Why Even Call Them Evangelical?

Stefani McDade published an article in Christianity Today on September 9 entitled Top 5 Heresies Among American Evangelicals. The survey the article references was done by Ligonier ministries and can be found here.

The survey produced some odd results. People were labeled evangelicals for the sake of the survey if they agreed to certain basic statements of evangelical orthodoxy. They agreed that the Bible was their highest authority for belief, they believe in encouraging others to trust Christ as Savior, Jesus’ death on the cross is the only remedy for sin, and those who trust Christ alone receive the free gift of salvation.

So far so good. But then as they began to answer survey questions, the denials of core doctrines began flowing like a river.

These are among the denials by professed evangelicals:

• 26% said, “the Bible, like all sacred writings, contains helpful accounts of ancient myths but is not literally true.” This was not just a statement of hermeneutics, but a willingness to say that the Bible has no greater supernatural value than the Koran, Book of Mormon, or other hosts of religious publications.
• More than half surveyed said that Jesus is not the only way to God.
• 73% said that Jesus was created by God.
• 43% denied the deity of Jesus Christ.
• 60% denied the personhood of the Holy Spirit.
• 57% denied that human beings have a sin nature.
• 38% said that religious belief is about personal opinion and not objective truth.

Shockingly, professing evangelicals agree more on most issues of sex and morality than they do basic doctrinal issues.

• 94% said sex outside of marriage is a sin.
• 72% said that the Bible’s condemnation of homosexual behavior applies today.
• 91% agree that abortion is a sin.

To the author’s credit, she characterized these heresies in a negative light. However, the root of the odd responses according to the writer (and supposedly R. C. Sproul) is that “not everyone is a theologian.” Thankfully, she used the appropriate term “heresies.” This survey is about much more than theological ignorance. It is about the theological error and the churches and religious institutions that allow it to perpetuate.

One hundred years ago, the early fundamentalists argued that without adherence to the fundamentals of the faith the essentials of Christianity are lost. Much of professing evangelicalism has lost the essentials of Christianity. While they would affirm some sort of existential salvation experience, the theological foundations of that experience are false doctrines. As a result, it would be hard to claim that these are truly saved people.

As evangelists In this theological climate, we must be willing to dig deeper. Just because someone says that they have been saved—even claim a salvation experience or have prayed a “sinner’s prayer” –does not mean that they are saved. We have to find out what people actually believe.

Timothy describes professing Christianity in the last days as “having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 Timothy 3:5).

This is what that looks like.

They manifest the superficial aspects of faith in a moral code and professed supernatural experiences, but they deny the basic truths that give the message of the gospel its power.

Affirming as true Christians those that hold such false doctrine is in itself disobedience. Timothy’s command was to turn away from religious groups (and especially religious leaders) who promote this false faith.

Professing American evangelicalism does not need a revival, it needs an awakening. It is quickly becoming the dead empty shell of what was once real Christianity.

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:1-5)