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Moody Press: True To Its Founders?

Author: DanielLaLondJr.
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"The Name You Can Trust" is the marketing slogan of Moody Press or Moody Publishers. In this way Moody Press suggests to believers that they are a Christian publishing house that is true to scripture and to the gospel of Christ. Multiplied thousands around the globe, however, who trust their eternal souls to the teaching published by "The Name You Can Trust" might be stunned to find out 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:

Don't miss this: We must believe that Christ did all that is necessary and will ever be necessary for us to stand in the sight of God (p. 113).

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).

At first glance such teaching actually seems quite scriptural. Who in their right mind would argue against the idea that saving faith must be directed to Christ alone? Nonetheless, under color of exalting Christ, Dr. Lutzer and Moody Press may actually dethrone Christ.

You see, in accordance with Dr. Lutzer's teaching Christ alone is often rhetorical code meaning that an alleged Christian who rejects the faith or even seeks salvation through some way other than through Christ alone will still tread on streets of gold. That is, "Christ alone" means that no works (in kind or degree) ever affects salvation--even rejecting the gospel and "Christ alone." 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 Lutzer's position. Allow me to illustrate, kindly consider Hebrews 6:4-6:

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

Now, in reference to this sober passage Moody Church pastor Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer writes and Moody Publishers spreads abroad:

We have to [concede that] 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... Here is the point: is so long as they were returning to the Old Testament sacrifices, they could not be brought back to repentance. Clearly, they couldn't be brought back to fellowship with God while they were sacrificing lambs on the alter... Yes, believers can fall away, but not to eternal damnation (p. 150).

Unbelieving believers who sacrifice animals on pagan altars will be saved? Is it harmonious to teach on the one hand that "a wrong faith leads to destruction" yet on the other to promise heaven to those who abandon the faith altogether and prove it by sacrificing animals on pagan altars for the forgiveness of sins? We are saved by Christ alone, insists Dr. Lutzer, yet the blatant abomination and no faith of Christ rejecters still leads to paradise? Ridiculous contradiction!

Dr. Lutzer's rhetoric is just that - meaningless rhetoric. Contradictions are the clearest evidence of error and misinterpretation. Moody Press and Dr. Lutzer have grievously erred on basic principles. Do not be duped by "The Name You Can Trust." Moody Publishers can not be trusted.

About the Author

Daniel LaLond's book, The Lying Promise, analyzes thoroughly the faulty notions propagated by Moody Press. Particularly, it debunks Moody's unscriptural salvation and eternal security doctrines.