The 'Gospel Driven Life' and The 'indwelling of sin'

Hello again,

Today we have, yet, two more wretched cases of false teaching given to us, courtesy of a certain Mr Mark (Kemo Sabe) Lauterbach and his sidekick Reid (Tonto) Ferguson. The problem here being, these people are not Lone Rangers, there's thousands of 'em, all 'cowboys' to a man (in the UK this is not a compliment). I came across this Mr Lauterbach's site via a link from a guy called Adrian Warnock, whom I presume gives Mr Lauterbach his blessing. I certainly find 'em don't I, and I think Mr Warnock should be a little more selective with the links he places on his site, unless he's as deceived as Mr Lauterbach, of course.

"The Gospel 'Driven' Life - Making the most of the cross and empty tomb."

OK, first up, I don't see what he's getting at, or what point he is making here, other than to be 'cool' or 'with it' using the latest churchianity jargon word - 'Driven'? Why, all of a sudden, does everything have to be 'driven'? Who dreams this meaningless garbage up? They must do it on 'Purpose' - ouch! Just a little joke, couldn't resist it!

Here is The Truth of the matter: If we are Born Again with the indwelling of The Holy Spirit - The Lord's power in us, why do we need to be 'driven'? Are we now some kind of motor vehicle, a lifeless machine or automaton that has to be switched on, kick started, controlled and brought to life by someone turning our ignition key, whether it be with The Gospel or anything else? If we are Born Again, how can we be anything other in our lives than desirous, willing, eager, keen, hungry, enthusiastic, positive, full of joy and always ready to take that leap of faith - risky living; always ready to suffer in trials at different times and yet counting it all joy? Do we have a Spiritually mature relationship with our Father in Heaven or not? Is Jesus Christ our friend and brother or not, if so, is He going to 'drive' us!!?? Is the Holy Spirit weak and ineffectual within us? Is it next to useless? To listen to these people you would think that it was, in fact, The Holy Spirit doesn't even get a mention in their diatribes. Furthermore, what kind of a 'Christian' forever needs prodding into action? I will tell you, one that is not properly birthed in Jesus Christ, one that does not realise that Jesus Christ resides with them and in them via The Holy Spirit and of course one who has 'indwelling sin'.

"Indwelling sin and the Gospel, 1."

Right! Who has indwelling sin? Do Born Again believers have indwelling sin or do the lost and unsaved have indwelling sin? Let's say for the sake of this study, both groups have it. OK, what's the difference between these groups now? I'll tell you - none - not a thing!! This is the blasphemy of what this man is saying. If there is indwelling sin, then sin is automatically in our heart, for this is where indwelling things dwell. Matt 12:34 "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." [Emphasis mine] So there we have it, evil or sin resides in the heart."

Now hang on a minute, don't Born Again believers have The Holy Spirit residing in their hearts or indwelling them? Yes, they most assuredly do! Has The Law been written on their hearts as well? Yes, most definitely. Are The Father and The Lord Jesus Christ going to make their home in hearts where there is indwelling sin? No way, it's impossible, it could never happen. So what is Mr Lauterbach talking about? I don't know, I have no idea, other than it being blasphemous lies and nonsense.

"I do not think anything has been more helpful to me among our churches than the application of the doctrine of sin to daily life. After twenty five years in pelagain perfectionism, I am finding such help in this applied truth. It is remarkable how little we think out the doctrine of sin in what it implies for daily life."

Now head scratching begins with the above statement, and I haven't got nits or fleas either!! "Nothing has been more helpful" he says "than the application of the 'Doctrine of Sin' to daily life." The word 'Doctrine' in New Testament Greek means 'instruction' (Strong's Concordance) so here, what he is saying (whether he knows it or not) is this: "Nothing has been more helpful than the application of the 'instruction' of sin to daily life" Who instructs people to sin? I'll leave you all to answer that one - answers on the back of a postage stamp please!

Then he mentions something I have never heard of: 'Pelagian Perfectionism'. OK, I have now done a web search and discover it is just another version of legalism, self-improvement, salvation by works or boot strap 'Christianity' as I call it. What's new? Mainstream Christianity has been riddled and polluted with that for nearly 2,000 years! OK, I can understand him being against that, so should we all, if we are living free under Grace, but to counter it with something that's as evil as the thing he's against makes it worse, not better. For when did two wrongs ever make a right?

Now, something in the "(doctrine) instruction of sin to daily life as an applied truth", is helping him, and I'm scratching my head even more now. What is he talking about? I have no idea and what would a babe in Christ make of it all? I dread to think and hopefully, he or she would scratch their heads too, and walk away.

"It is first a realistic perspective. We are not to be surprised by sin. When someone confesses to specific transgression, we are not to act shocked. We do not condone but we believe that indwelling sin is lifelong and relentless and we will sin."

You know, when I read this intellectual theological garbage, I don't know whether to laugh or cry, or is it cry with laughter? Either way it's beyond belief. What is a "realistic perspective" and what has it got to do with anything, let alone sin? Oh, and then we are not to be "surprised by sin" I'll tell you what, I am never surprised by sin, are you? I live in a body of sin [Romans 7] a body of sin that will never stop sinning until it dies literally and I am resurrected a Spirit Being with Jesus Christ. My body died, metaphorically, in the watery grave of baptism so any sin that 'indwells me' dwells in my body which is now dead. Do these people ever understand what being Born Again means? I don't think so. Again he talks of indwelling sin which is not true, and I will repeat what I have already said: If we are Born Again we are new creatures - new people living in our old body of sin. Our bodies contain the sin, but we, as new creatures, have no sin through the INDWELLING of The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would not reside with sin, it's impossible. God cannot live with sin - period. I do hope you understand this, for it is crucial for your spiritual welfare and that you reject this man's 'teaching' forthwith.

"I can well remember the perfectionistic standards I faced for many years -- the dismay and horror people conveyed when I spoke of any type of specific sin. It was also applied to my children (you are pastor's kinds -- surely you should not do that)."

Here, he has experienced self-righteousness and judgementalism from so called fellow believers, but he should not have been surprised by this, these attitudes and mind sets are caused by the very teaching he has given them. Can you believe that? Well you'd better believe it. He is the victim of his own vicious circle. These people are not under Grace, they don't understand Grace and they are in bondage to salvation by works teaching - his teaching. This teaching is legalistic in nature and because it's legalistic it breeds the attitudes he has experienced and from his own flock. All these problems he has experienced are the symptoms, and until he treats the cause of the disease he will continue to be on the receiving end of more of the same behaviour. Until his flock truly understand Grace they will continue to be a thorn in his flesh.

He has also made the fatal mistake of confessing a sin to his fellows, something we are not supposed to do. Our sins are between us and Our God, no one else!! The confessional is a papist blasphemy and you will not find a single Scripture that supports repetitive confession of sins - I know I have done a study on it and here is my blog on the subject to prove it. http://www.confessionofsins.blogspot.com/

"Behind this expectation is a moralistic salvation -- that if people know better, they will not sin. What people need is a strong moral pep talk. So when pastors sin, they who give those moral pep talks, they are especially inexcusable. This is also superficial and unbiblical."

These people 'expect' the unattainable, because they think that overcoming sin is down to them and in turn their silly minister's sins are also down to him to overcome, so by default they become accusatory. They are all in the same wretched boat that is riddled with holes. What none of them realise, including their blind minister/pastor, is that sin has already been dealt with by The Lord Jesus Christ at the cross and in His resurrection.

As long as there is 'expectation' on the part of believers towards their brothers and sisters in respect of their sins and human failures, they will always be disappointed - always!! Why did the Lord tell us that we must forgive them over and over again? Matt 18:22 "Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." This is the Lord telling us about the reality of our human frailties, our human condition, which must always be taken into consideration when dealing with each other. We are perfect but we still live in a dying body of sin that.....Wait for it - sins!! Would you believe it?

"So when pastors sin, they who give those moral pep talks, they are especially inexcusable. This is also superficial and unbiblical."

Moral pep talks!!?? What are they? Hang on, I'll just check it in Strong's. Hmm. that's funny, can't find that little phrase anywhere, how strange? You see, this is what they end up doing, judging each other. Why do they do this? They do it, because they are 'overcoming' their sins and because each side thinks the same thing, then it becomes open season for judging and 'moral pep talking'. The problem here is this: As long as they think overcoming sin is down to them they will never overcome it. How's that then I hear you say? Easy, Jesus Christ overcame sin and death. Both death and sin are defeated, conquered and overcome. The Lord said "It is finished" What was finished? Sin and the power of sin - The Law which revealed men's sin and which men could not obey was nailed to the cross and then in His Resurrection, death was conquered too. The Law would now be written on men's hearts if they were Born Again and given a new identity - Sons of God. Sons of God do not sin, their bodies of sin, sin, but the bodies of Sons of God no longer belong to them. Sons of God are new beings, new creatures, Spiritual creatures not carnal creatures anymore, who do sin.

Hang on, but don't Christians continue to sin? Yes and no, their bodies do, but the new man doesn't. Hence we have these Scriptures in 1 John 3:6 "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him." All this verse is saying is, either you are Born Again or not. Verse 9 "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." As long as we belong to The Lord through His Seed remaining in us we cannot sin. We have to understand this wonderful blessing or we will continue to struggle with sin that in reality has no power over us as new men and women.

Now when we read what I have written here and then read: "This is also superficial and unbiblical." We can then understand what is superficial and unbiblical - nearly everything Mr Lauterbach says and the amazing thing is, people listen to him - let's hope they don't believe a word he says.

Now the blasphemies keep coming and his Biblical ignorance really comes into its own with this:

"If sin is so deep in us so that even when redeemed we still are drawn to its temptations, then why do we play the game of faking it -- of acting as though we do not sin?"

The above sentence shows that his Spiritual blindness is total. He just cannot see what being redeemed means and yet he uses the very word. He does not understand that The Lord Jesus Christ took all our sins - all of them so when those around him behave as they should - sinless, i.e. acting as though we do not sin he cannot comprehend that that is the reality of Grace and Salvation and that those around him seem to know more about Grace and Salvation than he does.

"Among our churches, we think pastors should be the most honest about their sin. The rule that is helpful is this -- if I am not confessing sin I am confessing sinlessness. And we know that does not happen"

Here he just compounds his ignorance by talking about being 'honest' about our sin. I will tell him and all of you, that if we are not 'honest' about our sins at baptism then we have missed the boat and the point and don't understand what being Born Again means. Then, like the legalist he must become he brings in rules - rules that are helpful. To a Born Again believer rules are a curse. Then he's back to the blasphemy of making repetitive confession of sins a requirement when it is totally unbiblical. He is truly a wretched lost case.

"Like I said earlier, right alongside of this is a hatred for sin -- we do not treat confession therapeutically -- it is more than venting and calls for more than sympathy. Jesus death for sin shows us its vileness."

Jesus' death for our sins shows us only one thing, that He took them - all of them to leave those that believe in Him sinless - perfect in The Father's sight.

"Treating confession therapeutically?" "Calls for more than symapthy?" What is he on about? It's just meaningless padding, man made, intellectual garbage.

"These two work together in freedom to confess and a desire to help each other grow in godliness. There is no phoniness -- no expectation that pastors or any believer be semi-angelic."

It gets worse - "To help each other to grow in Godliness" Godliness is Holiness or being like God. Now, who and what makes us Holy? Do other believers help us to be Godly and/or Holy or is it Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, that makes us Godly and/or Holy? Again I will leave you all to answer this question. "Semi-angelic!?" I'm not even going there - unbelievable!! The only thing Christians can grow in, is Grace, Faith and Knowledge of The Lord Jesus Christ.

"This does not mean we do not believe in biblical qualification -- we uphold 1 Timothy 1, but we do so patiently and realistically."

What is: "Biblical qualification"? This must be a new dimension to being saved, perhaps a university degree or something? You know, like the university Peter and the other disciples went to!! Now he preaches a passage of Scripture that he doesn't understand, because he accepts it as written, especially verse 15 where Paul refers to himself as chief of sinners - present tense, instead of past tense. 1 Tim 1:15 "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." Paul was chief of sinners when he was Saul and persecuted Christians to their deaths. The word 'am' can and should be translated from the Greek 'was' so what we have here is a translator's choice not The Truth. If we take this Scripture as present tense then Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus is meaningless and this blasphemous error which permeates mainstream 'Christianity' means that they do not know the difference betweeen a disciple and a Born Again Son of God. In fact most of them are locked into permanent discipleship which means they will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

The comment that follows proves what I was saying that they do not know the difference between a disciple and being Born Again, and so, just when you may have thought it couldn't get any worse - it does!! With the following:

"But while there is realistic biblical expectation of the lifetime war with sin, there is a biblical call to a diligent putting sin to death and putting on Christ."

Here is another blatant blasphemy. The Lord Jesus Christ conquered sin and death at the cross and if we are warring with sin, by default, we are acknowledging that sin still has power over us, when it does not. The sin is in our bodies not in us the new creatures - the new men/women. We are now separate from our bodies of sin where Paul describes the sin warring in his members against his mind. The mind is a part of our bodies, see Romans 7:22 "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." The law of sin overcomes the law in his mind and he is taken captive by the sin. The sin wins, but it hasn't won over the inner man; verse 22 his heart where The Lord has written His Law.

When we are Baptised we then receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is a once for all time arrangement, we do not go through some ongoing process of "putting on Christ." Once the Holy Spirit resides in us Jesus Christ comes to us and lives with us, John 14:18 " I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." This is Jesus Christ promising that He will come to those The Father has called to Him. This wretched silly man talks as if Jesus Christ is rain coat or a sweater - he plainly hasn't a clue and yet he actually stands in front of people and 'teaches' them. Furthermore, the term "putting on Christ" is not even Biblical, it doesn't exist, so where did it come from? Answer - from men of religion - they make it up!

"This is not moralistic, but focused on the heart and application of the grace of God to life. We do not call people to silly self-improvement -- but to holiness --and we expect there to be many battles and repeated with sin. And we think there will e progress in sanctification"

Ah, I wondered when the old gobbledegook of salvation by process would raise its ugly head and there we are - there it is "progress in sanctification" I was not to be disappointed, but before I dismantle that blasphemy, let's scrutinise the previous blasphemy because they pour from him like effluence out of a sewer. He is now God no less "We do not call people to silly self-improvement" So he is doing the calling now is he? Who gave him that idea I wonder? I thought it was The Father who did the calling! John 6:44. Now with regard to sanctification here is a Scripture that he overlooked; Hebrews 10:14 "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."

Now where is the 'progress in sanctification' in that Scripture; can you see it? For I can't and the reason you and I can't see it is because it isn't there and that is because to be sanctified means simply to be made Holy and we are made Holy by the indwelling of The Holy Spirit at Baptism - instantaneously - immediately - there is no progress nor process to it at all. If Born Again we are sanctified - made Holy and we cannot be made any more Holy than that, it's impossible.

Ok that's the end of part 1 of Mr Lauterbach's nonsense and believe it or not there is a part 2 can you believe it!? You had better believe it and I will return to do a further expose of his blasphemous diatribe as soon as I can. In the meantime feel free to join me on my other blog exposing another ravening wolf by the name of John Piper.

http://john-piper-the-raveningwolf.blogspot.com/

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