The Scarlet Cord - Moriel Ministries

Pertinent Factoid
f i c t i o n s
deceptions
Danny Isom
”
r u m o r s
u n t r u t h s
tall tales
Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Do not
listen to the words of the prophets who
are prophesying to you. They are leading
you into futility; They speak a vision
of their own imagination, Not from the
mouth of the LORD. (Je emiah 23:16)
“Behold, I am against those who have
prophesied false dreams,” declares the
LORD, “and related them and led My
people astray by their falsehoods and
reckless boasting; yet I did not send
them or command them, nor do they furnish
this people the slightest benefit,”
declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:32)
There are those who have expressed shock
and dismay that I not only refuse to endorse
Jonathan Cahn’s The Harbinger, a popular
work of so-called “Christian fiction,” but
that I continue to publicly denounce it. In
turn, I am shocked and dismayed when
those who are supposed to be set free by the
Truth of God’s Word (Jn. 8:32) elevate and
endorse something which so prolifically
confuses the truth with error. Peter not
only identified this process by the Greek
term “pareisaxousin”—literally meaning
to lay truth side-by-side with error, but in
a stunning case of political incorrectness
actually calls such things “destructive
heresies” (2 Ps. 2:1-3) and rightly points
out that the ultimate casualty is that “the
way of the truth will be maligned”. It is
scripturally impossible to claim that just
because something is declared to be a
“work of fiction” that the obvious biblical
errors can be overlooked because “some”
perceived good can come out of it. My
friend, “The means justifies the ends” is
NOT a sanctioned principle of God’s Word.
The primary argument presented is that
The Harbinger is “just a work of fiction.”
If that is true, then why is the author being
sought and accepted as a theological expert
on eschatology and the End Times If he
were just an ordinary author like every other
author, we would only see him at book
signings and the normal venues for promoting
a book. When approached, he would be
the first to vehemently deny being any kind
of expert or theologian and would confess,
“I just happen to be a Christian who had an
idea for a book.” He would of his own volition
advocate that it is dangerous to give a
work of fiction equal footing with Scripture.
He would not use a work of fiction to promote
himself as a theological expert and to
gain a foothold within the Church as such.
But instead we see nearly every corner
of the Church flooded with promotions for
The Harbinger which promote it as a new
revelation of God’s Word, with Jonathan
Cahn elevated to the status of the foremost
authority on all things End Times, and a
total disregard for its errors because it has
“some truth” in it. Many tout the author as
having produced a “new revelation”. Such
messages are repeatedly documented in
Scripture as coming through true men and
women of God; when did they ever contain
even the smallest error When was it
enough that they just have “some truth”
When did we have to pay $16.95 before
we could hear the revelation God only gave
to one particular messenger Wake up and
smell the deception.
The Berean Call, Lighthouse Trails and
a host of others have reviewed and documented
the salient issues of the book. There
is no shortage of qualified biblical reviewers
who have categorically revealed the
errors in detail. However, I suppose this is
yet another sign of the nearness of Christ’s
return when it is getting spiritually darker
and deception among the Elect becomes
normative. Even worse, we have a disturbingly
large number of Christians whose
only knowledge of eschatology—the study
of the End Times, comes not from Scripture
but from works of fiction. Someone
who claims to just be an author but in reality
acts in such a contrary manner so as to
make such inroads into the Church is a false
teacher. There is no confusing the two.
But then there is the second most offered
justification: “What is wrong with Christian
fiction After all, isn’t Pilgrim’s Progress a
work of fiction” Yes, Pilgrim’s Progress is
indeed a work of fiction, but can you please
identify for me the doctrinal and/or scriptural
errors and misrepresentations found in
Pilgrim’s Progress Even just one John Bunyan
never compromised a single doctrine
or principle of Scripture! True “Christian
fiction” never does! Just because a Christian
writes within a genre called “fiction”, there
is no license to be “mostly” right or to malign
Scripture. Because of the very fact that
they ARE a Christian, they have a greater
obligation to ensure there is nothing out
of alignment with God’s Word and ways!
Then I am told, “But don’t you want
people to know about the judgment that is
coming on America” How do you break
the news to these converts that the book
was “sort of” right Can you show me one
biblical example where the right spiritual
gateway to God begins with “some” truth
When did a similar, legitimate revelation
from God contain error But this argument
actually reveals something quite revealing
about the person making it, who alleges
that the purpose of the book is to reach the
unsaved or hard of hearing. They are revealing
that they are themselves deceived
because the book isn’t achieving anywhere
near the market penetration of the unchurched
as it is the churched! This is not a
tool of evangelism or revival, but an agent
of deception among the Elect. Just look at
who it is really directed and to whom it is
most earnestly being marketed to.
A repeated theme throughout the whole
of Scripture is that God hates a mixture. Jacob
has preached on this many, many times.
It is another application of, “What fellowship
has light with darkness” (2 Co. 2:14)
Just look at all the contradictions which accompany
the book and its author:
On the one hand it is categorized as nothing
more than a “work of fiction” but on
the other it is touted as a new revelation of
God’s truth.
On the one hand Cahn is just an “author”
but on the other he is now an “expert,” and
it is based not on an authoritative exposition
of God’s Word but a work of fiction.
On the one hand the work is seen as a
potential springboard to reach unbelievers,
but it is being marketed more heavily to believers
and the author is gaining a greater
foothold within the church than in secular
venues to reach unbelievers.
On the one hand we are told we can put
up with its scriptural errors because there is
“some” truth worthy of publicity.
Even more disturbingly, the greatest “silent”
casualty of all is God’s Word, both
within the Church proper and without. Truth
is laid side-by-side with error to the detriment
of both those who need to hear and embrace
the whole Truth and nothing but the
Truth, and serving to replace what believers
are supposed to definitively and uncompromisingly
know. “Christian fiction,” when it
compromises God’s Word, is a deception
in the most classic definition of the word.
In Him,
Danny
Servant@WalkWithTheWord.org
26 Moriel Quarterly • September 2012