Paul Derengowski, ThM
On October 30, 2017, during a panel discussion between several prominent Reformed theologians and leaders, a question was asked by the moderator, the answer of which has caused somewhat of a stir.
Moderator: What is the biggest threat to Christianity in this century, as you see it right now?
Sinclair Ferguson: Probably Christianity in this century. That’s a greater threat than Islam. Christendom is a far greater threat to Christianity than Islam is. Islam can never destroy the Gospel. But, Christendom can easily destroy the Gospel and is destroying the Gospel, where it has the Gospel in its hands, destroying the church; it’s the greatest threat to real Christianity in the world. God help us.
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“Shame on Ferguson!” wrote Christine Douglass-Williams on the Jihad Watch website. “If ‘theologians’ such as Ferguson and this panel will heed the Scripture ‘my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,’ the Church would be in better shape.”
But, that is the very point that Ferguson is making; it is because of a lack of knowledge OF GOD’S WORD, that Christianity has become its greatest threat.
Hosea, the Old Testament prophet, wrote, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you [Israel] have rejected knowledge, I [Yahweh] also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God [Elohim], I also will forget your children” (Hos. 4:6).
What Ms. Williams et al seem to think, is that God is talking about knowledge in general, especially that about Islam, when then is not the case at all.
Islam was not even in existence during Hosea’s day.
That is not to say that it is not beneficial to know what the enemies of God teach and are scheming, but if God’s people do not have a clue what God’s Word has to say, then if they choose to encounter those same enemies, they will be doing so without properly being clothed for battle. Please note the Apostle Paul’s words:
10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything to stand. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph. 6:10-17)
That is what Sinclair Ferguson is alluding to, as anemic, idolatrous, wayward Christendom has done more damage to Christianity in the past 200 years than Islam has done in the past 14 centuries!
Fewer than 50% of all Evangelical pastors have a biblical worldview, which means that by-far even fewer of those sitting under their guidance have a clue how to interpret the world from God’s perspective.
Aside from mass apostasy in the church, due to an overabundance of biblical ignorance, false religion runs amok, whether it comes in the forms of age-old pagan philosophy disguised as “freedom to choose,” the blab it-grab it crowd cluttering cable television on a daily basis, or the more violent strain parading about as the “religion of peace.”
All of these falsehoods, masquerading as the “Gospel” of God are nothing more than the byproducts of Christendom destroying Christianity from within, notwithstanding the attacks of Islam from without.
If the number of so-called Christians were really worth their salt and doing what they have been called and commanded to do, then false religion and philosophy would not have the foothold on society like they do.
The atheists, cultists, antinomians, and renegades without a cause would be held in check.
But, because most self-professing “Christians,” including a majority of those claiming to be pastors, are not worth their salt, because (1) they are not spiritually regenerate to begin with, and (2) they do not have a clue what God’s Word has to say, the world has been granted an open door to enter the church and reek havoc.
The Islamists know this, which is why they are having a heyday imposing their equally demonic doctrines and practices upon both Christians and non-Christians.
There is nothing more powerful in combating demonic ideology than the Gospel of Jesus Christ; not one thing.
It is the only truth that will set anyone free, as well as cause the devil to flee.
Nevertheless, as long as people like Christine Douglass-Williams keep thinking that they will combat the demonic world of Islam through an alternate, humanistic knowledge, they are destined to become the dhimmis that they assume the Sinclair Ferguson’s will become for telling the truth about where the real dangers and threats lie.
