Comments on: Stop Me Before I Turn Into A.W. Pink

By: TJinFL

TJinFL — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:14:22 +0000

Just a general comment or two having read the comments so far.
First my religious background. For many years I just ignored religion altogether seeking the American dream. Then I spent about 8 years of my life in which I embraced Yoga, Eastern religions, and the New Age Movement. Then I was radically born again into a believer. I say radically because by the standards of the average protestant church today it would seem a new convert shows no evidence of a new creature (2 Cor 5:17) or the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9). Where what was normal evidence of being converted in Acts is now refered to as being baptized in the Holy Spirit intended only for religious zealots. Initially I attended a Charasmatic church which I was quite comfortable with until I began reading the Bible and noticing that what was being preached or taught didn’t agree with scripture. I was especially concerned about how one is truly saved. So believing that salvation was not something to be taken lightly I began studying scripture for assurance of salvation. Finally I left the Charasmatic church for First Assembly of God. Through all this I was basically Armenian, but now I have become a Calvanist because for me the scriptures only make sense from a Calvanistic standpoint. Needless to say I am not very thrilled by the theology of First Assembly.
There is much talk here on this blog about fellowshiping with the “brothers and sisters”. In Jesus’ day the church was the Synagogue and the denominations were Saducees and Pharisees. I don’t see him being very kind to their theology, loving them, or encouraging his disciples to fellowship with them. Beware of the leaven of the Pharasees. Woe unto you, ye blind guides.
I have learned a lot from listening to Paul Washer sermons. I believe the real question that needs to be asked here is who are our “brothers and sisters”? Of course only God truly knows, but we are given many scriptural references on how to identify them. The key is are they truly born again (regenerated or converted) and as a result the Holy Spirit resides in them. The modern churches have taken the doctrine of salvation and changed it from a sovereign act of God’s will which is a true miracle on par with the creation of the world (where God takes a totally depraved man and creates a new creature that is restored in relationship to God even filled with the Holy Spirit) into an act of easy believism by preaching a seeker friendly (no preaching on the total depravity of man, wrath, hell, repentance, etc.) gospel. People are saved by walking the ailse and saying the sinner’s prayer. It is all an intellectual process. They know God intellectually, but do they truly “know” him as in Mat. 7:21-23? Another problem, is the God they know the product of their minds or the one described in the Bible? Through this false seeker friendly gospel, the churches have become filled with false converts who now seem to be the majority in these churches even including pastors, deacons, sunday school teachers, and so on? So are we to fellowship with these “carnal” Christians or not? I don’t think so. Could it be that not many are saved? Luk 13:23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. The real issue is not Calvinism, it is regeneration. Are these churches really filled with believers? The Bible says you will know a believer by his fruit. So what kind of fruit are they displaying? The church is not the occupants of the First Assembly building on Sunday morning at 11AM, but God’s elect those who are the true believers.
I believe that as it has been about 500 years since the reformation that the protestant chuch has gone the way of the early church. Just like the religious organization in Israel in Jesus’ days (Jewish synagogues) and the early church which became the Catholic (universal) church, the modern churches theology has taken on the doctrine, traditions and rituals of man (humanism). God’s Sovereignty has given way to man’s free will and humanism. Pragmatism has taken over. Keeping the flock happy. If they are not truly converted they don’t want to pray or read the Bible. So keep them busy doing social works, plays, professional quality praise and worship music and programs, preach and teach the purpose driven church, and creating new false converts. I believe I could find more references to the content of the average sermon of my church in one of Rick Warren’s books than in the Bible. The church I am speaking of is the Laodicean church of Rev. 3:14. The church of the 1600-1900 era is the Philedelphia church. In the 1800-1900s as Arminainism and humanism and pragmatism crept into the church we now have the Laodicean church of today which God says he will spue (throw up) out of his mouth. The occasional good church would be Philedelphian remnants.
If you are a true believer don’t think you are going to change these people. They will wear you down. Their primary agenda will be to compromise your faith and especially your beliefs (doctrine). When a false convert is created by the new church growth and easy believism evangelical techniques it becomes almost impossible to get them truly saved. Fortunately with God all things are possible. And there is nothing a false converts hates worse than God’s sovereignty except possibly the presence of a holy, righteous, humble, meek, longsuffering born again believer speaking forth scripture on God’s sovereignty at the expense of man’s free will. They will respond in similar fashon as the Jews to Stephen in Acts 7.

By: Alvin Gallegos

Alvin Gallegos — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:59:05 +0000

Hi Black Angus,

My post was in regard to this blog with respect to a man who gives no defense for himself. (Mr. Pink)
Mr. Pink dealt with false gospel in about every church he pastored namely dealing with Arminians. If you want to fellowship with those who share another gospel then you well put up with them. Mormons say they “love God” so do you fall under Matthew 23 yourself m8? (unless you count Mormons as His elect? Are you in turn falling under Galations 1:6-9? If you regard me as one who sits in a high place or Pink for that matter then you assume wrongly since Pink rented a house and had no audience that loved the true gospel and for myself I seek no praise from men since Christ had no place to lay His head either. In truth the Gospel that Pink proclaimed was hated and in todays “churches” his gospel would be trampled on.
Just maybe the high place is taking fellowship with those who believe in a false gospel. Who knows Spurgeon himself might have agreed with Pink later on and if I remember correctly Spurgeon dealt with the Downgrade Controversy in his day which caused division amongst Baptists.
PRO 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. PRO 14:15 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.

By: Black Angus

Black Angus — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:57:29 +0000

Alvin,
For a moment there I thought you were proving iMonk’s point, giving us an example of someone who is so angry at other Christians for their lack of correct theology you write them off.
But of course you’re being ironic.
Aren’t you?

If not, I can spot the elect just like you can. They are the ones who have taken to heart ‘what His precious Word dictates’: ‘If anyone says, ‘I love God’, yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.’ (1 John 4:20).
If you cannot love your brother even if you disagree with him a question mark hangs over your election. Don’t worry about anyone else’s.

Mate, the kind of talk in your post sounds like you are the one causing division so please be careful lest Matthew 23 applies to you.

By: Alvin Gallegos

Alvin Gallegos — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 03:42:06 +0000

Hi Mike,

Theology is from God with respect to what His precious Word dictates. “Come out from among them them and be ye seperate” are Christ’s words and “what has light have to do with darkness?” The list goes on. Did you see the local church stay fellowshipping with the cults or the Jews? If you want fellowship that bad then just go to a bar and pretend you are sipping wine with Baal? You know the folks whom Christ chose were whom the Father had given Him (nothing more or less)but the Bible also says to “mark” those who cause division among you”! Christ warned the church about a lack of sound doctrine but never said to embrace untruthful fellowship without exposing it. If the false doctrine continues then we are to do an “about face”. Where two or more are gathered there He is in the midst! Two or more of His elect that is!

By: WiseReader » Avoiding “(A.W.) Pink-eye”

WiseReader » Avoiding “(A.W.) Pink-eye” — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:09:26 +0000

[...] posted by Michael Spencer, known in the blogosphere as Internet Monk. Spencer’s article, Stop Me Before I Turn Into A.W. Pink, will challenge every Christian who struggles over finding a church family in which to [...]

By: John Blackman

John Blackman — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:20:51 +0000

IM this was a great article…I plan to keep a link close by for my own nourishment but also for something I can forward to people I know who time to time are also in danger of developing (A.W.) Pink eye.

By: travis williams

travis williams — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 00:48:50 +0000

No manner of double talk can hide, or mask the truth about your feelings towards A.W.pink. often a self righteous persons’ best argument is to point out how much better he handles the faults and flaws he perceives to be the downfall of others…. If A.W.Pink is wrong or in error for what you accuse him then how are you better being nonetheless disengaged even while you are present?

By: Harold J. Chadwick

Harold J. Chadwick — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 22:03:01 +0000

I’ve never read your blog before, and maybe that’s why I’m a bit confused, but why are you picking on Pink?

My grandfather once said, “Never try to prove yourself right by proving someone else wrong,” and it looks as though that’s what you’re trying to do with your criticism of Pink.

It isn’t our outward relation to churches that defines us, it’s our inward relation to Christ — and only Christ and Pink how it was between them. I have a feeling it was quite all right, regardless of those who judge from what they see on the outside.

God bless.

By: "SAM"

"SAM" — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:30:36 +0000

I want to stay in fellowship but can only attend Bible studies because I can no longer deal with the man-made laws (preached from the “bully” pulpit) that are a perversion of the Gospel. I attend Bible studies so I can at least raise questions about the legalism and Scripture-twisting they use to support the false teachings. That takes some mental and verbal gymnastics as well, because I don’t want to divide the Body.
At what point should Truth be more important than fellowship? Shouldn’t there be allowance for discussion based on Biblical meaning? Is it truly fellowship if they hold to “another gospel which is not the gospel”?

By: LaNeisa Jackson

LaNeisa Jackson — Wed, 02 May 2007 16:40:21 +0000

Dear Michael,
I heard mention about AW Pink and Tozer not fellowshipping from an Allistair Begg sermon. Because I could relate and thought I was alone, I began to search for more detail and found your blog. May the Lord bless you and continue to keep you. I do not want to be a Pink, either. You nailed it. …and the greatest of these is love.

Thank you.