I have been extremely hungry for God's Word lately. I, not of myself, have been digging way deep into the verses I've been reading. Not even so deep in interpretation but in the context, culture and geography. I feel super connected to what the Bible says when I can see where it took place on a map or read about the same details in a secular source. I don't need those things to believe it's true, but I do understand it better or I enjoy it more or something.
Anyways, I was tracking the Israelites exodus from Egypt when a Google ad on the side bar said this, "How Jesus REALLY Saves : Jesus saves, but not by 'washing away sins' or by 'appeasing the Father'".
I thought it was interesting so I took the bait. It leads to a website for the "New Church" which is founded on the Bible AND the writings of one Emanuel Swedenborg.
I'll get straight to the point. I have some issues with Swedenborg and his New Church. (I'm sure you didn't see that coming.) However, I'm a fan of the sandwich method; so let's start with something good.
+Swedenborg was way ahead of the trend. As I'll point out in a minute (okay maybe two), he preceded our post-modern universalist tendencies by a century or more. I know he had many predecessors, but it seems to me that people should make at least a little fuss over him considering the ruckus Rob Bell caused. So my positive peace of bread number one: trend setter.
Now for the meat, or my beef so to speak with Swedenborg. I briefly considered just copying some of the New Church doctrinal statements from the websites followed by the scripture it directly contradicts. But instead I'll just summarize and briefly address a couple of my findings:
-To begin with, they (the adherents to the New Church doctrines) believe that people become angels. In Job 38:4-7, then angels sang when God made the earth (before humans where made) and in Hebrews 2:7 Jesus was made lower than the angels when He became human. Even in Revelation, both angels and people are described worshipping God around His throne showing that in Heaven there will be both angels and humans, two separate kinds.
-They believe that everyone goes to heaven except those who choose hell, they don't think you have to believe in Jesus to have eternal life AND they don't believe God judges. Holy cow! Where do I start?! Let's go with John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life (emphasis mine) ,1 John 5:12-13 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and Psalm 7:11 God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.
+I think that's enough meat for today. I'm sure I've already lost a few peope. Positive piece of bread number two. Swedenborg and the New Church have something that sadly makes them very appealing to many people. In one of the explanations of what New Christianity is, they state that it makes sense because it's built on common sense. Congratulations folks! You've just tugged on the brain strings of many rational seekers. Unfortunately, human knowledge and reason on nothing worth putting faith in and it definitely can't save your soul. Why would you want to serve a god who is limited to the confines of you intellect?
I find many silarities between Mormonism and the followers of Swedenborg's writings. But I am deeply saddened by Swedenborgism for two reasons. One, the flesh wants to believe his bad doctrinal statements because they are so rational. And two, the heresies sound so close to the Truth that many could be easily deceived. Often it is a small phrase within a large paragraph that turns their whole position upside-down.
I'll close with this warning from God's Word, 2 Peter 2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
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