The Jesus Seminar

[watchman 2]

A event took place the other day ago in my city. I did not know about it, or I would have been out there protesting and open air preaching against the false teachers that hosted the meeting, and to warn the others that attended it. It seems like there is a multitude of cowardly christians that will not stand against the false teachers, and tragically they will grow, expand, and progress like the cancer that they are.

Many Christians need to read the following books.

The Truth War
The Jesus You Cant Ignore

Both are the best of the best on the subject of how Jesus dealt with the false teachers and how we should deal with them. 99% of the people I recommend these books will not read them which shows how far the church has become. The church today is just like the world, and sadly many church members may be doomed to burn in the everlasting fire. I have purchased copies of these books to others in "leadership" and they did not read these books as they do not care about fighting false teachers. Many will make some lame excuse like "I just need to read the Bible and thats it." No thats not it! God gave us pastors and teachers for a reason. If you think that you do not need to read books because you have the Bible, then you also do not need to go to church, because you have the Bible.

Pray oh pray for the state of the church today!!!


John

[Amos_with_goats]

John,

I happen to know of The Jesus Seminar...

... many do not. I believe your approach might be more effective if you mention specific precepts they are assaulting or reasons you see them as 'false teachers'.

FWIW, I also see this approach to 'post christian' theology is dangerous. Here is some info on them from CARM;

The Jesus Seminar is a group of around 150 people, including scholars, who meet to discuss the historical Jesus. It was founded in 1985 by the late Robert Funk and John Dominic Crossan. They meet and vote with colored beads to decide which sayings of Jesus are authentic and which are not. They seek to find the "authentic" sayings of Christ.

The groups is liberal that denies Jesus' deity and substitutionary atonement. They also deny the sufficiency of the Bible and consider extra-biblical resources as equally or more valid than New Testament documents.

On edit ....an aside, please consider the last sentence in the quote above, in light of your own posted comment.

If you think that you do not need to read books because you have the Bible, then you also do not need to go to church, because you have the Bible.

[-SEEKING-]

If you think that you do not need to read books because you have the Bible, then you also do not need to go to church, because you have the Bible.

You seriously want to defend and equate any books written by man to the bible? Wow.

Besides, Jesus said to go and make disciples of all nations. He didn't say to go to war with the false teachers. Leave that to Him. He knows what He's doing.

[watchman 2]

You seriously want to defend and equate any books written by man to the bible? Wow.

Besides, Jesus said to go and make disciples of all nations. He didn't say to go to war with the false teachers. Leave that to Him. He knows what He's doing.

I never said that.. All the book does is help you understand the Bible clearer.

No we need to go to war against the false teachers. I think if you read the words of Christ seriously and closely you will see that Jesus spent a great deal of his time rebuking false teachers. Study the book of Revelation closely.

[Firefighter]

Focus on making disciples. Rebuke them when you encounter them. We don't have time to go after them. The Bible is entirely sufficient for rebuking false teachers.

2 Timothy 3:16 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

[watchman 2]

Focus on making disciples. Rebuke them when you encounter them. We don't have time to go after them. The Bible is entirely sufficient for rebuking false teachers.

2 Timothy 3:16 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

I disagree. You need to read the books above and read the strong biblical arguments made in the pages.

[Firefighter]

You disagree that the Bible is sufficient!?!!?

[Diggindeeper]

I offer that if you really find out what is so wrong about them, for example see Amos' post above, and use what you know to be WRONG with them...that will expose them! You see, darkness cannot, CANNOT live once its exposed to the LIGHT! Anything abiding in darkness will DIE when the LIGHT comes in. Its just that way.

EXPOSE them. Other people can't or won't fight against them, until they can understand WHY they need to fight them. That's a fact.

The Jesus Seminar is really bad, bad from start to finish. But people need to know why is is so far off course! After all, it sounds so good, to say, "I'm going to a JESUS Seminar." But, if they can learn what's wrong with those people, they will leave them alone. And one person will tell another, and then more and more people know to avoid them.

Yes, we are supposed to warn people about false teachers. But, you see, many don't know truth from error. And especially if the error SOUNDS holy. And 'The Jesus Seminar' sounds nice, doesn't it? Just let people know what's wrong.

EXPOSE darkness!

[moonglow]

A event took place the other day ago in my city. I did not know about it, or I would have been out there protesting and open air preaching against the false teachers that hosted the meeting, and to warn the others that attended it. It seems like there is a multitude of cowardly christians that will not stand against the false teachers, and tragically they will grow, expand, and progress like the cancer that they are.

Many Christians need to read the following books.

The Truth War
The Jesus You Cant Ignore

Both are the best of the best on the subject of how Jesus dealt with the false teachers and how we should deal with them. 99% of the people I recommend these books will not read them which shows how far the church has become. The church today is just like the world, and sadly many church members may be doomed to burn in the everlasting fire. I have purchased copies of these books to others in "leadership" and they did not read these books as they do not care about fighting false teachers. Many will make some lame excuse like "I just need to read the Bible and thats it." No thats not it! God gave us pastors and teachers for a reason. If you think that you do not need to read books because you have the Bible, then you also do not need to go to church, because you have the Bible.

Pray oh pray for the state of the church today!!!


John

I truly dislike The Jesus Seminar group..talk about remaking Christ into your image... My goodness these people are just terrible. They will deny plain evidence yet accept theories. I was shocked and very unhappy to see this article on CNN's main news page earlier today: John Dominic Crossan's 'blasphemous' portrait of Jesus

The books you are talking about are good for those Christians involved in Christian apologists. So you posted in the right forum. I have read some excellent books on this from a number of different author's. Its very bibical to do these things..its in the bible...always be prepared to give an answer with gentleness and respect about the hope within you..1 Peter 3:15....and as Diggin pointed out to expose those false teachers out there too.

The first book you mentioned is by John MacArthur...I have heard of him. If we don't know what in our faith is being attacked by groups such as these we can't call it out and give the correct answers...found in the bible of course.

God bless

[Br. Barnabas]

If you really want to combat the Jesus Seminar you need to be reading N.T. Wright's big books: The New Testament and the People of God, Jesus and the Victory of God, and The Resurrection of the Son of God. Not books by John MacArthur who does not and will not actually be able to make scholarly and logical points against the Jesus Seminar. Wright who actually went on lecture circuits with Crossan debating against Crossan at every stop is able to make these arguements.

To make good counter points to what the Jesus Seminar says you need to know 2nd Temple Jewish and 1st century Greco-Roman culture and history. The Jesus Seminar is not just looking at the Bible to make their arguements and using John MacArthur is not going to convience any real follower of the Jesus Seminar or one who has heard their arguements to jump ship or come to the light. It is going to take a careful reading of the Bible and a lot of reading from 2nd Temple Jewish and 1st century Greco-Roman culture and history.

[Athanasius]

If you really want to combat the Jesus Seminar you need to be reading N.T. Wright's big books: The New Testament and the People of God, Jesus and the Victory of God, and The Resurrection of the Son of God. Not books by John MacArthur who does not and will not actually be able to make scholarly and logical points against the Jesus Seminar. Wright who actually went on lecture circuits with Crossan debating against Crossan at every stop is able to make these arguements.

To make good counter points to what the Jesus Seminar says you need to know 2nd Temple Jewish and 1st century Greco-Roman culture and history. The Jesus Seminar is not just looking at the Bible to make their arguements and using John MacArthur is not going to convience any real follower of the Jesus Seminar or one who has heard their arguements to jump ship or come to the light. It is going to take a careful reading of the Bible and a lot of reading from 2nd Temple Jewish and 1st century Greco-Roman culture and history.

And most people won't, because Wright's books are ~800 a piece (can't wait for the next in the series!).

[watchman 2]

If you really want to combat the Jesus Seminar you need to be reading N.T. Wright's big books: The New Testament and the People of God, Jesus and the Victory of God, and The Resurrection of the Son of God. Not books by John MacArthur who does not and will not actually be able to make scholarly and logical points against the Jesus Seminar. Wright who actually went on lecture circuits with Crossan debating against Crossan at every stop is able to make these arguements.

To make good counter points to what the Jesus Seminar says you need to know 2nd Temple Jewish and 1st century Greco-Roman culture and history. The Jesus Seminar is not just looking at the Bible to make their arguements and using John MacArthur is not going to convience any real follower of the Jesus Seminar or one who has heard their arguements to jump ship or come to the light. It is going to take a careful reading of the Bible and a lot of reading from 2nd Temple Jewish and 1st century Greco-Roman culture and history.

No way! One does not need to confront error with conversation, but with CONDEMNATION. One cant reason on a intellectual level with such devils, for one needs to openly expose them. This is the premise of the Jesus You Cant Ignore. MacArthur is not writing a graduate level work on Christological in this book. Its a book for the average christian written to fire him or her up for combatting false teachers and false religion.

[watchman 2]

I have a list of books at the seminary library and bookstore in town at Bob Jones University where they have a number of books on the doctrine of Christology. But John MacArthur's work is not a graduate level book. Its a book written to fire people up for combatting false religion.

[RabbiKnife]

False religion does not need to be combatted.

People need to be reconciled to God.

[Br. Barnabas]

I'm with Rabbi here, we don't need to call a crusade on anyone interested in the Jesus Seminar, but to show them the truth. The truth is a lot harder to handle than the false claims of the Jesus Seminar. How many people have actually been converted in the modern era with condemnation?

Also Wright's book can be read by anyone, they are not just for graduate level students, granted that is most of the people that will read those, but he also has all his popular/lay level books that try to say the same thing. But if someone is reading Jesus Seminar material, they can read Wright's big books.