Clarifying Our Definition Of "Counterfeit"By Fred HandschumacherI am fully aware of the controversial and divisive nature of our articles on spiritual counterfeits. Therefore, I want to clarify some things before we start to keep the reader from misunderstanding our position. Several places on this website I use the term "counterfeit" to describe popular teaching that displaces the Bible's original intention in favor of modernistic doctrine or an agenda that protects and preserves the existence of religious organizations and personal ministries at the expense of truth. Most Christians and some leaders are completely unaware that an unbiblical agenda operates in the church world. In some places I compare counterfeit Christianity with counterfeit money because both are "look-alikes". This comparison allows most people to understand the seriousness of the teaching. However, I'm aware that my analogy is not perfect. On the topic of money, counterfeits are look-alikes and worthless when their true identity is discovered. This is not true when talking about spiritual counterfeits. Church organizations and personal ministries that may be mostly right on the subject of obtaining eternal life, yet mostly wrong on what Christ’s salvation provides the believer still accomplish great things of eternal value. While I understand that the obtaining of eternal life is the most important issue, lack of proper spiritual equipment (or the wrong equipment) and a denial of the provisions of Christ is as lethal and irresponsible as sending a soldier into battle without weapons. In the military--any commanding officer who sends his troops into battle without equipment and weapons would be courtmartialed. Yet, in the modern church we ignore similar crimes in the name of "unity". Christian apologists avoid the term “counterfeit” and use the word "aberrant" to describe skewed doctrine. The word "aberrant" may be a more accurate term. Yet, some apologists tend to define doctrine down to the lowest level where most can agree. This "defining down" preserves the minimum requirements for eternal life and a "unity" among Christians, but sacrifices the richness of the provisions found in the full Gospel of Jesus Christ because they cause division and disunity. The Bible clearly teaches that truth always divides. Yet, the divisiveness of truth is avoided like the plague in most of the modern church. My first observation is that Jesus did not treat the truth in this manner during his ministry, which is one reason he was sentenced to Roman crucifixion. He refused to sacrifice truth to gain agreement with the religious establishment. The "Holy Grail" of the modern church is "unity" and it's justified by the following argument: Division tears down the church and destroys credibility...in order to reach the world for God we must lay aside our differences and join together. Yet, the unintended consequences of this religious "prime directive" does far more damage. I'm speaking of the perversion of the Gospel. Perverting or distorting the Gospel is far worse because it carries eternal consequences. The Bible teaches us to embrace unity when it doesn't compromise truth. Yet, When faced with the difficult choice between unity and truth, Jesus always chose the divisiveness of truth. I purposely use the word "counterfeit" to illustrate look-alike characteristics. Yet, my choice of words are not meant to imply that any church organization is worthless or disqualified (as in counterfeit money). No one that preaches eternal life through Christ falls into that category! And, most of us who are Christians received their start in a church organization that maybe didn't have all the right doctrine. But, like never before, there are dangerous and misleading beliefs in many church organizations that preach about eternal life...and that's what we seek to address. I recognize there are exceptions and gray areas. Yet, I consider anyone who distorts the gospel, cuts out and explains away crucial provisions of salvation and redefines things that God calls "a curse" into a blessing deserves the label of counterfeit. No amount of explanation can stop people from getting mad. Yet, our desire is not to generate anger to be controversial. In these "last days" all Christians should exercise spiritual discernment on everything they hear using God's Word as the standard. The theology and seminary training of church leadership and the trust people place in denominations and cherished institutions neither eliminates the danger or removes the responsibility for spiritual discernment--the need actually increases in these areas. |