BIBLICAL DECONSTRUCTION - A GROWING THREAT
What is biblical deconstruction, and what makes it a threat to the Christian Church and every believer? Biblical deconstruction is a modern-day battlefield from within and without Christianity. A war which proposes to separate more than denominational divides, by blurring the definition of Christianity and the moral and spiritual authority of Biblical truth itself. In bold and direct contrast to historic creedal Christianity, progressive Evangelical Christianity accepts that there are multiple ways to connect with God – ways other than Jesus. The complete deconstruct of John 14:6 and Acts 4:12:
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Biblical deconstruction renounces that Jesus is the only way for us to connect with God. It declares that different religions are alternative pathways to connect with a Universal or Global Christ.
Interestingly, this ‘Universal Christ’ is Nothing Like Biblical Jesus.
Richard Rohr, a “decon” theologian, explains that Universal Christ is God – and is everywhere – in other people and in creation. He goes as far as to announce that to be a Christian means to see ‘Christ’ in everything and everybody – good and evil – sounds good right? Fully deconstructed Christianity affirms that Jesus’ teaching provides one of many routes to experience ‘god’ (the sacredness, oneness, and unity of life).
Confused by any of this heresy yet?
Let’s shift focus to present day saturation for the meaning of the subjectively defined word “Deconstruction.” Specifically I want to connect the post-modern practice used for the deconstruction of Biblical faith to the critical considerations of Christian or Biblical worldview. We start that conversation with identifying the confusions and clarifying the context and practice. Any effective Christian follower in our day should be knowledgeable and adequately skilled in the understanding of Biblical faith deconstruction and a Biblically based Christian apologetics (basic
defense).
Take the term “spiritual warfare” for example. Many Christians misunderstand spiritual warfare as referring only to spiritually hostile conflicts and confrontations with demonic spirits. Even though those kinds of manifestations and spiritual struggles for deliverance and spiritual freedom are very real, and sometimes will happen – be certain that there is a warfare that is even more threatening and less subjective.
I would identify that warfare as biblical deconstruction. And in the context of our teaching series – “philistine” I would describe biblical deconstructionism as “the neo-philistine.” Watch the Philistine teaching series HERE.
The Defiance of God Through the Act of Redefining God.
Deliverance ministries everywhere will not want to hear this, but the fundamental nature of spiritual warfare is not simply confined to demonic manifestations and breaking generational curses, or even power encounters between spiritual authorities – good and evil; it is the warfare waged for truth. If the objective and authoritative truth of God and His Word are destroyed, then there will be no more battle between good and evil – because there will be no more good and evil.
It is a battle of principles and precepts – God’s and man’s. Regarding the “weapons of our warfare”, the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth,
“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (II Corinthians 10:4-5)
As Christian followers and apologists of our faith, we remember that the Bible also tells us that our enemy is not any target group of people, but rather the “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Jesus was very clear about this enemy, whom Scripture calls the devil, and is described as a murderer from the beginning, in whom there is no truth at all. Jesus says, “When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). In fact, Revelations 12:9 says he is the “deceiver of the whole world.”
It is most significant to remember the battlefield is within the realm of “mindsets and opinions – the objective knowledge of God and the defiant and subjective arguments of men.” Plainly, it is the temporal ways and thoughts of men and their words, set against the eternal ways and thoughts of God and His Word. As Christian followers and apologists, the primary weapon of our warfare is truth. Not our truth – God’s truth. If we want to “stand against the schemes of the devil,” we must “put on the whole armor of God,” which begins with “the belt of truth” (Ephesians 6:11, 14).
To defend a Biblical worldview, you and I must be watchful and aware to resist, oppose, and refute false ideas, while doing so with a loving and compassionate heart toward the people who are being taken “captive” by them (Colossians 2:8).
For that reason, if biblical deconstruction really is a movement that seeks to lead Christians away from truth and encourages them to de-convert from the faith, then declaring spiritual war on it would not only be right, but righteous, wise, and biblical. However, if deconstruction simply means rethinking what you believe, engaging your doubts, or asking hard questions, declaring spiritual war on it would be contextually unbiblical, fearful, and uncharacteristic of the true heart of God.
After all, the Bible instructs us over and over again not to believe every spirit. We’re told to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).In that same context, John goes on to instruct in verses 5 and 6 that Christians should evaluate the claims of spiritual teachers to determine whether they are speaking “from the world’s truth” or “from God’s truth.”
This gives a whole new understanding of the shallowness of the culturally popular phrase “find your truth.” At the time John the Apostle was writing, this meant the apostles. Today, the “truth” means the words of the apostles and prophets as recorded and canonized in Scripture. In Philippians 1:9-10, Paul prayed that Christians would abound in love, “with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent (right and righteous).” In Acts 17:11, he also praises the Berean church for “examining” his words against the Scriptures to make sure he was telling the truth. In addition, we are to be compassionate to those who ask questions because of a sincere desire to get at the truth. Jude knows there will be doubters, so he instructs, “Have mercy on those who doubt” (Jude 1:22). Jesus, rather than silencing doubters, is continually tender with them. Asking the hard questions, correcting false beliefs, and facing our deepest doubts are all natural parts of maturing as a Christian.
In our current spiritual climate we need to know and recognize the “neophilistine” known as deconstructionism. The answer to who and what is not found in however one feels about it first thing in the morning. In order to bring clarity to the confusion, we need to answer that question as the most culturally and spiritually relevant question of our times:
What is the deconstruction of biblical faith?
Deconstruction of biblical faith is a postmodern process of rethinking your faith without regard for the Bible as the objective standard of truth for the spiritual, moral, and ethical authority of the sovereignty of God.
As people with biblical faith and a biblical worldview, we want to use contextually accurate language to describe our understanding of how to live as followers of Jesus, and when we use the word deconstruction according to its most culturally common usage today, we find that theconcept it describes is not even present in the Bible.
When advising us on how to evaluate our beliefs and live out our faith, Scripture talks about using discernment (Hebrews 5:14), seeking understanding (Proverbs 2:2-5), abounding in knowledge and approving what is excellent (Philippians 1:9-10), and holding on to what is good (Romans 12:9 and 1 Thessalonians 5:21). However, (and I want to be clearly understood in this) there is nowhere in Scripture where we find approval for the practice of biblical deconstruction. In the Great Commission, Jesus never says, “Therefore, deconstruct everything I have commanded you.” Instead, we find that He said to His followers to make more disciples and to “teach them everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:16-20, NIV). There is no Great Decommission. The practice of deconstruction is fundamentally hostile to God and His Word and is in direct confrontational conflict with Biblical principles of Christianity.
Neo-Philistine: the Enemy of God
I am ashamed to confess that progressive Christianity is a phenomenon actioned by a generation – birthed from good church-abiding youths who grew into adults fed up with the hypocrisy of the evangelical church. Being a generation willing to question tradition, many young people began the task of deconstructing their faith. Many have the opinion that why worship God when you can imagine an even better god?
I, too, believe that asking the hard questions of our childhood faith traditions is valuable. However, I did not seek to demolish my faith—I just wanted it to be genuine and filled with Biblical truth. I was not trying to discredit and rewrite the Bible—I was trying to correctly interpret what the Bible needed to say to me, not to misinterpret what I wanted the Bible to say to me.
However, the deconstructionist movement goes beyond rejecting dead or religious tradition. It manipulates fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith. It rolls its eyes at historic beliefs that portray humanity as fallen, inherently sinful, and in need of redemption.
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned —for before the law was given, sin was in the world (Romans 5:12-13).
Rather, the biblical deconstruction movement denies the reliability of the Bible and encourages people to look inward for the meaning of life. Apart from being inherently misleading, the deconstruction movement has resulted in many people renouncing their faith, either becoming progressive Christians or agnostics.
The battle with Philistine is as old as time – only now the battle is with neo-Philistine.
What progressive Christianity fails to acknowledge is that although there are many questionable and arguably unbiblical traditions in the Church, the Bible is inherently the Word of God. So, before we decide to write off Christianity, one needs to understand fully what we are renouncing – whether it be tradition or God Himself.
The neo-Philistine (enemy of God) is from within – from within the Church. The reason why these grown-up youths have become so misled in their faith is the fact they essentially do not know the Word of God. How can a Biblical illiterate right and righteously deconstruct Scriptures that they clearly do not understand?
Most have grown up going to kids’ church, where the purpose was primarily social and amenities-driven. Instead of reading the Bible, they have spent their Sunday mornings playing games that do little to teach them about who God is. When they grow up to find out that Santa Claus is not only not real but that God is not like Santa Claus (giving them everything they want). Let’s face it… how many American Christians would still revere and celebrate Christmas if it didn’t include getting what they had asked Santa for?
This results in a generation of biblically illiterate adults. Adults who now attempt to reform the definition of Christianity and Scriptures that do not like or do not make them feel good about themselves or someone they love.
Where does deconstruction of the neo-philistine lead us? Christianity for people who dislike Christianity – is it possible? Does deducting from the Word of God create a more palatable form of Christianity? Or rather, does it create the greatest act of treason against God Himself?
It is time and the season for historic and biblical Christianity to step up and stand firm. Not in argumentative, derogatory, verbal and social media attacks, or passive-aggressive virtue signaling. But rather in this way: With a strategic counteracting biblical movement whereby people are challenged to question faith traditions and to seek understanding of who God is. Oh wait… we already have that!
II Timothy 2:13-17
“Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some. Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.”
Conclusion: The Case Against Biblical Deconstruction
What important and significant historically based traditions of culture and Christianity are we losing to this process? Christmas? Easter? What will history say about us? That we lost our fire, put out our flame, and did not protect our history or heritage of faith and the Gospel of Jesus?
Or, will history say that in spite of an aggressive and evil spirit of deconstructionism that flooded our times, we lit the fire, fanned the flames, and burned brightest when it was darkest? That we held firm to our godly traditions of faith and family and fiercely defended the Gospel of Jesus! Where is the fire of faith in God? Where is the burning flame of courage that lights and rekindles the way for the American Church to Biblical literacy and a love for the Word of God? Who is lighting the fires of resistance to the secular and godless culture of our country and culture? Let’s do something different this St. Patrick’s Day – let’s honor and carry on the fire, faith, and courage of the real St. Patrick.
The Reunion Church
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