KINGDOM THEOLOGY
PART II - Section A
---------------------------------
by Albert James Dager
INTRODUCTION
In Part I we examined the roots of today's Kingdom Theology, and defined
the
movement in terms of its theological and eschatological doctrines as
well as
some of its historic proponents. We delineated the basic premise of
the movement
which, simply stated, is that before Jesus can return, the Church must
establish
the Kingdom of God on earth by taking control over every aspect of
life through
the establishment of a theocratic government.
Before we proceed further, I feel it necessary to point out that there
is a
legitimate "Kingdom Theology" based upon proper exegesis of Scriptural
prophecy.
Jesus will return at the end of this age to establish God's authority
over the
nations of the earth. Until then, the Kingdom of God continues to operate
through the administration of the Holy Spirit resident in the hearts
of God's
people. The Kingdom of God already exists therefore, and will one day
be
manifested throughout the earth during Jesus' millennial reign.
To differentiate between God's legitimate "Kingdom Theology" and man's
attempt
to bring it into existence through his own efforts before Jesus' Second
Coming,
we'll call man's attempt "Kingdom Now Theology," or "Dominion Theology"
(using
these terms interchangeably). This will help us separate the error
from the
truth.
To accomplish the monumental task of taking dominion, a significant
number in
the Church must come into "unity" of thought and purpose to that end.
While the
goal of the Kingdom builders is total unity, they realize that partial
unity may
be all they can attain. Whatever the case, the realization of any significant
degree of unity necessitates a single voice of authority: a hierarchical
structure through which individual believers will receive the necessary
pronouncements to exercise dominion.
The voice of authority, it is believed, will reside in certain latter-day
apostles and prophets operating in conformity to their own peculiar
interpretation of Ephesians 4:11-12: "And he gave some, apostles; and
some,
prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For
the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying
of the
body of Christ." In order for the saints to be perfected (made sinless)
there
must be a restoration of the offices of apostles and prophets. It is
a major
prerequisite, therefore, that the apostles and prophets be recognized
by the
Church at large. (It's interesting that we are currently seeing certain
well-known Christian leaders referring to one another as "apostles"
and
"prophets".)
Once they are acknowledged, these apostles and prophets will bring forth
new
revelations from God, which will be the guiding principles in establishing
the
Kingdom. These revelations will be given to the Church through the
evangelists,
pastors, and teachers who accept the hierarchy's authority.
One manner in which the apostles and prophets will receive these new
revelations
will be through communication with heavenly beings (angels and departed
saints),
as well as with God - and specifically Jesus. It's expected that many
of these
"new revelations" will be authenticated through demonstrations of power
in the
working of miracles, signs and wonders.
Some also believe that for dominion to be effected the world's wealth
must be
under the control of the Church. Hence the emphasis on prosperity and
"divine
health" as well as the ability to speak into existence things that
are not as
though they are (God-likeness).
After the Church has taken dominion, its task will be to purge the earth
of
evil, which is defined as lawlessness against God's moral laws and
against the
established authority of the apostles and prophets. This accomplished,
the earth
will be ready to be turned over to Jesus when He returns (some say
'if' He
returns).
We will find as we continue our study that at the heart of Dominion
Theology is
the belief that man is a god and, as such, must exercise his godhood
through
dominion. The current teaching that man is a god is essentially a theosophic
concept which can be traced to the beginning of man's history.
THE ETERNAL BATTLE
The conflict of the ages upon which the spiritual battle for men's souls
resides
is founded upon this single truth: that God is supreme and His creation
must be
subject to Him. In his rebellion, Satan ("Lucifer") originated the
scheme to
establish oneself as an equal to God (Isaiah 14:12-15). This was the
nature of
his temptation of Eve: "...ye shall be gods, knowing good and evil"
(Genesis
3:5). Satan's lie is not just that man 'is' God, as espoused in Eastern
mysticism, but that he could become 'like' God through acquisition
of certain
knowledge. In essence, man is, or could become, a god himself.
This appeal to man's pride comprises the essence of the esoteric religions
which
seek, by initiation, to bring certain chosen individuals to perfection
through
obedience to an unseen spiritual hierarchy. This hierarchy - known
as "Ascended
Masters," among other titles - is allegedly comprised of highly evolved
men
existing in the spirit realm who are leading mankind through stages
of evolution
to higher planes of consciousness which will eventually result in the
attainment
of godhood.
Throughout history the ancient mystery religions have taken many forms,
from
paganism and witchcraft to humanism and some elements of psychology.
Today they
may be classified under the general name of "theosophy" - the blending
of
science and religion to create a universal brotherhood of man under
a one-world
utopian state. The term "theosophy" (lit. "Divine Wisdom" or "Wisdom
of the
Gods")55 has several synonyms, some of the more common being "the Esoteric
Philosophy," "the Wisdom-Religion," "the Secret Doctrine," "the Ancient
Wisdom,"
and "the Esoteric Tradition."56
The esoteric ("hidden," "secret") religions have many expressions throughout
the
world, and include such notable movements as Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism,
and
Jewish Kabbalism, among others. The basic beliefs of esotericism, as
well as the
Eastern religions, form the basis for what has come to be known as
the "New Age
Movement" - today's vulgar expression for the masses of the "higher"
mysteries.
The essence of esoteric religion is that man can attain godhood through
knowledge and positive living. From time immemorial man has fallen
for this
delusion, and has sought spiritual power through mastery of so-called
"immutable
laws" of Nature operative in the spiritual realm. The learning and
mastering of
these laws allegedly work for man's purposes and "validate" his position
as a
god. Though modern theosophy, in all its forms, makes certain teachings
of the
ancient mysteries available to the masses, these are only the exoteric
teachings. The deeper esoteric mysteries are reserved for those initiated
through secret rites, sworn to secrecy under penalty of death.
Those teachings permitted for the masses have found their way into the
Church.
They have developed into a form of "Christian" theosophy which has
affected many
otherwise uncompromising Christians who, if they would keep their heads
about
them, would suffer death to maintain the inviolable position that deity
is an
attribute of God alone.
There is a reason for Satan's emissaries infecting the Church with the
damnable
heresy that we are or can become gods. To the esotericist, bent upon
establishing 'men' as gods, all monotheistic religions are anathema
and their
adherents must be converted or at least subjugated to the spiritual
hierarchy
(the spirit beings guiding mankind). Since the Church alone has the
power of God
to resist the deceptions of Satan, it 'must' be made to believe his
lies. If the
Church can be corrupted or neutralized Satan will have a clear path
toward
uniting the world against God. Thus any opposition to deception in
the Church
must be stifled under the pretense that such opposition sows discord
among the
brethren and hinders unity.
Satan's lies have found fertile ground in the Church not only because
many
Christians lack knowledge, but because they lack the necessary humility
that can
protect them against deception. Seeking their own wills above God's
will, they
are easy prey for deceivers who exalt men and/or the Church to the
status of
godhood and promote Satan's lies within the Church, lies characterized
by the
following teachings:
- Men are gods;
- Men may become gods;
- Men may become like God;
- Faith is a "law" or "force" that may be activated by anyone - believer
or not;
- The ability to perform miracles, signs, and wonders is latent within
all; we
need but learn the techniques that activate the spiritual laws upon
which faith
is based;
- God is bound by these spiritual laws, and must respond to anyone
- even His
worst enemies - who exercises knowledge of them;
- as "gods" ("divine beings") we have the "divine right" to health
and
prosperity'
- Jesus is our "Elder Brother" who mastered the spiritual laws of Nature,
and is
therefore our example to do the same;
- Men may become perfected spiritually and physically by mastering
these
spiritual laws;
- The Kingdom of God will be established on earth when a sufficient
number of
people have been perfected.
No doubt many who teach these things would deny they are theosophists.
In all
probability they think of themselves as true Christians who have received
special revelations from God. But whether they adhere to theosophical
doctrines
consciously or are merely pawns in the battle of the ages is immaterial.
A child
playing with matches needn't have knowledge of the damage he can cause.
It's evident from the recent emergence of these aberrant teachings within
the
Church that - through schooling and/or personal association - theosophy
is
having a significant impact upon some of today's prominent teachers.
I believe
some of these teachers, though sincere in their profession of faith
in Jesus,
are themselves victims of esotericists who knew how to use biblical
and
Christian terminology to gain their confidence, or they learned from
others who
were victims.
Esotericists have made special efforts to merge their secret teachings
with the
basic tenets of the Christian faith, resulting in some rather interesting
esoteric interpretations of Scripture.
The major Christian doctrines - the deity of Christ; His Virgin Birth,
His
sacrifice for sin, His Resurrection, and His Second Coming - can be
made to fit
perfectly well into the theosophical model of religion. But their aberrant
interpretations of these basic doctrines, unless openly stated, will
escape the
average Christian and deceive him into placing his trust where he ought
not.
As we look at these doctrines from the standpoint of theosophy as opposed
to
that of Scripture, some may find our expositions of interest; others
will no
doubt find them tedious and may wish to pass over them. I've included
them for
purposes of documentation, and to demonstrate how esotericists might
use certain
terminology to convince Christians - even Christian teachers - that
they are
brethren in Christ, specially "anointed" to teach new revelations.
I should add
that it is not these interpretations of essential doctrines with which
I am
concerned (any mature Christian would reject them at the outset), but
the
inroads into the Church of other teachings based on these interpretations.
Though there are few in the Church proper who would agree with these
interpretations, many have bought the rest of the package which is
bringing many
in the Church into damnable heresies. These are offered as a warning
to learn as
much as possible what a teacher believes before accepting what he says.
The Deity Of Christ
Theosophists would agree that Jesus is divine. But then so are all men,
if not
actually at least potentially. It is therefore not inconsistent for
theosophists
to speak of Jesus as "Son of God," "God in the flesh," "truly God and
truly
man," and use similar "Christian-sounding" phrases implying His deity.
Nevertheless, whereas Christians believe that God became man (exclusively
in the
person of Jesus), theosophists believe that a man named Jesus became
a god.
To most theosophists, Jesus was one of many men who displayed an exceptional
expression of the divine nature. They include Him among such notables
as
Confucius, Buddha, and Mohammed. To some, however, Jesus was unique
among all
men in His expression of the divine nature; they would say that no
one has ever
attained His status of spiritual enlightenment. However, they also
believe that
all men and women have the potential to reach that same degree of spiritual
enlightenment, i.e., to be equal with Jesus. Some even go so far as
to say that,
theoretically at least, we have the potential to be greater than He,
by further
mastering the spiritual laws of Nature to do good for mankind.
Jesus' uniqueness, to them, lies not in His person as the Word of God
incarnate,
but in His particular anointing as "the Christ" to bring enlightenment
and truth
for His time in history, just as Buddha and Mohammed did for their
eras. Though
it is believed that there are exceptional "Christs" for different stages
of
man's evolutionary journey, we may all become expressions of the "Christ
principle" and thus achieve divinity. Theosophists, therefore, have
no problem
with calling Jesus the "Son of God." As John H. Dewey, the leading
apostle of
"Christian" Theosophy during the previous turn of the century stated:
"The law of FAITH as announced by Jesus and exemplified in his life,
is the
supreme law and method of all divine realization for man."57
"That he was fully and absolutely human, the veritable "Son of man,"
no sane
mind will deny. That he was also fully and absolutely divine, the veritable
"Son
of God," we with equal positiveness claim and affirm."58
On the basis of these statements alone Dewey might easily have been
accepted
into Christian fellowship. But further on we find that he qualifies
his remarks:
"This incarnation of the Divine in Jesus, however, but reveals and demonstrates
the innate capacity of our common humanity as the offspring of God,
for
receiving into its unfolding life the full Spirit of the Father, and
becoming
divine, as illustrated in the life of our great Exemplar [Jesus]."59
"The manifestation of God in one man [Jesus], demonstrates the possibility
of a
like demonstration in all men."60
Were these teachings confined to the inner sanctums of the Masonic,
Rosicrucian,
and Mormon temples - were they bandied about only among theosophists
seated
around their tables of discussion - they would pose no genuine threat
to the
Church. But we are now hearing from prominent teachers in the Christian
media
that man was created with a divine nature which was lost due to the
introduction
of sin. By being born again by the Spirit of God we lose our sin nature
and
regain our divine nature.61
There is no such teaching in Scripture. Rather, it is based upon a theosophical
interpretation of II Peter 1:4 which, properly understood, tells us
no more than
that the believer in Jesus Christ is a partaker of the divine nature
through the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit. But it is the divine nature of the Holy
Spirit,
not ourselves, to which Peter was referring.
The quality of divinity belongs exclusively to God, the Creator of the
heavens
and the earth. As the Word of God incarnate, Jesus is divine, as is
the Holy
Spirit through whom God accomplishes His purposes. The First Commandment
of God
is, "I am the Lord thy God....Thou shalt have no other gods before
me" (Exodus
20:2-3). Some may beg the question by stating that the word "before"
qualifies
the statement to mean only that Jehovah is the God who must come first.
But the
historically accepted meaning from the context is that we are to have
no other
gods in His presence: none are to be before His face.
Yet many Christians today have bought the lie that they themselves are
gods, and
perfectly legitimate ones at that, whereas God has stated that there
are no
other gods besides Himself (Deuteronomy 4:35). Therefore, whenever
the
Scriptures speak of other gods, they are speaking of false gods: demons,
idols
or men (Christian or non-Christian) who attempt to usurp the rightful
position
of Jehovah.
The Virgin Birth
The various schools of theosophy generally deny the doctrine of the
Virgin Birth
of Jesus. However, in an attempt to spiritualize what the Scriptures
plainly
state as applicable to the physical - i.e., that Jesus was born of
a virgin
woman by the power of the Holy Spirit - there are those who might say
they
accept the idea of the virgin birth. But their affirmation would be
qualified
within their minds in the following manner:
"...[Jesus' virgin birth] was originally a highly mystical and philosophical
teaching, which became in time a theologic dogma and legend....It is
a mystical
or symbolic tenet referring to the birth of the Christ in man from
the
virgin-part of one's being, i.e., from the spiritual or highest portions
of
man's constitution. It also has a cosmical significance - the Virgin-Mother
of
Space giving birth through the Child, the Cosmic Logos, to her multitudes
of
children of various kinds. There are thus two aspects of this mystical
or
symbolical doctrine: there is, first, the Cosmical Virgin, and, second,
there is
the mystical 'virgin-birth' of an initiate. An initiate is one 'reborn,'
or, as
the saying goes, 'born a second time.' He is not born of course in
initiation
from a physical father and mother, for his body is born in the usual
manner, but
in initiation, the 'new man,' the inner man, the Christ-man, is born
'from
himself' because of his bringing out or unfolding into active manifestation
the
divinity within him and over-enlightening him; and his 'Virgin-Mother'
is that
part of himself which is the root of his being, the spiritual soul
in its
spotless and unstained purity. From the Virgin or Spiritual Soul is
born the
human Christ or the human Buddha, without admixture of extrinsic elements
of any
kind, and without other means than the man's own yearnings and strivings
to
become the god within himself.
"The Christian Church has interpreted these very mystical doctrines
physically
and thus has largely lost the far nobler and really profound symbolic
sense...."62
Such esoteric interpretations of Scripture are difficult to recognize
without
careful scrutiny. One may say he believes in the virgin birth of Christ,
but
hold an entirely different view from that of Christianity - in this
case
applying an occult analogy to the Scriptures.
This ploy of esoteric religion is becoming increasingly evident in some
circles
of Christianity, most notably among charismatics. The current penchant
of some
teachers to cloud the simple truth of the Gospel with teachings that
impress the
unlearned with man's wisdom is evidence of a new Gnosticism based on
salvation
through knowledge springing up in our midst. Paul warned of such in
II
Corinthians 11:3: "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled
Eve
through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity
that
is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we
have not
preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received,
or
another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear [agree]
with
him."
In light of today's deceptions, we would be wise to see that the meanings
applied by teachers to the doctrines of the Church are clearly stated,
and
backed up by the whole of Scripture.
Atonement
As in many other Christian doctrines, Jesus' death as atonement for
sin is given
an entirely different meaning by esotericists from that stated in Scripture.
As
Christians we believe that Jesus' blood is the element that cleanses
us from
sin, provided we come to God in faith and allow Him to apply that blood
to our
own lives. As God incarnate and sinless - the only begotten Son of
God - only
Jesus could pay the price for our sins. No one else's suffering and/or
death as
a vicarious sacrifice has any merit with God. The esotericist, however,
holds a
different view:
"If a man loves another greatly, can he not save his friend from future
sorrow
by taking upon himself his friend's karman [consequences of actions
destined to
follow from reincarnation to reincarnation]? The question is purely
academic in
a way, because when the last word is said, the karman of the friend
is the
friend himself, and therefore the answer in general is comprised of
an emphatic
negative; nevertheless, there is a possibility, not indeed of taking
upon
oneself the friend's karman, but of shouldering by means of a powerful
will and
a high intelligence directed to that end, a certain portion, be it
large or
small, of the consequences which in the normal course of Nature, with
heavy and
perhaps crushing effect, would fall upon the friend. The secret in
such a
situation lies in allying one's own life intimately with the life of
the one
whose heavy karman it is thus hoped to aid in carrying or exhausting...
"In those cases where such noble and altruistic action be taken for
the benefit
of all that lives or for the results which it is hoped will benefit
a large
portion of mankind, it is a Buddha-like thing to do, it is a Christ-like
thing."63
The esoteric view of atonement does make room for Jesus' sacrifice for
mankind,
but only to a point. Any person whose motives are pure can take upon
himself the
consequences of the sins of another through altruistic acts of piety
and
self-denial. So the theosophist and other esotericists can say they
accept
Jesus' death on the cross as atonement for "sin," but their doctrine
is faulty,
and Christians who lack understanding of this fact can be misled into
thinking
they are on the same spiritual level. The efficacious sacrifice of
Jesus which
provides for the taking away of sins for all who come to Him by faith
is
actually denied by all schools of esotericism:
"This doctrine of vicarious substitution, both in form and spirit, is
diametrically opposed to the positive teachings of Jesus, which makes
righteousness itself salvation, obedience to the righteous law of God
in the
doing of the Father's will in the personal and social life....
"These authoritative words of the Christ, with the whole Sermon on the
Mount,
from which they are taken, and the full tenor of all his teaching most
unmistakably emphasize the 'doing' of the Father's will, and unity
with him in a
righteous life, as the only salvation possible or desirable for mankind,
while
not a precept or parable of his can be brought to sustain in the slightest
degree this doctrine of substitution; as though it were possible for
the
absolute justice and goodness of the All-Father to demand or accept
the
punishment of the innocent for the guilty, or could impute the righteousness
of
the sinless to the sinner, or accept any as righteous who are not really
so. But
as righteousness of life is secured only through personal obedience
to the law
of right, no man can become righteous before God, except by his own
act of
obedience. If this were possible in the economy of God, then the very
idea of
justice would be a delusion and a sham, and the thought and talk of
a changeless
moral order a pitiable and unmeaning farce.
"Surely salvation from sin in this life, by lifting man above the power
of
temptation, as promised by the Christ, and exemplified in his own life,
would
prevent all consequences of sin in this world or any other. And this
is the only
salvation worthy of the name.
"How is this to be accomplished but by the perfection of human life
itself,
through the unfolding and bringing forth of the divine or spiritual
nature in
that life."64
Through the clever manipulation of the word 'atonement,' esotericists
have
devised the doctrine of "at-one-ment," which states in effect that
once a person
has attained mastery over his physical nature he becomes "at-one with
the
Divine," and may exercise mental influence over the physical realm
for the
effecting of healing and other manifestations of psychic power:
"The casting out of devils and reforming the vicious, the reclaiming
of
drunkards and restoration of the insane to soberness and reason, giving
strength
to the weak and courage to the lowly and disheartened, and working
"not after
the law of a carnal commandment but after the power of an endless life,"
for the
universal emancipation, enlightenment and uplifting of mankind, become
the easy
and true work of life.
"Man then becomes one in spirit and purpose with the divine, and is
led,
governed and crowned with wisdom, sympathy and power. It is the Christ
or
God-anointed life; the true at-one-ment of man with God, the human
with the
Divine, Christianity as Christ taught and lived it."65
"...when man has thus learned to specifically direct the force of life
in the
control of the elements in his own organism, he may then accumulate
power within
himself to master and control the elements and forces of the world
outside
himself; but as this is to be acquired through cooperation with divine
power, he
can attain absolute control over himself and that which is below only
by first
becoming at-one with the Divine, which is within and above him."66
This esoteric view of "at-one-ment" - coming into the expression of
godhood in
order to control the elements of nature - is a major tenet of mind
science.
Though expressed in different terms, it has crept into the Church through
the
Positive Confession teachings which declare that man is a god, and
"faith is a
force" that God used to create the universe, and that anyone can use
for his own
purposes.67
The Resurrection
The Resurrection of Jesus following His death as sacrifice for our sins
is a
primary focus of the Christian faith. For if He had not been resurrected
we
would still be lost in our sins (I Corinthians 15:12-26).
The esotericist does not believe in resurrection, but in reincarnation
- the
evolutionary process by which souls are allegedly perfected by working
out their
karmic consequences from one lifetime to another. Yet the term "resurrection"
does find its way into esoteric philosophy, specifically in relation
to
reincarnation, and its use can be misleading:
"No sane man, it is to be supposed, today can or does believe that the
physical
body, as regards its physical elements - or rather when once its elements
have
been returned to earth - shall be gathered together again into one
component and
perfect whole at some future period which Christians call the Judgment
Day; when
the 'last trump' shall be sounded, according to the quaint imagery
of older
times....Yet back of this idea of the 'resurrection of the body' there
actually
is a most beautiful truth or fact of Nature. This truth may be expressed
in two
forms; or, as the mathematicians say, it is expressible in both a general
and in
a special case.
"This special case involves a mystery - a teaching of the ancient Mysteries;
but
hinted at, it might be phrased thus: When a man has received his final
degree of
initiation he is said to be 'raised' to Masterhood in the same physical
body.
This point need not be elaborated further here.
"The general case, however, is to be explained by the reassembling of
the
life-atoms in the manner described in preceding paragraphs. These life-atoms
are
man's own offspring, at least most of those which build man's constitution
are;
inbuilt into his body during the physical life which he leads on Earth,
although
they are not derivative from outside but spring forth from within himself.
Therefore they are psycho-magnetically attracted back to the Reimbodying
Ego on
its return journey to the new earth-life, and the Reimbodying Ego can
no more
avoid or escape receiving these life-atoms again into itself than it
can avoid
or escape being itself. To it they are again drawn because out from
it they
formerly went. They too, these life-atoms, during the Reimbodying Ego's
term of
devachanic rest and peace, have had their own wonderful adventures
- adventures
in the different spheres and on the different planes of the seven globes
of the
planetary chain; and thus when the 'descending' individual or Reimbodying
Ego
reaches the grades of our physical plane, and the baby-body is finally
born, its
growth thereafter is assured by and through and because of the aforesaid
magnetic attractions and repulsions, and by the body's receiving into
it and
expulsion from it of these its former life-atoms. These are continuously
attracted to and built into the physical body, as it passes from babyhood
into
childhood into youth, and from youth into manhood - the very life-atoms
which
had made the Reimbodying Ego's physical body on Earth in the last earth-life.
Thus it is that the body of the former earth-life is resurrected -
is
'arisen.'"68
This fanciful account of reincarnation has no basis for proof and is
in direct
opposition to God's Word: "It is appointed unto men once to die, but
after this
the judgment: For Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many;
and unto
them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin
unto
salvation" (Hebrews 9:27-28).
Jesus died only once; and we will die only once. There is no reincarnation
by
which we may eventually attain spiritual perfection through works of
our
righteousness. It is only the precious blood of Jesus that cleanses
us from sin
and provides for our salvation if we trust in Him by faith.
The Second Coming
On April 25, 1982, many were surprised by the appearance of full-page
ads in
some twenty major newspapers worldwide, proclaiming that "THE CHRIST
IS NOW
HERE."69 These ads, placed by a New Age organization known as Tara
Center,
declared that the Christ had come to lead mankind into an era of peace
and
brotherhood. The Christ, according to these ads, is Lord Maitreya,
an Ascended
Master whose message of hope was, and still is, conveyed by an Englishman
named
Benjamin Creme (Krehm). Creme contends that Maitreya had embodied himself
somewhere in the Himalayas, and is currently living in London awaiting
the
opportune moment to emerge and be recognized by the population of the
world as
the Christ for the New Age.70
Maitreya is said to be the embodiment of the aspirations of the world's
major
religions. According to the newspaper ads, "He is known to Christians
as 'the
Christ,' to Hindus as 'Krishna,' to Jews as 'the Messiah,' to Moslems
as 'Imam
Mahdi,' and to Buddhists as 'the fifth Buddha.'" The Christ for the
New Age is
not Jesus. Jesus, it seems, has been reincarnated and will stand with
Lord
Maitreya to convince Christians that they, along with the rest of humanity,
must
follow their new spiritual leader.71
While Maitreya waits in the wings for the consciousness of humanity
to be
sufficiently raised to make us worthy to receive him, the resultant
media
exposure has fanned an interest among many who are expectantly awaiting
a "man
of peace" to come along and solve the world's ills.
Creme claims that the emergence of Maitreya as "the Christ" will be
validated by
demonstrations of miracles, signs, and wonders.72 In Matthew 24:24
Jesus warned
of such demonstrations of power by God's enemies: "For there shall
arise false
Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders;
insomuch
that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."
Whether or not Maitreya really exists no one can say at this time, but
we can
learn from this that when the esotericist speaks of the Second Coming,
it is
certain that he is not speaking of Jesus' Second Coming. He is speaking
of the
coming of "the Christ" for the New Age. According to Creme and other
New Agers,
Jesus was the Christ for the age of Pisces, and Maitreya is the Christ
for our
age, the age of Aquarius.73 This is to be the "Golden Age" of utopian
bliss to
begin around the turn of the century. It is the New Agers' version
of the
millennium - the Kingdom Age - run by men who have attained godhood.
Since the office of "Christ" is not considered by esotericists to be
exclusive
to Jesus, they do not affirm 'His' Second Coming. Rather, they make
mention of
the "Coming of Christ," or even "Second Coming of Christ." This is
because they
separate the "Christ 'principle'" from the 'person' of Jesus, and apply
it to
all men.
In the broad sense, therefore, they teach that the "Second Coming" of
"Christ"
will take place through the raising of humanity's consciousness to
the point
where a significant number will believe that 'they' are the embodiment
of the
Second Coming. Then the world will be prepared to receive the "Christ"
who will
lead the nations into the New Age of peace and brotherhood. The central
figure
of the "Spiritual Hierarchy" (the "Ascended Masters") will represent
the full
manifestation of the office of Christ for that age.
In Dominion Theology, this teaching has a parallel which states that
the Church
is the "ongoing incarnation" of God. Yes, Jesus is Christ, but so is
the Church
as the body of Christ. Therefore, the Church is Christ.74
An Esoteric 'Statement of Faith'
A clear definition of terms is essential for a proper understanding
of the
theological stance of those who teach us. Though holding erroneous
interpretations of any or all the doctrines represented, one may make
a
declaration of faith like this: "I believe that Jesus is the Son of
God, true
God and true man, God incarnate, virgin born, that His death was an
atonement
for my sins, that he has been resurrected, and that Christ is coming
again." And
on the basis of this confession, that person may gain the confidence
of
Christians to fill their minds with other teachings that will sway
them from the
truth essential to their salvation. The teachers with which we deal
in this
study might not be theosophists on these important points of doctrine,
but there
is sufficient evidence to suggest that they have been infected by esoteric
philosophies, possibly by having been exposed to wolves in sheep's
clothing
themselves.
The various schools of theosophy that grew out of the Gnostic traditions
and
other apostate "Christian" sects have found their way into the Christian
media,
greatly diluting the strength of the true Gospel and polluting the
thinking of
many in the Church. Some
Christians, perceiving themselves spiritually-minded, have fallen for
the lie
that they can become gods. But this is not spiritual-mindedness; it
is
carnal-mindedness, demonstrating a lack of understanding of the basic
premise
upon which the battle between God and Satan rages.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HERESY
Scripture chronicles man's attempts at godhood: the rebelliousness that
led to
the flood and the tower of Babel, and the sorcery and witchcraft that
dominated
not only pagan cultures, but God's chosen people Israel. Jewish Kabbalism,
thought by some to be a phenomenon of the Middle Ages, is really a
blending of
apostate Judaism with the Egyptian mystery religion learned while in
captivity.
The resultant paganism of Israel was the source of revolt against God's
prophets. When the Church was established, the same spirit of rebellion
was
immediately at work to destroy the simplicity and purity of the Gospel.
Heretics
led many away from the truth into errors which either demeaned the
person of
Christ or exalted the position of the believer - or both.
During the Church's early years the Gnostic "gospels" and Essene teachings
mixed
the ancient mystery traditions with Christian teaching, and provided
esoteric
interpretations of Scripture that remain with us today.
One of the earliest heresies declared that the resurrection of the saints
had
already taken place. Paul wrote to Timothy that this teaching was overthrowing
the faith of some (II Timothy 2:18). Consider that, if the resurrection
had
already occurred, then there was no hope that Jesus would return to
establish
His Kingdom on earth. It follows, therefore, that that task would have
to fall
to the Church. This was essentially the first postmillenial teaching.
Kingdom Now proponents are correct in stating that postmillenialism
is a
teaching as old as the Church. But that doesn't make it a true doctrine.
It was
just one heresy among many that found acceptance among some in the
early Church.
The age of a teaching is not a criterion for its truth. Only its conformity
to
the strict and clear Word of God validates it.
The Roman Catholic Church is an example of one of the earliest attempts
within
the Church to establish the Kingdom of God on earth by human effort.
With the
Reformation came not only freedom for many from the bondage of Rome,
but there
also arose attempts by some radical sects to establish themselves as
the "only
true Church," destined to overcome sin and usher in the Kingdom.
The history of the Church, though obscure in many areas regarding its
early
stages, demonstrates how religious men, not content with God's rule
over them,
dissatisfied that they may die before the Kingdom of God was manifested
on
earth, chose to believe the lie that they could become immortal and
establish
the Kingdom themselves. This dissatisfaction continues among today's
Dominion
proponents. I suspect that such are really afraid of death. Lacking
the faith
necessary to trust God, they wish to work their way to immortality
rather than
pass through the valley of the shadow of death.
Recent history has seen the rise of certain cults out of Christianity
which
purport to teach the true "gospel of the Kingdom": Mormonism, Jehovah's
Witnesses, Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church (Moonies), the late
Herbert W.
Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God (not to be confused with The Church
of God),
and other, lesser-known groups, are seeking to establish themselves
as the only
true Church, destined to reign over earth's governments and people.
A premise upon which some build their case is that there are two gospels:
the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Gospel of the Kingdom. They maintain
that no one
has preached the Gospel of the Kingdom before they themselves came
on the scene
to proclaim that their church (not Jesus) will usher in the Kingdom
of God.
Paul tells us there is only one Gospel, and he delineates it in I Corinthians
1:5. The entire chapter is a retelling of the complete Gospel through
the Second
Coming of Jesus. Nowhere does Paul separate the Gospel of Christ from
the Gospel
of the Kingdom. Nor does he indicate that the church will institute
the Kingdom
of God on earth before Jesus returns.
The teachings with which we deal in this study are, therefore, not new,
but
centuries old, most traceable to certain groups that sprang from the
Radical
Reformation as opposed to the Reformation proper; some go further back
to
primitive Christianity's early heretical groups, and even to the dawn
of man's
history.
All these teachings reside in man's prideful refusal to accept his station
in
life in humble obedience to his Creator.
Yes, those who remain true to Christ will one day be glorified; we will
be
exalted to rule with Him. But if we will be glorified - if we will
be exalted -
let God glorify us; let Him exalt us. We must glorify and exalt only
Him.
And if we are to boast in anything, let it not be in our 'position'
in Christ,
but in Christ himself.
TODAY'S MOVEMENTS
There are many ways by which men within the Church are attempting to
establish
the Kingdom of God on earth. They are not always in agreement on the
methods to
attain that end; nor are they necessarily in agreement as to the philosophical
direction that should be taken to accomplish their purpose. One area
in which
most if not all are in agreement is that the Church must be united
in a dominion
mindset.
Of a certainty, some branches of the Kingdom Now Movement are more militant
in
their stance, and/or more zealous in the propagation of their particular
brand
of Dominion Theology. As we outline the more prominent of these movements
we'll
see how they work together, often without conscious collaboration,
to establish
the dominion mindset within the Church. Some have even attained cult
status
among many Christians. Whether one ascribes to the radical element
or the
passive, or rests somewhere between the two, is not as important as
the overall
threat to the Church that these movements present through their aberrant
teachings.
Yet in spite of these dangers, I'm convinced that there are many true
and
sincere Christians who have become involved in these movements because
they are
fed up with the increase of the sinful actions and perverse attitudes
of
society. They long for a world with a more sane and moral social structure,
and
are easily led to believe that if Christians can only take control,
God's
righteousness will reign on earth. How His righteousness will be implemented
-
whether by legislation, coercion, example, or by a miraculous move
of the Holy
Spirit upon the hearts of all men - is not fully agreed upon even among
the
leaders in the Kingdom Now movements.
Nevertheless, close scrutiny reveals that all hold certain elements
in common,
making it difficult to discern one from the other. For example, some
Manifested
Sons of God teachings are indistinguishable from some of the teachings
of
Restorationism.
We are more concerned, therefore, with the teachings themselves and
the men who
promote them, than we are with the movements, which are little more
than a
networking of various individuals and groups. Yet it is important to
this study
that we briefly outline these movements and deal with some of their
peculiarities.
Identity
The Identity Movement teaches that the Anglo-Saxon race and their kin
(Scandinavians, Irish, Welsh, Scottish, etc.) are the "lost tribes"
of Israel,
who are destined as God's chosen people to rule the world. The full
name of
Identity is "Anglo-Israel-Identity Movement."75
It is believed that, as God's chosen people whose king (or queen) sits
on the
throne of David (the British throne), and whose lineage can be traced
back
through the Jewish patriarchs to Adam, the Anglo-Saxon race has special
favor
with God.76
"Israel-America" (comprised of Anglo and related descendants in the
United
States)77 has a special anointing.
The nation of Israel that exists today in the Middle East is considered
a
pretender to the name of Israel, being allegedly comprised of certain
Asian
peoples known as "Kazars." Thus any biblical references to God's prophesied
dealings with Israel in the last days are believed to have been fulfilled.
Daniel's seventieth week has come and gone, as has anti-Christ, and
now we must
look forward to the establishment of Yahweh's Kingdom on earth. This
is to be
administered through the Anglo-Saxon Christians who have come to recognize
their
unique destiny.
Though Identity is overtly anti-Semitic, its proponents claim that those
who are
against them are the true anti-Semites. But there is a deeper reason
for the
anti-Israel stance taken not only by Identity, but by other dominion-oriented
movements.
Should national Israel remain established, the belief that God is going
to save
a remnant of Jews to be a witness for Jesus in the last days would
be validated.
Hence, the Church will have to be taken out of the world before Jesus
sets His
feet upon the earth, and before God's wrath is poured out upon rebellious
mankind (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Revelation 6 & 7). If this is true,
then the
dominion theory falls apart: the Kingdom of God will not be established
on earth
until Jesus returns with His saints to destroy the anti-Christ's kingdom.
While
we who are outside the Kingdom Now Movement understand that Jews, like
all men,
are lost until they come by faith to recognize Jesus as their Messiah,
we also
recognize that the nation of Israel does have a purpose in God's plans
for the
last days.
Identity's hatred is not limited to Jews, however. Blacks and other
non-whites
are looked upon as inferior beings who may be allowed to enjoy the
benefits of
the kingdom as long as they remain subject to their Anglo-Saxon superiors.
They
cannot hold positions of significant authority, however, because the
promises to
Israel belong only to the "true" Israelites: the Anglo-Saxon believers.
The snag in Identity's plans for America is the tremendous influx of
non-white
immigrants whom they see as parasitical and detrimental to the establishment
of
God's white-dominated world government. The fewer non-whites that are
left to
enter the Kingdom, the better, as far as Identity is concerned.
As a side note, there is a black counter to Identity known as the Yahweh
sect.
This cult believes that American blacks are the true descendants of
the biblical
tribe of Judah, living in the land of the "white devil."78 Maybe the
black
Yahweh sect and white Identity are both right. Perhaps they're related
and don't
know it.
In view of Identity's racial policy, it isn't surprising that radical
racist
groups such as the neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan have joined.79 For
all their
error and their attacks against non-whites, these groups are zealously
moralistic (by their convoluted standards). Although Identity's members
consider
themselves Christians their ideology is more akin to salvation by race
than
salvation by grace. They welcome Aryan pagans into fellowship while
mounting
hate campaigns against Christian Jews, blacks, and other non-whites.
This isn't to say that all Identity People are overtly racist, but their
philosophy reflects a dangerous mindset that threatens to exacerbate
an already
tense situation between races. Their para-militarism and rebellion
against
constituted authority combine to create a volatile situation that could
someday
erupt into fullscale racial warfare.
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