The dangers of Progressive Christianity , Deconstructionism, New Age and Gnosticism ( my own experience)

Alfred Soord ‘The Lost Sheep’

The Internet, is so full of knowledge. It is confusing. There is so much to see and learn about.

It’s like a fairground for the mind, a bit like the vanity fair of Pilgrim’s Progress.

When I first started using the Internet, my faith was young and pure, childlike and un-formed.

I loved to read the blogs of Christian women with large families. They were like mentors to me. Then I found an image of Christianity and motherhood was beginning  to crystallise in my mind. I began to feel less than for not living up to that image. I started to see that, the image was an ideal that had become an idol.

God is not an image.

There was nothing wrong with the beautiful, Christian women and mothers who I read. But there was something wrong with my thinking. 

Then I started to read Richard Rohr and other similar authors and their messages led me off track down a dangerous confused, gnostic trail which God in His mercy came and rescued me from. 

I sincerely, and without condescension, warn any reader against going down the gnostic/ new age/ de- construction route. It is spiritually perilous.

After thinking I’d found a liberating new paradigm I was plunged into ill health and a spiritual mire. I now see that this was such a merciful intervention. God loves us so much He is willing to rescue us with whatever means necessary. ‘Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.’ Since that experience I have seen so much mercy, grace and compassion in even the trials of life. Our immortal souls are worth so much more than our mortal bodies. May God do as He needs to to save us.

After going off track for some time I felt broken and fragmented. But God was there to put me back together again piece by piece. 

 I decided to wait on God. I didn’t seek to numb my pain or find answers that easily satisfied my mind or fit my concepts of what I thought God should be. I only wanted Him. I was desperate to know Him again like I used to as a child and He came to me in a way that changed me forever. He is so faithful to us even when we’ve been unfaithful to Him. He is a loving Father. 

I am not able, at this point, to talk about the experience I had but it was life changing.

It happened exactly one year before my earthly father passed away. God does nothing by accident.  

The progressive concepts of God as seen in many of the new age writers are beginning to gain popularity. 

I often wonder how someone can assume that they have suddenly been given a personal revelation to understand everything better than the apostles, the saints, the traditions of a 2000 year old church, even prophets of the Bible and sometimes, God forgive us, Jesus himself. 

Many of the saints and church fathers warned people against getting carried away with their own visions lest they were being misled by a false angel of ‘light.’ 

You hear about ‘illumination’ and ‘light workers’ but Lucifer was an angel of ‘light.’ The world is full of false lights that mimic true light.

Being deceived is written about throughout the Bible.

The Israelites were led by a cloud by day and given Manna enough for one day only. 

Our sight and bread is enough for the next step not miles ahead. Faith means that though we don’t understand everything or possess everything yet we still walk in the way that leads to life. And that way is narrow. 

Im always overcome with awe and deep responsibility when talking about the scriptures. They are the Word of God. Even when I don’t understand them they work on me when I pray them because they understand me. 

There are so many ‘teachers’ out there giving their own interpretations, adding to and taking away from scripture without any sense of the fear of The Lord. 

We can’t show others ‘the way’ we can only point them to Our Lord who is The Way and pray our life points to Him too.

Jesus says “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Let’s pray for spiritual ‘teachers’ and those that follow them. And let’s pray to be humble that Jesus keeps us close to Him always. That we never deviate from His path or inadvertently lead others astray.

I’m sure many of these ‘teachers’ believe their message is helpful not damaging. 

Jesus can reach us even in the most broken and lost places. I know that from my own life. I'm not special or deserving. He will come to those who wait on Him.

May He find His way to every lost sheep and bring them home.

He is the servant King and the gentle, good Shepherd.

We are always safe at the hem of His robe and in the shelter of His arms.