STAND & COMFORT Newsletter
Email NEWSLETTER #24 (Vol 2 No 9)
By Ed Tarkowski

May 30, 2002

#1 "Reinventing Jesus Christ: The New Gospel"

September 11th is now nine months behind us, but its effects have remained. The vast number of changes, especially in personal and national security circles, are ongoing, making one wonder what the end of these changes will bring. Also still with us, and evolving, is the idea of a united humanity ridding the world of evil, with the goal of the emergence of a corporate, universal man who will believe himself to be the manifestation of God. Biblically, this corporate entity will be headed by "god" himself, the man of sin prophesied in the Scriptures.

I recently received a new book by Warren Smith entitled "Reinventing Jesus Christ: The New Gospel" which is a summary of the past, present and future expectations of this "new gospel." This "new gospel" continues to evolve to this day and has anything but diminished. The Table of Contents gives an overview of the theme:

CONTENTS

Preface
Introduction
1 Helen Schucman and A Course In Miracles
2 Barbara Marx Hubbard and The Revelation
3 Neale Donald Walsch and Conversations With God
4 Wayne Peterson and Maitreya
5 The Light that was Dark
6 The Global Renaissance Alliance
7 The "New Gospel" Campaign for Peace
8 The Armageddon Alternative
9 The "New Gospel" Doctrine of Separation
10 The Silent Church
11 The Final Word
12 Epilogue
Endnotes
Bibliography

In his Preface, Smith makes a very important observation concerning the reinventing of "Christ":

"The 'new gospel' teaches that when humanity collectively accepts and experiences itself as being a part of Christ and a part of God, we not only save ourselves, we save our world. The 'Christ' of the 'new gospel' warns that the hour is late. Peace must come. He will help. He has a plan. But everyone must play their part."

Here is one of the proclamations that has brought confusion into the Church because it was designed to mimic God's true plan. This 'new' Christ is present, he has a plan, he says peace must come and he will help bring it about if each member of humanity does his part. But the 'new' Christ brings a different truth, a different way, a different life. The 'new' Christ's effort to bring in his global reign of peace hinges on all of humanity realizing their supposedly innate godhood - they are "God," all is one; therefore all is "God."

The true Christ is also present, but by the Holy Spirit. The name of the true Christ is Jesus. He, too, has a plan. He, too, says He will bring in a kingdom of peace. He tells us the truth - individual men are not God, but sinners who must be saved by believing on Him alone. He, too, wants all to do their part, to believe on Him for salvation and share the good news with all so all will hear the glorious proclamation.

Both are preparing a people to inherit a promised everlasting reign of peace. But only one can fulfill that promise, and the Scriptures tell us who the Victor is: Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. He will do this by returning from heaven to establish His reign, at which time the 'new' Christ will be thrown into the lake of fire.

These are the simple facts, and Smith's book explains them in a simple, forthright manner. The selected quotes he uses from the disciples of the 'new' Christ - and there are many - bring out what they are about, and his own comments and observations are easily understood. For instance, in describing Maitreya as the 'new' Christ,' Smith states,

"Maitreya, the 'Christ,' appears to have at least a four-fold function: (1) Help humanity to remember and experience their oneness with God and with each other. (2) Bring peace to the world through his reappearance or 'return.' (3) Introduce and oversee radically progressive economic, environmental, political, spiritual and humanitarian projects around the world. (4) lead mankind to the feet of the 'Father,' Sanat Kumara, who is described as being 'Lord of the World.'

"#Sanat happens to be an anagram for Satan" (p. 32).

In contrast, Jesus Christ, the true Christ, the slain Lamb, the risen Lord of lords and King of kings (1) has delivered His gospel to the world through His disciples and the Scriptures. Through this gospel, a sinner can gain salvation and access to the Lord by His Spirit on the basis of Jesus' shed blood. (2) will bring peace to the world by His return/second coming, visibly, bodily, in the sky, in the power and glory of the Father to save those who are His and bring judgment on all who have rejected the gospel. (3) has commanded that the good news be preached to all of humanity that all who believe will be saved at His return. (4) is the only way to the Father and will lead men to Him if they will but believe and endure faithfully through the promised tribulation.

Simply explained, there are:

1. Two (though there are many false christs) who claim to be Christ, but only Jesus as related in Scripture is the true Christ.
2. Two peoples being gathered: false disciples who will follow the false Christ and true disciples who will follow the true Christ.
3. Two messages, one which leads to eternal salvation, and one which leads to the lake of fire.
4. Two promises of a global reign, one which is temporary (that of the false Christ), and one which promises the millennial reign of Jesus Christ at His return.

In one chapter, Smith explains five "False assumptions of the 'new gospel' peace plan" and seventeen "False elements of the 'new gospel' peace plan." These points are all bound together and called "The Armageddon Alternative." Of this "alternative," Smith says,

"The 'Christ' of the 'new gospel' has a plan. He calls it 'the Alternative to Armageddon.' He says that with his plan Armageddon can be avoided, promising that his 'atonement plan' (at-one-ment plan) will work if everyone plays their necessary part. But it must be a unifed team effort. There can be no detraction; there can be no weak links. 'Love' and 'peace' will prevail when 'fear' and 'separation' are overcome. 'Overcomers,' according to the 'new gospel,' are those who have overcome 'fear' and 'separation' by recognizing they are part of God and 'at one' with creation.

"The 'Armageddon alternative' peace plan has been given by the 'new gospel Christ' to his avant-garde channelers who are now in the process of of gradually introducing this 'plan,' with its underlying 'new gospel' principles, to an unsuspecting general public. But the 'Armageddon alternative' is not referred to as such at this time. The terms and concepts presented are generally simple and pleasing - terms that, while loaded with hidden 'new gospel' meaning, remain non-threatening to the average person. The 'new gospel' is presented in simple soundbites about the virtues of 'love,' 'peace,' and 'oneness,' while warning about the dangers of 'fear,' 'hate,' 'self-centeredness,' and 'separation.'" (p. 55).

This new version of 'atonement' is called "at-one-ment," meaning that one realizes and acknowledges that all humanity is one and "God." This supposed 'atonement' will be realized when ALL HUMANITY lives in that godhood, love, peace and oneness. What of those who do not go along with the agenda of this 'new gospel'? These come under the new Doctrine of Separation (pp.60-66). Smith says:

"In the 'new gospel' scheme of things, 'fear' means seeing yourself and your fellow man as 'separate' and not a part of God. 'Fear' and 'separation' are equated with all of those who refuse to see themselves as being a part of God. 'Fear' and 'separation' are said to be erroneous perceptions based on wrong thinking. 'Fear' and 'separation' prevent the attainment of peace, produce illness in the body of mankind, and prevent spiritual growth. They are the ticket to the 'selection process' because they prevent the 'one body' of humanity from advancing to the next spiritual level. 'Fear' and 'separation' people are those who oppose the 'new gospel' teachings and the 'new gospel' God and Christ. Traditional Christian believers, by 'new gospel' definition, are 'fear' and 'separation' people" (pp. 60-61).

Let me say this in a simple way: THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE TO ARMAGEDDON. The Bible clearly states that this event will happen, and it will usher in the completed salvation of the believer, the judgment of the world and the millennial reign of Jesus Christ:

Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

Contrary to the call to enter into the 'new hope" of the 'new gospel,' Scripture calls for repentance based on the finished work of Christ:

Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

And to His people, God says,

Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.

I've only commented on a few quotes from Warren Smith' book, but "Reinventing Jesus Christ: The New Gospel" covers much more and contains an enormous quantity of quotes. Each chapter explains an aspect of this 'new gospel' and is followed by quotes from the various 'new gospel' disciples and their avenues of promoting it. This 88-page book (8-1/2 x 11) is well needed at this time, so Christians can understand more clearly exactly where this is all heading. It's an extremely important resource that explains in a simple way an agenda that seems so complicated at times. In the midst of it all, the gospel is simply yet powerfully presented. I don't read books much anymore, nor do I usually recommend them, but I had to mention this one because of its relevency.

(Click "New Book" at the following web site if you'd like to order a copy: Order)

What are we to do? There are many admonitions and encouragements in Scripture. The most important of these, I believe, are found in Revelation:

Rev 2:13 I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy

Rev 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Summary:

1. Hold fast to His word

2. Do not deny His name

How simple it is, yet how complicated we have made it. Be encouraged, for Jesus has said,

Mat 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Mark 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

James 5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

#2 Will Revival Leaders Really Lead The Church To The Antichrist?

I received an inquiry concerning this question and decided to answer it here. The many diverse teachings that Christians have followed have led them away from Jesus Christ as shown to us in the Scriptures. What must be understood is that we are heading for a time when the world will become one, and the only hindrance to that oneness will be Christianity and its gospel. The world and its united humanity will eventually be headed by the antichrist, while the believers in Jesus Christ, as the Scriptures teach, will be under His Lordship as they await His return. In the end, men will follow either antichrist or Jesus Christ, and this will be determined by what they believe, consent to, and act upon. The sole basis for judgment will be the person of Jesus Christ and if He was believed on according to the Scriptures. If one does not believe according to the Scriptures, then one believes contrary to the Scriptures. Regarding initial salvation, there can be no compromise. The gospel of the shed blood of Christ, His death, resurrection, ascension, glorification, and sending of the Holy Spirit that brings about experiential oneness with the Savior must be believed according to the Scriptures.

Paul warned the Church against receiving another message, another Spirit, and/or another "Jesus":

2 Cor 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

"Another" gospel message will lead a man to believe he is saved while in fact he really isn't. But after truly believing the Scriptural gospel of salvation, the Christian is still open to the possibility of being deceived into believing he is following the Holy Spirit when he is not. Christians can be deceived into following another spirit, another message, or another Jesus, and can fall away. Otherwise Paul would have been foolish to be so concerned and warn against a coming apostasy from the faith:

2 Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

What must be remembered is that the Holy Spirit points to Jesus through the Scriptures. I believe it's been established that there are now "new" revelations purporting to point to Jesus, but which do not. They point to "another" Jesus and when believed and followed, this other spirit leads Christians into falsehood. Their love, their faith and their hope becomes perverted and false. If a person believes God is even now manifesting His glory in people, bringing about a sinless corporate man in the perfect image of Christ to subdue and conquer the earth, become the incarnation of Christ corporately, or that the second coming is a spiritual coming into the body of Christ and not a physical, bodily return of Christ Himself, then they have been spiritually deceived in a very powerful way. If they are frozen on the floor, barking like a dog, oinking like a pig, made "drunk" so they cannot talk coherently and believe that is the Holy Spirit, then their consciousness has suffered a drastic change and deception has powerfully taken hold of them. If they have "new" revelations of a Jesus who comes and dances with them, laughs with them, brings angels with Him to minister to the crowd and the like, then they have touched by the spirit of a false Jesus.

The point is, these are manifestations from the spiritual realm and there are only two sources in that realm: God or Satan. The true things of God lead to being conformed to the image of Christ, to a deep relationship with God, and to preparation and growth in holiness, perseverance, and faithfulness for the times ahead. False teaching and experience lead to a false spiritual foundation and build on it with a particular goal in mind: to cause Christians to leave behind the true faith and accept the antichrist as Christ having finally come. God may wake a person up before he goes totally over the hill, or He may not, depending on the person's willingness to make sure he has the truth. But once deception has taken hold, and if it is not shaken off, the person will, I believe, be lead to antichrist as Christ.

Teachers and leaders will be held accountable in a stricter way, but that does not absolve the hearer of the responsibility to discern and either accept or reject what is being said. One thing common to all is that God has given His word for our direction and knowledge of Him and the truth. That truth can be accepted as the truth that it is, or it can be perverted and lead one into deception. What must be remembered is that God has said how He will bring us to Himself in a visible way at the return of Christ. Remember also that Satan works to breed a forsaking of the truth in order to lead Christians to himself through deception. His plan is to deceive all whom he can and slay those who won't be deceived. Whether men consciously deceive Christians or do so in ignorance through the "exciting" gospel - and only God truly knows - the fact is that deception will take its toll in the Church and the antichrist will come, but then Jesus Christ will come to gather all of His to Himself at the end of the age with the antichrist ending in the lake of fire.

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