Moody Church's Dr. Lutzer Out Of Step With Founders

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by: DanielLaLondJr.
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Surprisingly, Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer, the celebrated pastor of Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, nullifies key biblical texts of warning. In so doing this evangelical Christian leader promises streets of gold to the unrepentant blatantly contradicting D. L. Moody, the founder of his own movement, on the basics of the faith.

Christians worldwide who otherwise extol much of Erwin W. Lutzer's instruction are not aware that their dear pastor and teacher (and his publisher Moody Press) has drifted far from the founding principles of D. L. Moody in general and of the Christian faith in particular. When these dear believers support Erwin Lutzer and Moody Press they believe that they are in step with historic Christianity as well as with the Moody name, is, however, such an assumption valid? To illustrate kindly read Galatians 5:19-21:

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21).

Such a text seems blatantly obvious without commentary, but I must ask: What do you think this warning to those practicing immorality and drunkenness means? That is, what does Paul intend by the phrase "shall not inherit?" "For if ye live after the flesh," says Paul in a similar text, "ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." In keeping with thousands of years of Christian history, the apostle is clearly warning sinners about not entering the kingdom of God.

Interpreting these seemingly manifest passage Erwin W. Lutzer insists that, "Paul speaks of those who will forfeit certain kingdom privileges because of their sinful lifestyles....Those who practice such sins will not be barred from entering the kingdom, but will be barred from inheriting it" ( Lutzer, Your Eternal Reward, p. 70). Though many do not know it Erwin W. Lutzer guarantees streets of gold to unrepentant sinners who practice or are even characterized by immorality, idolatry or drunkenness! What devil does not do the same?

"If one or more of these sins characterizes their Christian lives, and they refuse to judge the evil, they will forfeit the honor of kingdom rule" (Lutzer, Your Eternal Reward, p. 70).

Refuses to judge the evil? Characterizes? To characterize, says Webster, is to be the distinctive character trait, or the distinguishing feature. Friend, may drunkenness be the distinguishing feature of a Christian inevitably bound for paradise? May the drunkard staggering from the local bar night after night be a Christian destined for an eternity in the holy kingdom of God? Dwight L. Moody, the man under whose name Dr. Lutzer's egregious notions are propagated, did not think so! Consider:

I pity any professed Christians who rent their property for drinking saloons; If you ever expect to inherit the kingdom of God, give it up. This idea that all is going well, and that all are going into the kingdom of God, whether they repent or not, is not taught anywhere in the Scripture (D. L. Moody, Sermon: Heaven, Its Inhabitants).

In harmony with Paul and historic Christianity, D. L. Moody believed and taught that if we do not inherit the kingdom we certainly do not enter it or even see it. Not only has Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer's strange interpretation of Galatians 5:19-21 comforted the unrepentant, it has wandered far from the views of the founder of his own movement, a founder who labeled views such as Dr. Lutzer espouses not according to scripture. In our dialogue Dr. Lutzer did not address the fact of his contradicting D. L. Moody on foundational issues.

About the Author

Daniel LaLond's book, The Lying Promise, speaks in detail to many more contradictions in the teaching of Erwin W. Lutzer. Check out Defending The Gospel for more on The Lying Promise.