Moody Press: Don't Trust The Name

Moody Publishers or Moody Press, markets themselves as being "The Name You Can Trust." In this, Moody proposes to Christians that they are true to scripture and to Christ. Masses the world over, however, who lean their eternal hopes on much of the doctrine published by "The Name You Can Trust" might be astonished to find that Moody Press should not be trusted.

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

Whether our faith be little or much, it must be directed to Christ alone, for God accepts only those who accept His Son (p. 113).

Such teaching is certainly quite scriptural. I mean, who would argue against the notion that if one is to be saved they must trust Christ alone. Nonetheless, under the banner of extolling Christ, Moody Press and Dr. Lutzer, in actuality, might dethrone Him.

You see, according to Dr. Lutzer\'s teaching “Christ alone” is actually an orthodox veneer concealing very unorthodox, theological poison. It is a wolf in sheep\'s clothing. In Dr. Lutzer and Moody Press\' scheme “Christ Alone” is rhetorical code meaning that an alleged Christian who despises the cross of Christ and contemptuously rejects the faith will still ultimately tread on streets of gold. What? You might think, we\'re only saved by "Christ alone," but those who reject "Christ alone" are yet saved? Ridiculous I know, but this is the plain teaching of Erwin W. Lutzer and Moody Press. Allow me to illustrate, kindly consider Hebrews 6:4-6:

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame.

Now, this passage has come under much debate and is surely a difficult passage regardless of one\'s theological or denominational convictions. Regarding this passage, however, I am convinced that any Christian, whether Calvinistic or Arminian, pentecostal or traditional, liturgical or charismatic, educated or formally unschooled or any combination thereof can agree that what you are about to read from Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer and Moody Press is not only untrustworthy, but dangerous--even satanic. Consider:

We have to admit the author is talking about true Christians in this passage...Yes, believers can "fall away"... they were beginning to doubt whether Christ was fully sufficient... The point is that so long as they were returning to the Old Testament sacrifices, they could not 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).

Those who sacrifice lambs on pagan altars will not be lost? Friend, if this quote doesn\'t shake you up maybe you should check your pulse! Is it congruent to teach that our faith "must be directed to Christ alone" yet still promise paradise to those who reject the faith altogether and prove as much by sacrificing animals on pagan altars for the forgiveness of sins? “The question” insists Lutzer, “is not whether we can remember the day or the hour in the past, but whether our faith is in Christ in the present,” yet the blatant rebellion and no faith of Christ rejectors leads to life eternal? What a contradiction!

Erwin W. Lutzer\'s teaching is a meaningless, contradictory mish-mash of theology and humanistic tradition. Contradictions are the surest sign that a teacher needs to return to studying and stop teaching others. Erwin Lutzer, Moody Press and their editors are in serious error on foundational doctrines. Do not be fooled by "The Name You Can Trust." Moody Press should not be trusted.

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