormonism, New Age and Cults, Apologetics, Liberalism/Purpose Driven
Philosophy, Spiritual Warfare, Islam, Harry Potter, Rock Music/Eric's
Testimony
Take A Stand! Seminars are Changing Lives
Every Week!
Call 214-289-5244 or email
us today to schedule your church or community.
Click here for more
information!
Receive Eric's
printed "Take A Stand! Report" - mailed to you FREE !!!
Just give a gift to the ministry or purchase a
product from our bookstore and receive a free two year subscription.
Visit
our NEW Online Bookstore!
"Take A Stand! Ministries exists to see the lost saved and
the Church changed by the power of God!"
If no-nonsense,
straightforward apologetics Ministry is important to you then we appeal
to you for financial support!
To contribute here
online with
or
Make a Donation Online
Make a Monthly Pledge to Take A Stand!
or send your gifts to:
Take a Stand! Ministries
PO Box 1485
Rowlett, TX 75030 USA |