Moody Press: True To D. L. Moody?

"The Name You Can Trust" is the marketing slogan of Moody Press or Moody Publishers. In this way Moody Press suggests to believers that they are a Christian publishing house that is true to scripture and to the gospel of Christ. Multiplied thousands around the globe, however, who trust their eternal souls to the teaching published by "The Name You Can Trust" might be stunned to find out that Moody Press should not be trusted.

By way of example, Moody Press spread around the globe How Can You Be Sure That You Will Spend Eternity With God (Chicago: Moody Press, 1996) by Erwin W. Lutzer. And in this book Dr. Lutzer wrote:

The question is not whether we can remember the day or the hour in the past, but whether our faith is in Christ in the present. Are we now persuaded that Christ met all of our obligations for us when he died on the cross (p. 129).

Why are they saved? Because they accept the premise that if they are to be saved at all, they will be saved by God's grace through Christ. Their faith wavers, but it is directed toward the right person (p. 132).

Upon initially reading these statements they seem to be quite scriptural. And they are. Surely no Christian would disagree with the idea that if a person is going to be saved his faith must be directed to Christ alone. Nevertheless, under the flag of magnifying Christ, Erwin Lutzer and his publisher, Moody Press, may actually oust Christ.

According to Erwin Lutzer's doctrine, salvation through "Christ alone" is often theological double-speak meaning that a professing believer who turns from the faith or even seeks salvation through some means other than Christ alone will still be welcomed into God's eternal paradise. What I mean is this: when Lutzer (and Moody Publishers) uses the term Christ alone he means that no work (of any type or degree) ever impacts salvation--even rejecting "Christ alone." It sounds ludicrous (and it is!), but hang in there as I illustrate. Consider Hebrews 6:4-6:

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

Now, concerning this serious passage of warning Dr. Lutzer believes and Moody Press scatters around the globe:

We have to [recognize that] the author is talking about true Christians in this passage...Yes, believers can "fall away"... they were starting to doubt whether Christ was fully sufficient... The point is that as long as they were returning to the sacrifices of the Old Testament, they couldn't be brought back to repentance. Understandably, they could not be brought back to fellowship with God while they were offering lambs on the alter... Yes, believers can fall away, but not to eternal damnation (p. 150).

One-time "believers" who sacrifice lambs on unchristian altars will ultimately be saved? On one side Lutzer says that one is saved by faith in "Christ only." On the other side, however, he guarantees paradise to those who reject the faith completely and solidify their rejection by sacrificing animals on pagan altars to wash away their sins. To believe wrongly leads to destruction, resolutely asserts the doctor, yet the blatant rebellion and wrong faith of Christ rejectors leads to heaven? Painfully obvious contradiction!

Friend, when the blind lead the blind they both fall in a ditch. Dr. Lutzer and Moody Press do not understand foundational Christian concepts and as such they lend salvation assurance where none exists. Don't be deceived By "The Name You Can Trust." Moody Press is not to be trusted.

Article Source: http://www.articlesfeed.com

Daniel LaLond's book, The Lying Promise, analyzes in detail the errant views propagated by Moody Press. Specifically, it debunks Moody's unscriptural salvation and eternal security teachings.

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