Project Jude

Recently, while listening to a Way of the Master podcast from Sept. 16, 2007, I heard Doug Pagitt say that Dr. John MacArthur's gospel is "a perversion". I was shocked. Pagitt, a leader of the heretical Emergent Church movement, obviously has his own gospel. Calling the biblical gospel that MacArthur has preached for 40 years "a perversion," Pagitt blasphemes Christ. (For an insightful view of the Emergent Church movement, see Bob DeWaay's article, Emergent Delusion.)

With much prayer before, during, and after, I wrote Doug Pagitt an email in response to his remark. I thought the email would be deleted before it ever reached Pagitt. I never expected a reply. Still, I prayed that someone would read it, realize their sin is against holy God, repent, and put their faith and trust in Christ as their Lord and Savior. Pagitt never replied. Instead, he posted my email on his blog and asked his readers to help him decided how to respond to it.

Here is Pagitt's lead-in to his presentation of my email:

Looking for a little help on how to respond

So, every once in a while I get an email that for some reason gets to me. I probably shouldn't say this it may only bring more on. I am thinking it has something to do with the particular timing of the email more than the content.

Now, most of the time I just let them slide by and delete them, but there are times where I feel like I am in that Happy Days episode where Fonzie is trying not to be violent and Richie is helping him, until he finally says "get em Fonz". I feel like I am at one of those "get em" moments on this one.

So, I am choosing to post this here and seek a little advise for what to do.

1. I could ignore it.
2. I could respond thoughtful response
3. change and join her
4. Feel empathy for her and pray
5. "get em"
   

Perhaps you have other options for me.


Following is the email that put Pagitt into the unchristian "get 'em" mode. I ask that you turn to Scripture, as Pagitt obviously didn't do, and see if the email is Bible-based or not:

Dear Mr. Pagitt,

Please stop calling yourself and your church "Christian."

I've just heard your scathing insult of Dr. John MacArthur, where you accuse him of having "perverted" the gospel. This accusation is proof enough that you neither hold to the basic tenets of the Christian faith nor understand them.

For the sake of eternity - yours and those you guide - study the Reformers - those men and women who endured torture and gave their lives, not to change Christianity in order to make it more palatable, but to bring the faith back to the Bible, back to biblical Christianity, and away from the traditions of men. If you stray too far from their doctrines and confessions and all else you seem to hate, then you are so far from the teachings of Christ as to not merit calling yourself His true follower. Please stop broadcasting emergent falsehoods.

The following sites will be helpful:

www.gty.org

www.desiringgod.org

www.monergism.org

www.livingwaters.com

www.wretchedradio.com

This is a test. This is only a test. For the next 60 seconds, this Christian will conduct a test of the Emergent Broadcast System. Have you ever told a lie or distorted the truth? Lusted after a woman not your wife? Christ calls that adultery of the heart. Taken anything that didn't belong to you - even a pen, a paper clip, too much change back, or downloaded music without paying for it? Ever hated someone or been unjustly angry with them - like for cutting you off on the freeway or sending you a rebuke via email? Christ calls that murder in the heart. Face it: You're a lying, thieving, adulterous murderer at heart. On Judgment Day, you will stand before holy God, guilty of breaking His Laws many, many times over. Your sentence is Hell. Forever. What you believe makes no difference; God's Law overrules human belief. But there is hope. God came to earth in human form as Jesus Christ, lived a perfect life, never sinning, was beaten and crucified, died on the cross, was buried, and raised Himself to life again, all so that those who repent of their sin, ask forgiveness, and put their faith and trust in Him as their Lord and Savior will one day be raised from the dead to life with Him. Those who turn their backs on Him, who do not take Him at His word, as presented clearly in the Bible, will also be raised - raised to be sentenced to eternity in Hell. Like it or not, believe it or not, it will happen.

Muse over your sin. Know you've sinned against a perfectly holy God. If you are broken over it, repent, ask forgiveness, and put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. If not, please stop calling yourself a Christian - you and the Emergent movement have failed the test.

Grace and peace,

Amanda (Last name removed)

Blacks didn't choose slavery.
Jews didn't choose genocide.
Babies don't choose abortion.


What part of the email angered Pagitt? Was it the biblical injunction to repent and put his faith and trust in Christ? Was it reminding him that by calling the gospel "perverted" he is not Christian? Was it because I take the Bible at its word, without mangling its meaning beyond recognition? Perhaps it is because, as 1 Cor 1:18 says, "...the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." Your guess is as good as mine.

The email is followed by 127 comments. You can read those here.

The comments are divided into two camps: the Emergents, identified by their defensive, often barbed and knee-jerk emotional responses, were one camp. In the other are the often well-thought-out, Bible-based replies of Christ's true disciples. The former tend to be devoid of any sign of true conversion. The latter (with Ephesians 2:1-10 and similar passages in mind) generally urge Pagitt and his followers to repent and put their faith and trust in Christ, thereby being saved by God's grace from His wrath and their sin. (And this the Emergents call "hatred." Read what Spurgeon calls it in his sermon, the Law and Grace.)

Are you, Reader, angered by the heresy and the blasphemy of people like Doug Pagitt? Are you sick of people like Pagitt and the rest of the Emergents masquerading as Christians? Then don't sit there, do something! Pray for Doug Pagitt and his Emergent Church, as well as all the others caught up in this current trap of post-modernism. They are on the road to perdition, and will there reap the just consequences of their sin.

Eternity in Hell: Would you really wish that on anyone?

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Posted by Project Jude at 5:39 AM