THE CRISIS DOCTRINAL IN THE CHURCH

Among the many crises that the Evangelical Church in our day has passed, the worst crisis is the of the doctrine. The worst, in my opinion, because the lack of a sound doctrine and good teaching in the church, the various trends, dangers and heresies into the church in a pitiless.

The more the church moves away from the main teaching of the doctrines of the Word of God, the more bizarre things into the church without basis and as a consequence, the name of Jesus is forgotten and the man is enthroned as the main doctrines of the gospel to exalt God in the high level, putting us in a position that we should be - in miserable condition as sinners and in need of God's grace.

The failure of the church in Europe and the USA is exactly why the Church ceased to teach the main tenets of the Christian faith. Because of philosophical liberalism and secularism, the main doctrines and preaching became unusual, and less exegetical issues. On the other hand, the theology of prosperity in the USA, taking advantage of the fragility of these doctrinal churches, came with great force making these churches concert halls, casinos faith, places of ointments and taking weird people are increasingly stingy in name of "Jesus entered Jerusalem for Cadillac."

Because of this, today we have several ministries in the USA and Brazil under the name "Let's go back to the Gospel"; "HeartCry" "Desiring God". All names with connotations to return to the doctrines of the apostles and brokenness, because some ministries of the church realized the crisis and what awaits him without scriptural backing of the true Gospel.

Rather, it is necessary to explain the meaning of the word "doctrine" as it may be that this text reaches an unsuspecting person and without knowledge of what that word means. When I say "doctrine," which evoke comes from the words of the apostles in the NT, διδαχή (didachrë). This word means a set of already formulated doctrine, known and is related to the theological themes of God's Word and not the traditions and customs as some claim.

Therefore, we can see some evidence that the church is undergoing a crisis of doctrine:

1. Poverty doctrinal hymns sung in praise of

Funny how the songs reflect the doctrinal knowledge of who made them and their churches. Songs that make mistakes in the central doctrines of the faith or will not cite them. For example, asking for us to play music, words and embrace an intimate relationship of man and woman, and the Bible only gives this space to Christ and his Church and not to us as individuals (see my post about it). We are part of the church and not the church of Christ, we are members of the body and not the body.

Lyrics that bring a dubious doctrine of positive confession, and restitution of decrees, saying that the devil is already under our feet (see my Reformat text in Fides about it). Not to mention the various doctrines forgotten how the message of the cross, including a justification, sanctification, regeneration and holiness of God.

2. A hostile view to the doctrines of predestination and election

The second reason that we see a crisis in the church's doctrinal vision hostile to the doctrines of predestination and election. We can even understand that their doctrines are controversial, that there are controversial biblical texts that need a more accurate exegesis and worked to get the interpretation and that there is another understanding of predestination. However, we can not accept is that a member of a church or a pastor say that the "predestination" and "election" are heretical doctrines and who accepts it is heretical. Who said such a thing, not only has a low basis in Scripture as a teaching was not effective in your church.

The doctrine of predestination and election can never be considered heretical because of the strong bases in the Bible, outside the context in all the Scriptures of control and action of God in the midst of his people and nations (Isaiah 14, 15, Eph 1.3- 7, 11, Romans 8:28-30, 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). Therefore, with these few texts, it was for someone who has a sense and a basic minimum doctrinal accepted that predestination is quite biblical, although there may be semipelagiana an interpretation that differs greatly, retired century. XVI. However, one can never say that predestination is "unbiblical."

The consequence of the abandonment of this doctrine is the advance of the called Relational Theology or Open Theology, where they deny the sovereignty and omniscience of God. And there are few who have adhered to it. Be in a straightforward way, is an indirect way.

3. A variety of strange things in the name of unction, ordination, and Jewish rituals

In recent years, the most debated topics in the conventions of most denominations are women's ordination, as the leading apostle of a higher denomination, and even "patriarch." The church had no support to withstand the pressure of feminism and the various views that go over the texts, just as an excuse that Paul spoke only for the time. They say that some texts that Paul puts on women's ordination difficulties are only one circumstance and not an absolute principle that the church must accept, even with an exegesis screaming the opposite.

The various anointings from the laughter, through the kangaroo, four living creatures to the anointing of the church took the lion nonsense ever seen in history. People bought paintings of a lion, gave name to their ministries and even staged as such forget that the devil was also depicted as a lion (1 Peter 5:8) and that this was just a metaphor through its context, just as Jesus was called the Angel of the Covenant in VT, and Satan also an angel.

Processions carrying the ark and the sound of shoffar in praise of various churches also demonstrate a low awareness of the NT that explains and interprets the Old Testament ceremonies and doing some things Jewish rituals no longer have any value.

The result is the abandonment of some to Judaism as in Paraiba, where a shepherd and some sheep adhered to Judaism, refusing even to Christ as the Messiah and God.

4. The increase in trade of faith

No wonder that trade recrudesça of faith in a land of low theological. This is because the unwary and those who have little knowledge of doctrine do not call your faith grounded in the central doctrines of the Word of God as justification, atonement, and sanctification. If the basis and motivation of faith is not in God's salvation in Christ Jesus, remains have, like spirituality and purpose of faith, prosperity and wealth. These acts seek the prophetic and the various campaigns that enricam pastors television, feeding their own greed and avarice, they want to, just, get out your problems, do not want any commitment to God and the consequences of this commitment (2 Corinthians 2:13 , 14, 17).

Added to this trade, is the creation and acceptance of the title "apostle" and "patriarch" (see my essay on this). However, it is very strange that in the XXI century and this title has appeared in the church, because there is no record in the writings of the Fathers of the Christian Church they were called apostles, if not, the genuine apostles of the NT or the heretics who autointitulavam is how some of the church at Ephesus (Rev. 2.2), Marcion, Arion and others. Therefore, trade of faith and acceptance of these merchants show a low doctrinal knowledge.

The result is that Pastor Paul Romero wrote in his book: "Disappointed with Grace" that many people are frustrated and have abandoned hope in preaching in the church because of false promises and fallacies come from a misinterpretation of the Bible.

5. The emphasis on organizational and administrative issues over the doctrinal issues

Today, he has a syndrome that few interesting note. The conferences of ministers and workers or teachers show more organizational and administrative part of the doctrine. The doctrinal issues are forgotten and barely touched. I researched some issues Congress and the Internet, except for the Congress Fiel, New Life, Christian Conscience, which are examples, topics ranging from how to manage your life, church, home, finance, shepherds grazing etc. but no doctrinal issue. Let us note in passing that are important matters, but the problem is they are doing the building starting from the foundation walls and forgetting. How can we talk of life administration or church if you do not have extensive knowledge about the doctrine of grace, justification, salvation, judgment, God's discipline, and other doctrine of the Trinity? After all the administration is totally on the various motivations that I know about God, salvation and grace, because no one can tell how I manage my life, except the Bible has principles as I live. That is enough. The administration is up to each one.

Jesus does not ask for us to teach management to his disciples, but we teach "the things he has commanded" (Matt. 28:20). Directors learned at universities, but the principles of God in the church.

Few pastors conferences include doctrine. With the exception of Congress Fiel, New Life and Christian Conscience, which are references, the majority goes to the surface. When did we see a Congress that had as its theme "Justification by faith", "Assurance of Salvation," "Grace in the Old Testament," "Biblical Inspiration and Inerrancy," "The atonement of Christ in the Old Testament and its fulfillment in the NT "" Election and divine sovereignty, "or even" Sovereignty and Human Responsibility, "" Atonement. " When I refer to these topics, speak not only to the issues themselves but also others who justify these with expository preaching, something that is very difficult to happen in some conferences.

The consequence is that, as ever, old doubts and heresies into the church, for example, the heresy that denies the Trinity as distinct persons, the back of heresies as annihilationism and denial of hell. These heresies have arisen before this doctrinal chaos and that the church does not seem to realize the danger of this.

However, the chaos that led to this doctrine in the church today? In my opinion, there are some reasons:

1. Theological liberalism in the seminaries

Seminars in Brazil were heavily influenced by Enlightenment philosophy through the liberal theologians. Students who read more books than orthodox liberal. Of course it is not wrong to read liberal books. Contact, there is a balance accompanied by a presuppositional apologetics. Compounding this, some teachers teach with a liberal worldview totally bringing venomous doubts and fallacies leading to their students. On the other hand, those who have not brought a liberal ideology apologetic assumptions of these philosophers and theologians. The consequence is that these students go to their churches preaching the Word of God, but full of doubts about his inspiration, miracles, and even if the Bible is the Word of God or contains, as stated by Karl Barth.

Therefore, these pastors could not devote himself to teaching and systematic exegesis of the Scriptures in their churches, but only preaching a thematic technique that smoothes the ego of their churches, since to engage in a questionable text.

2. Shallow preaching and thematic

In my opinion, there is something more urgent than forming theology exegetes and theologians capable of interpreting Scripture. While some emphasize the course of ministry including preaching, the great problem of preaching is not his oratorical technique, but its content. Not good for someone to be a PhD in ministry, preaching beautifully know if his exegesis is faulty and unreliable.

In most cases, the pastors fail to engage in preaching and a good preparation this. The sermons are shallow, choosing texts eve until almost time. These pastors, despite having a theological training, abandon the use of hermeneutics, exegesis and theological core issues. By saying he would not preach theology and that this is not important.

The sermons are now subject, it is easier and require less of the preacher or type "10 steps to being happy, intelligent, wealthy, winner, etc.". The exegetical preaching is for the few because of the need to prepare and also a commitment to what the text really want to talk. For example, how to preach expositionally in a text that speaks of greed in a church that values money and prosperity? Or preaching in Romans 8 and Ephesians 1 without speaking in predestination? Therefore, expository preaching is for brave and prepared.

3. Emphasis on praise instead of God's Word

The church has developed greatly in the ministry of praise. Today there are thousands of groups of all types and tastes. However, nowadays, the emphasis and priority of worship that we give to God's Word is being given to praise. Churches that give an hour and a half to praise and only twenty minutes and calendar of preaching and when it comes to sound doctrine.

Because of this, people who could learn about texts and essential doctrines of faith, are only superficial in the excitement of various phrases repeated by the leader of the praise no need, since the priority is getting over.

4. Deficiency of Biblical Studies and EBD

One of the causes of this crisis is exactly the negligence of the pastors who are responsible to teach the church. The great doctrines of Christian faith and Scriptures of the exhibitions are forgotten and left to the cells, an option which is understandable, but when it leaves all the responsibility of the Church's teaching is dangerous to cells because, pastors and teachers, was given responsibility of teaching because it was prepared for this function. No wonder Paul warns Timothy that much to preach the word, and read the Scriptures teach (1 Tim 4:11-13, 2 Timothy 4.1,2). Hence, opportunities for study in EBD are exchanged for thematic preaching surface not establish that his listeners.

I leave it clear that I am not against the systematic study of family groups and cells. What I question is the total abandonment of the program of the church not to have a day where there is a study with the pastor of the fundamental doctrines of the faith as Paul was about to delve into the night (Acts 20:7-9).

5. Little Bible reading

Today, we passed by another phenomenon. The Bible has been more accessible than the book can get. There are Bibles in software for cellphones, for tablets of all sizes for all tastes. For those who do not have the Bible, they can access it by internet because there are several sites that offer, as the original languages as well. However, today we read the Bible less than the previous days. According to some studies, very few pastors read the whole Bible. Many members of the church many years have difficulties to find a book just read in church or just know about David, Abraham, by the preaching of the pastor or a movie that goes on TV.

The result is a lack of perception of the whole Bible before you hear and receive the pulpits and on TV, which is where most fool the unsuspecting. It's on TV that people put cups of water, give offerings to be blessed and ask for towels with the sweat of the apostles. However, we know that is not enough, since it requires knowledge of Hermeneutics for proper interpretation of Scripture and, therefore, need to be in a church that is not trading with teachers and pastors who teach "the whole counsel of God" ( 20:27 f).

CONCLUSION

The church needs to understand that the abandonment of Scripture is the beginning of chaos in the church. Thus began the Middle Ages. The Scriptures were placed next to the traditions and the church. Because of this, it became unnecessary, not current. The important thing was feeling religiosity and obedience to church officials.

Today we have something like that. What matters to some is not whether a doctrine is based on Scripture, has merits or not, but if she has worked and preached by the coming of an apostle or patriarch is claiming that the man of God and prophet of the Lord.

Therefore, we must at least understand the dangers of this crisis and do our part in enhancing the Scriptures so that when someone knocks on our door selling indulgences, are prepared.