NazNet Distorts

NAZNET HANS DEVENTER STILL DEFENDS NAZARENES NOT BELIEVING IN THE BIBLE

2010-04-17T07:25:00.000-07:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet's Moderator Hans Deventer continues to state that the Church of the Nazarene does not believe in the Bible.

This is what Deventer states on NazNet:

"It is clear that the Church of the Nazarene requires of its members belief in God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Nowhere it says that we must believe in the Bible. Which of course makes sense."

Yet the denomination does state this:

"We believe in the plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, by which we understand the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, given by divine inspiration."

In other words, the denomination does believe in the Bible.

Deventer has this idea that one can love Jesus and be done with the Bible as an inerrant revelation. Deventer has gone on about this numerous times as if he has a festish about it.

Yet it is Jesus who had such a high respect for the Old Testament data thereby leading Christians to believe that Jesus has the same high respect for the New Testament--that is a respect so as to regard the writ as pure communication.

Deventer has this cause of diverting the Church of the Nazarene from biblical orthodoxy. NazNet founder and owner Dave McClung permits this to continue.

NazNet crashed recently. Yet as it seeks to resurrect itself, Deventer starts up again with his heresies, a prime one being his disregard for the Bible as inerrant. He delights in underlining the Bible as error-riddled.

One can believe that it will not be long until moderator Scott Cundiff, Texas pastor, will soon be posting the same heresy in that Cundiff agrees with the theological liberalism of Deventer, McClung all the while standing silent as this site states itself to be a "friend" to the Church of the Nazarene.

NazNet is a chief enemy to the Church of the Nazarene. It has been for a long time. Yet Pied Piper McClung and colleagues continue to drag into their mystique particularly the inquiring young who are being duped, thus damaging the fiber of the church.

GOD CRASHES NAZNET

2010-04-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet lost its content. It crashed.

Why not?

NazNet claims to be a "friend" of the holiness Church of the Nazarene. Instead, it is Judas to that denomination.

NazNet proclaims unsaved souls are annihilated at death, that there is no eternal hell, that there is an "intermediate" state for all souls upon death, all of which is anti-Bible.

NazNet proclaims that the Bible is untrustworthy. It is riddled with errors.

Therefore, the more one reads the Bible, the less one knows about God. One does not have to believe the Bible to be the infallible Word of God, just hug Jesus. That is enough.

NazNet champions infant baptism over adult, believers' baptism though nowhere in the Bible is there record of an infant being baptized.

NazNet has a love affair with the emerging church, the latter espousing feeling over doctrine, emotion over theology based upon Scripture.

NazNet's former moderator chaplain states she would not marry two persons of the same gender; however, she will never proclaim publicly the biblical position on the matter. So it is with Barbara Moulton.

The chief anti-Bible proponents on NazNet are Netherlerlands Nazarene Hans Deventer and South Texas District pastor Scott Cundiff, the latter two endorsing the Bible as fallible.

Deventer is particularly enthusiastic regarding the annihilation of the wicked, the Bible aas second-class literature, infant baptism, the Church of the Nazarene evolving into an Episcopal-like "high church" denomination, and the emerging church being the church of the future. His "intermediate state" of the soul upon death is like unto Roman Catholic teaching on purgatory and limbo.

There is little accent on NazNet regarding the biblical call to holiness, Sanctification explained in-depth is wanting. The pure life is sidelined for heresies aplenty.

When it comes to Wesleyan teaching, Scott Cundiff states that holding to the Bible as fallible helps him understand all the more his Wesleyan holding. Whatever that means is beyond imagination. Cundiff states that the more he researches the Word, the less he understands the Bible's deity.

Yet on Cundiff's church website he states his congregation lives out the old-fashioned southern style gospel. Obviously he preaches one thing from the small-congregation pulpit while playing agnostic maximum on NazNet. The South Texas District leadership and pastors have been informed of this Cundiff double-life.

NazNet founder/owner Dave McClung, known for his wealth in business ventures, permits these heresies. McClung, long held with esteem by politicos in the Church of the Nazarene Kansas City headquarters, has worked his way into the egocentric mainstream of the denomination so as to get by with this apostasy.

However, the Church of the Nazarene General Superintendents, General Secretary, and department heads have all been informed in copious detail of NazNet's Judas role in relation to the denomination. That did prompt the General Superintendents to come out with their own reasonable statement regarding the fallacies of the emerging church, thus somewhat silencing the NazNet cheerleading.

McClung has set up a site that is in competition with the Church of the Nazarene, not a friend to it. McClung knows what he is doing. He is establishying himself as a Pied Piper to young pastors in particular. They are weaned away from biblical truth and Wesleyan teaching for outright heresies.

McClung's cronyism is well-known within the church. He is power hungry in his latter years and has used NazNet as a competing churchly "community."

Now NazNet has come under the heavy hand of God. God's anger has wiped out NazNet's content. It as a site crashed. Now McClung is trying to resurrect upon the ashes. Yet the rebuilding is still heresey with Deventer once again starting off with his defense of the error-riddled Scripture.

Deventer states boldly that the Church of the Nazarene nowhere asks Christians to believe the Bible. That is outright blasphemy as well as a bald lie. Devener knows that; however, he is clever with his double-talk and so works again to dupe the ignorant.

It is amazing how apostate these site henchmen have become. Nevertheless, there it is on the Internet for the world to read.

NazNet provides its own evidence for spiritual disobedience.

Why then should not God crash the site? And He will continue to discipline the NazNet owner and moderators who work daily to undermine his eternal Word.

NAZNET CHAPLAIN BARBARA MOULTON = QUIET LIBERAL SUPPORTER

2010-03-05T04:43:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

While NazNet moderators Hans Deventer and Scott Cundiff took owner/founder Dave McClung’s web site from holiness/evangelical/conservative to emergent church liberal, former moderator chaplain Barbara Moulton played cheerleader.

Whatever Deventer and Cundiff posted that was in keeping with the swing from conservative to liberal Moulton cheered on with comments or posting her name in agreement with their heretical positions.

McClung stood by permitting his site to be turned from “friend” to Church of the Nazarene to Judas the betrayer. If there is ever an enemy on the Internet to that denomination, it is NazNet.

The Church of the Nazarene Board of General Superintendents, Nazarene Theological Seminary, Nazarene Bible College, countless district superintendents, Nazarene headquarters’ department heads, Holiness Today editors and other personnel have been informed of the NazNet betrayal.

Moulton is known for her refusing to take a public witness on God’s abhorrence for homosexual activity. She, a chaplain, stated she would not marry two persons of the same gender. But she emphatically stated that she would not make a public testimony concerning the biblical position on the matter.

The latter would be in keeping with Deventer and Cundiff’s posted suspicions that the Bible is in fact without error.

Moulton’s refusal to speak in public on behalf of God was posted on the Internet. With that, McClung stated that she was “pained” by the exposure. However, McClung did not appear pained that his chaplain moderator refused to stand alongside God in His revelation in Scripture.

Moulton then became known as the gay-mum. She was mum on the gay nuptial issue. That spiked a number of responses from biblical believers asking how a Christian chaplain could be so cowardly.

Shortly, Moulton’s name disappeared from the NazNet masthead. Obviously, the “pained” Moulton led to her absenting herself from being moderator. However, she continues to post on NazNet.

Deventer and Cundiff still hold their moderator positions though their postings have been exposed far and wide. Deventer calls the exposure all “lies.” However, whatever has been revealed concerning his theological liberalism has been supported by his quotes from his postings. The same with Cundiff.

Cundiff, pastor of a small church in Alvin, Texas, knows that clergy and district leaders on the South Texas District Church of the Nazarene know of his double-tongue. They know that he preaches the typical Nazarene message from his hometown pulpit while playing the cavalier theological liberal emergent church enthusiast on NazNet.

Cundiff has even stated that the more he studies the Bible the less he knows God. Evidently to get his pastor’s salary check plus benefits, he does know God when preparing his Sunday msesages.

Deventer, from the Netherlands, knows his district superintendent has been informed of his liberal postings. Yet there is no sign that he still cannot believe in the Bible, that unsaved souls are annihilated at death, that there is an "intermediate state" for souls upon death, that he hopes God takes all souls to heaven, that there is no eternal hell, and that the emergent craze has a lot going for it as the new church.

Moulton, in the meantime, remains on NazNet as a contributor. Her postings are usually quite trivial, not broaching in-depth theological matters. However, NazNet readers cannot but remember that she was the chief cheerleader for Deventer’s and Cundiff’s liberal positions throughout.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET LAID BARE TO NAZARENE SEMINARY & BIBLE COLLEGE

2010-03-04T14:13:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

The heresies posted on NazNet have been communicated to the Nazarene Theological Seminary administration and faculty, Kansas City, MO, as well as the Nazarene Bible College administration and faculty, Colorado Springs, CO.

It is imperative that these educational institutions for clergy know the anti-Bible teachings on NazNet, the site owned and founded by Dave McClung.

NazNet claims to be a companion to the holiness denomination but is not.

NazNet moderators Hans Deventer and Scott Cundiff, for instance, both disclaim the Bible as the infallible Word of God.

They teach emergent church tenets such as the Scriptures not being reliable; therefore, one is left to pick and choose what one believes.

They follow the lessons of emergent church guru Brian McLaren who states there are no “objective truths.” That means there are no eternal absolutes. Therefore, write your own religion. McLaren brings all religions under one tent.

This kind of heresy is applauded on NazNet among other anti-Bible teachings such as the annihilation of the unsaved at death, there being an “intermediate state” upon death, and a good God not permitting an eternal hell.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS for other disclosures at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET MAKES A SANCTIFIED GOD CRY

2010-03-04T12:43:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

It is so very, very sad; nevertheless, it is fact.

NazNet, set up as a site friendly to the holiness Church of the Nazarene has gone for anti-Bible teachings such as are popular now in the emergent church.

Brian McLaren, stroked emergent church guru, has become the New Age messiah for NazNet and like sites spreading across cyberspace.

NazNet moderators Hans Deventer and Scott Cundiff are two of the prime leaders with founder/owner Dave McClung giving permission for these heresies.

A web site that should be teaching the world via the Internet the marvelous life of sanctification has given itself over to being avant-garde theologically liberally.

The world is in miserable shape. It needs the biblical call of saving grace and sanctifying grace. In the meantime, we have the likes of Deventer, Cundiff and McClung endorsing the
Bible as riddled with mistakes.

Deventer states outright that he does not believe the Bible except for his hug with Jesus. Cundiff states outright that the more he studies Scripture the less he knows God. McClung goes on his merry way allowing this blasphemy.

There sits a web site telling readers that it is a companion to the Church of the Nazarene when in fact it is the enemy to the Church of the Nazarene.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

Those of us who love the biblical doctrine of sanctification suffer. We would pray for the site to give all energies to explaining God’s Word offering the holy life possibility. Instead, readers go to the site to read trivia, nonsense and heresy—all provided on one NazNet.

There is so much that NazNet could do as an instructor concerning the biblical doctrine of holiness. That teaching is rare within Christendom. Therefore, NazNet could pick up on that void to give forth with some of the most amazing scriptural data.

Instead one gets the impression when perusing NazNet that it tries everything but holiness as a viable theme. Why? The reason is obvious. If moderators are theologically liberal so that they question the authenticity of Scripture’s divine revelation, they personally have no living relationship with the Holy Spirit.

With that, they have nothing to teach that is biblically sound. Their minds have been given over to the reprobate mind. They are captured by the latest fads sweeping across too much of the evangelical church.

Would that NazNet would break before God, confess its waywardness and begin the mission of teaching biblical holiness. For instance, the site could begin with the lesson of sanctification being sweet surrender. What a magnificent place to begin.

Sanctification, simply stated, is sweet surrender.
When one becomes saved, he takes Christ's blood upon his soul. In that, he receives divine mercy. Sins are cleansed. This is a divine act beyond our fondest imaginations.

When the saved one then becomes sanctified, he yields his all to Christ. In salvation, one takes grace. In sanctification, one gives all to God.

Picture yourself now standing before God. In your hands are all that you have and are: wardrobe, vehicles, properties, family, friends, wallet, health or sickness, desires, reputation, abilities, dreams, future ambitions, finally death and eternal destiny.

Lift all of this to God. Give it all to Him without reservation. That is the surrender of sanctification. You received at salvation; you now yield at sanctification.

In that moment of submitting completely, the Holy Spirit accepted your all. He then cleansed it in order to return it as holy to you. Now what you submitted is ready for the kingdom's good.

Previously, it was used chiefly for your own self-focused "good."

At the time of sanctification, you are made pure by the Holy Spirit. He takes away your selfishness, stubbornness and stupidity which clung to things for your own welfare. In place of all that, He gives you grace to abandon to God. Now you no longer live for self but for the Savior alone.

When you were first saved, your sins were cleansed. Now that you are sanctified, your sin nature is cleansed. This is the "double cure" of which we sing in the hymn, "Amazing Grace."

How does the Christian remain sanctified? Simply put: remain surrendered to the Holy Spirit in everything. Do not take back anything that you yielded to God. Leave all with Him--everything old, everything new—past, present, future.

As long as your soul submits completely to the Lord, you are continually cleansed. This is all accomplished by His grace, not of works, lest anyone should boast of his own human achievements.

Grace saves us from our sins. Grace sanctifies us from our sin nature. Therefore, God receives all the glory.

Can one remain sanctified completely until death? Certainly. By an act of free will, one becomes saved and sanctified. One chooses these opportunities of divine grace. Likewise, the believer may exercise free will for holiness till death. The decision is always left with us.

Less than surrender is misery. It is a double-minded life--living for God, yet living secretly (and sometimes obviously) for one's self. This is evidently difficult and trying to the soul.

Total surrender is sweet in that it returns one's soul completely to God. Instead of straining to plot one's own benefits, one yields all such maneuvering to God. Therefore, there is a freedom from striving in everything.

The on-going life of sanctification then is perfecting the surrender. It is learning from the Holy Spirit how to consecrate the most practical items to God--life's minors and majors. It is being taught how to think with God ("the mind of Christ").

It is discovering that material less is spiritual more.

Sanctification in this life has no conclusion but "more." There is always more to come upon in God, more to precision, more to uncover of one's own self and of God's self. That is why it is such an exhilarating adventure.

How then does "the law" enter into this sanctifying grace? Is one at liberty to do as one pleases once one comes into this release? No. Instead, one finds that God's commandments are the key to freedom within. Therefore, the sanctified yearn for more of God's statutes.

The Bible speaks of the "law of liberty." This is one more aspect of the sweet surrender. It is experiencing being a slave to God in order to be free from sin and self-centeredness. These paradoxes are lived out dynamically in the sanctified walk.

When the sanctified read of God's expectations (laws) in the Word, they become as delicacies to be enjoyed. Before sanctification, the double-minded believer shunned God's laws for they appeared restrictive. After sanctification, the believer binds God's laws to his heart for they are indeed liberating.

Abiding by God's law releases one from being legalistic. Legalism is adhering to man-made laws.

Living by God's laws is not cold, sharp and unkind legalism; instead, it is gentle, understanding and patient.

Satan thrives on a legalistic religion. The Holy Spirit tutors the sanctified in the eternally true laws of God.

First century Judaism was founded upon legalism. Jesus offered the truth which would set one free from such humanly manufactured bondage. For that reason, Jesus was murdered by the religious system.

Live out the law of holy love and you yourself will be set free. Strap the commandments of God to your soul joyfully; in that you will be released from your chief enemy--stubborn self.

Sweet surrender not only includes yielding tangibles and inner drives. It also includes pain, confusion, tormented thinking, betrayals of the past, disappointments, ponderings of suicide, doubts and dreads.

The true sweetness of this surrender is realizing that the Father is willing to accept these hurts--for healing. Many have been made whole when they submitted those wounds of the heart which they thought they had to contend with till death. No. "Cast all your cares. . ." means all.

Frequently, Bible preachers and teachers request their hearers to yield tangibles and inner drives.

But it is not that frequently that such speakers get around to the awful burdens that many sincere grace-children carry all the time. Therapeutically, it is needful that we preach the "full gospel"--submit to Him the bleeding souls, too. He can soothe. And He does.

Sanctification is one of the most enticing dimensions of the gospel. It is sad that it is not set forth more often. Our souls are made for this opportunity of grace. To lack this experience is to remain partially bound in spirit.

When Jesus said that He came to set us free, He meant it. Sanctification is that wide, open door.

Have you come to God with your all? Have you stood before Him with everything? Then have you yielded all of this--pain and pleasure--to the One who formed you?

Let Him take this package for its cleansing. Satan will lie to you that God will rob you blind, leave you bankrupt. Do not believe the father of deceit.

The Holy Spirit will instead make your offering holy, returning it to you for heaven's sake.

From that moment onward, keep that package in God's plan. In that, you will experience in the depth of your soul the sweetness of your on-going surrender.

Such will continue, if you will it, till you see Him face to face when walking through the door of death.

Eternal life will be continuing the sanctification without threat of Satan's intrusion. It will in fact be "holiness forevermore."

Read DISCOVER HOLINESS at http://www.michnews.com/J_Grant_Swank_Jr/gs030110.shtml

NAZNET LACKS THE VOICE OF CONVICTION

2010-03-03T18:26:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet’s froth is overwhelming. That web site is laden with the superficial. Yet if it were true to being “friend” to the Church of the Nazarene, as it states it is, it would fire up the holy convictions.

That church was begun in the blaze of conviction—“holiness unto the Lord is our watchword and song.” That was the preaching point. That was the lifestyle. That was the mission. And there was never a doubt about it.

Yet the voice of conviction is fading from today's pulpit.

Why?

Partly because a premium has been put on appeasement, cordiality, management methods, arbitration, dialog, suave and debonair, political maneuvering, relativism, and "don't make waves."

There has been a loss of holiness ethics, biblical understanding, spiritual knowledge and, in general, a washout of black-and-white morality.

Therefore, when one does speak today with the voice of conviction, he may be regarded as hyper in personality. He may be labeled as brash or uncouth, out of step.

It is rather risky today then to speak without compromise regarding biblical truths: tithing, hell as well as heaven, Jesus as the sole hope of salvation, God's Day kept holy, separation from sin, biblical loyalties, sanctified lifestyles, spiritual discipline, daily devotions, fidelity in marriage, honesty in finances and the like.

If and when one does preach on the Bible's fundamental themes, there is the real danger of running into crossfire with certain power plays in the camp.

That is why numerous pulpits have acquiesced to the harmless and hilarious, limp and languid.

Sad.

Yet when one researches the Bible, he discovers a God with the voice of conviction.

No wonder there is this staccato throughout Scriptures: "Thus saith the Lord." In other words, God’s declaration is a given; it has been revealed from eternity and therefore is not open to question. With that, such revealed truth is conveyed with conviction, no compromise permitted. Simplicity and forthrightness are absolutely necessary in the communication—clear and clean.

When this God pronounces His eternal imperatives, He speaks with gusto through dedicated preachers. Take, for example, the prophets warning Israelis of their backsliding, not tithing, desecrating the Lord's holy day, sexual license, materialistic cravings in neglecting their poor. Not nice topics delivered in soft tones; but all necessary if the prophets were going to be true to God.

Further, when this God implanted Himself in Jesus, that voice of conviction took flesh and dwelt among us—with raised voice on occasion. With stern countenance on occasion. With authority always.

When a preacher speaks with the Jesus-voice of conviction, those who are behaving under God applaud, encouraging such messages to continue.

I can hardly picture Jesus toppling Temple tables in a meek and mild manner. Nor telling hypocrites that they were of their father the devil while wearing a sweet smile.

Can one imagine John the Baptist with a Gentleman's Quarterly profile while castigating Herod for sleeping with a woman not his wife?

And what about Paul's demeanor when preaching to one congregation after
another, warning listeners of zealots plotting to undo his gospel planting?

The Bible is electric with power, riddled with zeal, moving and disturbing with a God who means business, refusing to play religious games to placate.

Why then does today's church find itself so easily comfortable?

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

HERETICAL NAZNET HANS DEVENTER’S BOSS TALKS

2010-03-02T04:01:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet moderator Hans Deventer divulged on Dave McClung’s site that Deventer’s Nazarene District Superintendent had contacted him.

I had communicated with the Netherlands District Superintendent regarding Deventer’s heresies blatantly posted on the supposed “friend”-to-Nazarene web site.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

These heresies included Deventer not believing in the Bible, holding that unsaved souls are annihilated at death, that souls go to an “intermediate state” upon death, and that there is no immediate entrance into heaven upon death for saved souls.

Further, Deventer was quite enthusiastic about the emergent church’s fuzzy teachings, mainly that one does not need “objective truths”—that is, moral absolutes—as long as one has sweet Jesus. Moral absolutes get in the way. Hugging Jesus is the all-in-all. Deventer stated: “I don’t believe the Bible. . .”

Deventer also aggressively pushed for a worldwide infant baptism acceptance throughout the Church of the Nazarene, though no infants are ever mentioned being baptized per the New Testament. Deventer expressed that he just could not understand why Nazarenes did not get the message that infant baptism was far more superior than infant dedication. Infant dedication is the traditional mode in that denomination.

Deventer definitely leaned in the ritualistic-liturgical “high church” direction of Anglican/Episcopalian when it came to worship style. He delighted in referring to “communion” as the “Eucharist,” the latter term not traditionally used in the denomination. “Communion” is the preferred term.

His theology was old-time liberalism cloaked in his own confused entanglement phrases. Deventer’s communication style was the more unclear the more posh, typical of emergent church proponents.

Deventer stated on NazNet that his boss had received ten emails in two days concerning Deventer’s various anti-Bible posts, none in keeping with the historic Church of the Nazarene.

The District Superintendent told me that he would speak to Deventer about matters. Apparently the boss followed through.

The Church of the Nazarene Board of General Superintendents, Nazarene Theological
Seminary and Nazarene Bible College administrations and faculties have also been informed of NazNet’s theological liberal positions, Deventer’s in particular.

The question then comes down to this: How does Dave McClung, founder/owner of the site, permit these gross theological distortions propagated especially by his two prime moderators—Hans Deventer and Scott Cundiff?

McClung is a wealthy businessman who has held prestigious positions on various denominational boards as well as being one-time President of Eastern Nazarene College, Quincy, MA.

Read “Naznet's Dave Mcclung's Cronyism Ups Emergent Devilment” at http://www.articlesbase.com/blogging-articles/naznet039s-dave-mcclung039s-cronyism-ups-emergent-devilment-1903633.html

Why then does he advertise his site as a “friend” to the Church of the Nazarene when he allows constant anti-Bible moderator positions expressed? Some individuals have reached the conclusion that McClung was in fact creating his own Internet church in competition with the Church of the Nazarene.

Read ” Naznet Hans Deventer's Boss 'Will Discuss Questions'” at http://www.magic-city-news.com/J_Grant_Swank_61/Naznet_Hans_Deventer_s_Boss_Will_Discuss_Questions13076.shtml

DAVE MC CLUNG: FACEBOOK NIXES NAZNET?

2010-03-01T15:55:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Could Facebook have become more popular than NazNet? Maybe.

NazNet founder/owner Dave McClung states on his site that Facebook might have magnetized communicators over NazNet.

That very well could be the fact. There are so many integrity questions looming about NazNet that persons with an honest heart for biblical truth may just be making a reasonable detour to Facebook.

After all, NazNet describes itself as “friend” to the holiness, evangelical Church of the Nazarene while posting anti-Bible reads.

Moderators Hans Deventer and Scott Cundiff, both listed on NazNet masthead, are chief integrity offenders when it comes to boasting anti-Bible beliefs.

Deventer does not believe in the Bible, just sweet Jesus counts. In other words, a hug from Jesus is okay, no matter biblical researching of details concerning this or that.

Deventer also holds that unsaved souls are snuffed out at the last breath. In other words, there is no hell, only annihilation of the unsaved.

Deventer holds to an “intermediate state” upon death—whatever that means. In other words, “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” does not hold for Deventer as he constantly types out his doctrinal oddities.

Cundiff states on NazNet that the more one
studies the Bible, the less one knows about God. Reach your own conclusion on that zinger.

Cundiff espouses the emergent church as a springboard for revitalizing Christianity—the emergent church holding to no “objective truths” per prime leader Brian McLaren. Cundiff concludes McLaren’s situation ethics to be posh.

Cundiff even goes so far as to say that kind of agnosticism clarifies his “Wesleyan” understanding. If you make sense of that one, let the rest of us biblical enthusiasts know, please.

McClung baptizes these heresies by permitting them to reign on his site. If McClung were theologically astute he would have never mastheaded these two left-wingers for theological liberalism—totally contrary to the Wesleyan, holiness base of the Church of the
Nazarene.

More could be noted. For additional information on NazNet distortions, click onto NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

With the above taken seriously, it could be that biblical loyalists are now sidelining NazNet for other forum opportunities on the Internet. It surely would be a breath of fresh honest air to those genuinely interested in sharing spiritual insights.

After all, it takes quite an intense search on NazNet to discover anything of theological or practical Christian living substance. There is froth all over the place. But substance is lacking—obviously so. Irritatingly so to the thinking believer.

On alternative forums intelligent Bible-wise disciples can get deeply into doctrine and Christian-applied living without having to sidestep NazNet heresies floating throughout that site.

EMERGENT CHURCH NAZNET: GOD CAN GET ANGRY

2010-02-28T05:52:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Sweety-pie emergent church hugs a smiley Jesus. That’s it. NazNet moderators Hans Deventer and Scott Cundiff along with former moderator chaplain Barbara Moulton agree. So obviously does NazNet founder/owner Dave McClung.

But there is no only-smiley-Jesus in the Bible. That is a figment of the adolescent imagination of theological liberalism.

However, one cannot actually have a Jesus unless He is the historical Jesus as recorded in holy writ. That is the Jesus one must deal with if one is going to say his life is committed to actual Jesus. A huggy, smiley, make-believe Jesus is legendary, to start with.

Therefore, to surrender one’s existence to the historical Jesus is to surrender to the God of the Bible—the whole Bible, Old Testament included. And that God is the perfect eternal balance of mercy and justice.

The emergent church NazNet only wants the mercy. They don’t want the justice part. This is particularly so in the posts typed by Deventer and Cundiff. They are sappy posts, yes. But they are sappy because they won’t own up to the just God of Scripture.

The just God of Scripture must be just if He is going to be merciful. A lopsided God is a deity one does not want to commit to.

In Scripture, God can be merciful. God can also be angry. The angry parts include Noah’s day flood. Scores of mortals drowned because an angry God doomed them to their punishment. They had rejected His call to holiness, living in sin purposefully; therefore God wiped them off the planet.

Read YES, YOU CAN BELIEVE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT GOD at http://www.michnews.com/J_Grant_Swank_Jr/jgs021010.shtml

So that is the God of the Bible. That same God appeared in Jesus, dying murderously on the cross in our place as our substitute sacrifice. Jesus took our sins upon Himself, washing them away via His blood when we repent of our wrongdoing.

There are countless other examples of divine mercy and anger throughout the Bible, of course. But the point is that if one is going to believe in the God of mercy, one must also hold to the God of justice.

What is interesting today is that these emergent church NazNet disciples of the huggy Jesus don’t seem to get that God is angry right now. It is part fulfillment of biblical prophecy. For instance, the Jesus of Scripture predicted that in End Times there would be an increase of earthquakes and pestilence.

Sin would increase. People would turn against one another, even within families. True believers would be martyred. And so forth.

All of this happens present-tense. The earthquake part in particular is evidence of God’s anger at the tolerated disobedience throughout the world. One does not have to tally those sins for the moralists already are quite sensitive to the list.

But the point is this: God is angry now. But right now is the time frame that emergent church willy-nillys are declaring a deity who only hugs and kisses, snuggles and cuddles. Their deity does not get angry, will not tolerate Noah’s day
flood, and surely will not permit an eternal hell.

These are surely intriguing times to live in. While biblical prophecy is unfolding before our newsfeeds’ eyes, a lame brain segment of religionists proclaim that their god is lovey-
dovey sweetcakes.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET FORBIDS ME TO READ ITS CODE OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS

2010-02-27T19:17:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

The Internet provides the Code of Ethics subscribed to by Christian web sites, NazNet being one of them.

But when I try to get into that site to read the NazNet Christian Code of Ethics, I am forbidden.

“Forbidden” in large bold letters is in the left hand corner of my screen. All I want to do is read NazNet’s agreement to live by the Christian ethics code; however, I cannot get to that segment.

What does NazNet have to hide? Why are the owners and moderators keeping me from reading their commitment?

As far as I can reason, NazNet knows it is not living up to that Christian code of ethics for it describes itself as a “friend” to the Church of the Nazarene while cutting right through the Nazarene doctrinal fundamentals.

The Church of the Nazarene preaches biblical truth from Genesis to Revelation. NazNet posts moderators’ statements that they do not believe in the Bible or doubt parts of the Bible as being divinely inspired.

Further, NazNet touts heresies as reported in NAZNET DISTORTS where these heresies can be researched in exceptional detail: http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

With that, what comes through loud and clear to me is that since I have exposed NazNet to world readers via the Internet, I am not privy to their unethical standing as related to the Christian ethics code on cyberspace.

These readers include headquarters’ personnel at the denominational offices in Kansas City as well as spiritual leadership on the South Texas District where moderator Scott Cundiff, Pastor, Alvin Texas Church, preaches one thing while posting heresies on NazNet.

In addition, faculty and administration at the Nazarene Theological Seminary, Kansas City, MO, and Nazarene Bible College, Colorado Springs, CO have been informed of these heresies on NazNet. Moreover, countless district superintendents throughout the world church have received this data.

With this particular post, it is my hope that these persons will read the Christian Code of Ethics as related to NazNet and posted on the Internet. In that, they will see the huge ethical gap between NazNet and the code.

Read NazNet.com's Christian Internet Code of Ethics” at http://freechristiancontent.org/NazNet.coms_Christian_Internet_Code_of_Ethics.htm

Also, For more information visit the Christian Internet Code of Ethics home page. I am forbidden to reach this site because NazNet has cut me off from reaching it.

I receive this message:

“Forbidden

“You don't have permission to access /ethics/ on this server.”

CAN NAZNET FIND THE HOLINESS HERITAGE?

2010-02-26T13:37:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Can the advertised Nazarene-friendly NazNet website discover once again its holiness heritage that sparked its start at Pilot Point, Texas in 1908?

Some would have it today that the biblical call to the holy life is too difficult to understand. That is unfortunate in that for decades preachers, teachers and evangelists have given forth on the holiness lifestyle over and over again.

There are still those faithful to the holiness truth set forth in Scripture. May NazNet and all those into biblical research uncover this marvelous divine provision, proclaiming it without apology or compromise.

The nearly l20 gathered in the Upper Room were “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4)!

When the Holy Spirit comes upon a disciple, there are various occurrences which are primary and wonderful.

First, the infilling is a GIFT, not an achievement. All that God does in a believer’s life, from alpha to omega, is provided by divine grace. There is nothing which is trophied as an accomplishment by the human vessel.

When one receives salvation, it is by divine grace. Even the prevenient grace which precedes saving grace is emptied out upon the human heart by God Himself. So it is with the infilling. It is an act of grace executed by heaven’s powers so that the homo sapien may enter into the holy of holies provided here on earth.

Second, the infilling is bestowed by a PERSON, not an institution nor ritual nor ecclesiastical title. The origins of the sanctifying presence are from Him—the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. Therefore, one may be filled by the Holy Spirit anywhere and at any time the Spirit deems it appropriate.

Consequently, no attention is focused upon churchly leaders nor rites nor liturgies nor assemblies. All of these are extraneous to the marvel of the infilling presence. God is a jealous God; therefore, He deserves all focus—totally so—for He is the fount of the sanctifying experience.

Third, the infilling is an introduction to the HOLINESS of God. It is a holy come-upon by the divine. Why? Because the Indweller is nothing but holiness. There is no sin nor carnality within the divine nature; consequently, when He sets up residence within the human life, that housing is evidenced in the holy life. “Be holy, even as I am holy.”

Therefore, the competing spirits of this existence are left to their unholiness. These spirits are the spirits of self, worldliness, Satan, carnality, bigotry, hypocrisy, and so on. No other spirit in planetary sphere can compare with the HOLY Spirit, for all others spirits are less than holy; in other words, they are of this fallen scope.

Fourth, the infilling is MULTI-DIMENSIONAL in splendor just as the Holy Spirit is infinitely creative in power, peace and purity. These many facets of the Holy Spirit’s personality have no allowance for evil; however, within the eternal awareness of His being, the Spirit is everlastingly imaginative—far beyond human speculations.

Consequently, when the Holy Spirit explores the human personality for kingdom fulfillment, there are endless doings which the Spirit will come upon. That is why it is faulty to circumscribe the Spirit’s work within the consecrated life. That is why it is unbiblical to narrowly define what and how the Spirit is to achievement His plans for and through the dedicated soul.

One must permit the Spirit His perfect freedom to do what He wants to do, how He wants to do it, and when He wants to perform it. Openness is the anticipatory key which opens up the infinite possibilities to the loving Spirit’s chartings for good.

Fifth, the infilling is DURABLE for the Holy Spirit is God! There is no start nor finish to God. There are no boundaries to God except those which would contradict His holy nature, such as wickedness. There are no “wearings thin” with God.

Therefore, when the holy work is begun in the consecrated heart, durability can see
through the experience to heaven’s gates. There is the possibility that one can remain true to the indwelling Spirit if one wills such tenacity to be lasting. It is true that the human still deals with foibles, shortcomings, eccentricities, mistakes in judgment and performance—but one does not have to backslide into sin if one determines holiness to be set. It is a matter of persevering with one will in control—that is, the DIVINE will only.

Sixth, the infilling is ADEQUATE for the Holy Spirit is all-sufficient. His chief historical proof of such is His raising Jesus from the dead. If there is a power who can raise the dead, then there is nothing which is impossible to that mighty presence. Yes, the Spirit of God is a match and more for any trial in this existence. There is nothing too difficult for Him to conquer—again, in His time and manner.

Consequently, in the indwelt soul, “all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose”. What is His purpose? It is holiness. That is the chief desire of a holy God for His children of grace. Therefore, there is no testing which God cannot overcome. It is then a matter of faith on the part of the indwelt. One simply believes in the adequacy of the divine, no matter what may arise to threaten, even martyrdom.

Seventh, the infilling is ATTRACTIVE in that the Holy Spirit is handsome in His nature and evidence. All the beauty of creation is from the workings of the Spirit who first brooded upon those creation waters. All that is good, clean, delightful and happy finds its source in the Holy Spirit.

It is the unholy spirits which are violent, ugly and repulsive. They promise fulfillment, peace, prosperity and all the other human desires for this world. But they cannot produce lastingly any of these offers. That is why Satan is a deceiver, the Father of Lies. Therefore, when one is indwelt with the spirits of worldliness, self, lust, avarice and so forth, one is overcome with the grip of emptiness, finally controlled by these spirits.

Eighth, the infilling is HUMBLE in that all focus is upon the Provider. That is why the sermons and testimonies following the Day of Pentecost all point to Jesus, the One whose death upon the cross made Pentecost presence possible.

“Wait…until you are overcome from on high,” Jesus commissioned His own when ascending into heaven. It was Jesus who purchased our salvation and sanctification upon Calvary. It was Jesus who breathed His last by taking our sins upon His sacrificial head, becoming scapegoat for rebellious humanity. It was Jesus who rose from the grave. It was Jesus who returned as our Intercessor to the right hand of the Father in glory. It was Jesus who predicted that the disciples would be indwelt by holiness. It was Jesus who then was lifted up by the Early Church as the Supplier of the Pentecost Spirit.

Consequently, all self-glory in the work of the holy kingdom is anathema to the truth of Christianity. It must be abhorred. It must be exposed and put away immediately. There is no room for pomp and circumstance when it comes to the fleshly leadership of any Christian institution. All of that will pass as dust. Therefore, only the adorable beholding of the Sanctifying Savior is tolerable in any labor for God.

Humility is the most rare gift to be found in any generation. Yet it is absolutely imperative that believers come upon that gift in order for all ego attention to be driven from our midst. It must be a conscious effort. It must be prayed over. It must be set forth more publicly from every pulpit. It must be written across our hearts daily. We are nothing; He is everything. “For without Me, you can do nothing.” And without Him, we indeed are nothing.

EMERGENT CHURCH NAZNET PREACHER Xs OUT THE BIBLE

2010-02-26T06:39:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Scott Cundiff fits right in with the emergent church foolishness.

God is a “violent and genocidal child killer.”

God is deranged when he calls for “Noah’s flood, the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the slaughter of the Canaanites and Amalekites.”

The Old Testament deity is anathema to this Alvin Texas Church of the Nazarene pastor who serves as moderator on “friend”-to-Nazarenes web site NazNet.

I wonder if Scott Cundiff preaches the above disconcerting suspicions regarding the Bible to his Sunday morning congregation. Of course, it is a small church so maybe those few don’t care what they get for a message.

And when it comes to Cundiff’s Sunday evening evangelistic messages, how can he present the biblical God when there are questions buzzing all around his head concerning the scriptural authority? Perhaps God messed up throughout the entire writ.

Cundiff writes on NazNet that perhaps there is an “’otherness’” to God. What that means is anyone’s guess. Surely God has declared His persona throughout Scripture for us to get the basic point that He is the perfect eternal balance between justice and mercy. However, Cundiff does not seem to get hold of that.

But I would wager that when it comes to preaching biblical sermons in Alvin he sticks to the Word. After all, there is a pastor’s salary check plus parsonage and benefits at stake here. So keep the old holiness preaching going full force. There’s money in it.

But on NazNet, Cundiff changes to a kiss up for liberals on site—some young, others older. And of course he can always depend on Netherlands’ favorite Hans Deventer to back up his agnosticism. And then there is NazNet founder/owner Dave McClung who permits the
two heretics to post anything they please on NazNet.

So there is an “’otherness’” to God that Cundiff can’t understand. Perhaps Cundidff should realize that mortal brains cannot grasp the wholeness of God. Perhaps Cundiff should also conclude that the Word is a divine revelation that will only be totally grasped in eternity when our understanding apparatus is perfect.

In the meantime, believers read the Word by faith. They live the Word by faith. They evangelize concerning the Word by faith.

And those who have not given up on the Word get to see more clearly the God of Scripture as the Holy Spirit gives understanding to the humble. For instance, read the footnote to understand how God can do what He did in the Old Testament time frame. There is reason to it all; but Cundiff gives up too quickly—as does Deventer and McClung plus their clique on NazNet.

Cundiff writes on NazNet: “Writing from a devotional point of view my take away is that there’s that about God, an ‘otherness’ that is beyond us and that passages like that (Old Testament verses) are reminders of that fact.”

However, Cundiff’s suspicions are okay for they keep him in line with his Wesleyan theology. He states that outright. As soon as someone can tell me how agnosticism with such disbelief in the God of Scripture lines up with holiness Wesleyan doctrine, let me know. But Cundfif has come upon the twosome wedding one another quite nicely.

“I find a solid Wesleyan perspective that helps me deal with the issue.” Again, what is the issue? It is that Cundiff cannot believe in the God of the Bible. Yet that baseline brings him closer to his Wesleyan understanding.

Truthfully, there is no tie between John Wesley’s teaching concerning the Bible’s God and Cunciff’s “’otherness.’” None.

Cundiff continues: “And van de Beek is right. No matter how hard one tries, it is impossible to reconcile the many commands to kill enemies in the Old Testament with the commands to love our enemies in the New.

“Even more difficult is the portrait painted of God as a violent and genocidal child killer in the Old Testament (Noah’s flood, the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the slaughter of the Canaanites and Amalekites), and in Christ the lover of children in the New.

“Van de Beek admits as much. He confesses that ‘The more one wants to let all of Scripture speak for itself . . . the more unclear the Bible becomes. The more we believe that the whole Word is revelation, the less we know who God is.’”

Cundiff states his belief in this Bible-throw-away. Sad, but true. And he’s right there in the Texas Bible belt (South Texas District/Church of the Nazarene) supposedly ministering the gospel to the unsaved.

So there you have the bottom line: Don’t read the Bible. Don’t study it. If you do, God dies on you.

FOOTNOTE: YES, YOU CAN BELIEVE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT GOD

In the Old Testament, God commanded the death penalty in twenty-some cases. This was not because God was barbaric, but because God was civil. The Israeli twelve tribes had no law enforcement agencies. Further, they were surrounded by barbarisms of strange magnitudes exhibited by neighboring pagan nations.

Consequently, for God to establish an Israeli civil community, He set forth stringent punishments--some being the death penalty. He Himself became, in other words, the Law Enforcement Agency for the new nation of Israel. That chosen community thereby was to model morality / civility to the surrounding nations.

Extremely severe penalties then were commanded by God in order to bring in line an Israeli community which tended to be unruly like its neighbors. If God had been lax in penalties, human nature, being what it is, would have tested gladly the boundaries. But when penalties were severe, human nature thought twice before testing the boundaries, hence the death penalty prescribed by God in some instances.

However, once Israel lost its nationhood by "going a-whoring after other loves", Israel's civil structure disappeared. Israel as a nation lost its temple, its government--that is, its two primary components of culture--religion and politics. Pagan nations then ruled over the heretofore nation of God. In this loss was the disappearance of death penalties previously prescribed by God. The death penalty period as dictated by divine revelation, in other words, ended near the close of the Old Testament era.

That is why when Jesus appeared as flesh-and-bones divine revelation, He pronounced, "You used to say, 'An eye for an eye', but now I say to you: Love your enemies." Jesus pronounced a civility of love toward one's enemies. "Love your foes, pray for your foes." This was the New Testament for it was now a new way of dealing with others--all others.

Government was now established primarily within the believer rather than under Israeli kings. "The Kingdom of God is within you." Law was now primarily of the heart. "My law will be written on your hearts." That was the new politic. Further, the tabernacle was now primarily the human frame: "Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit." That was the new religion.

Therefore, for the New Testament Church Age, it is the law of love toward all--friends and foes. Jesus provided a simply stated ethic. He refused to garble it with amendments. But, one may ask: "What about these atrocious crimes and the death penalty?"

The biblical answer is still the same: love your friends and foes in Jesus. What kind of Christian love then can be shown to a multiple-murderer / rapist / arsonist / child molester? What kind of Christian love can be meted out to a Hitler?

It is a Christian tough love. Tough love keeps
the exceptional criminal alive but consigns that one to supervised environs without parole. Hopefully, even that exceptional criminal then may come upon redemption through Christ, yet never be placed in tempting circumstances whereby he again may do others and Himself harm.

Keeping the individual alive also allows the possibility that, realizing human justice systems to be flawed, that person in truth may be found innocent though originally pronounced guilty. Indeed, the future may prove this to be fact if new evidence is forthcoming. History has case files on those in the aforementioned category.

Reason this moral / ethical situation from God's perspective: Adam and Eve slew God's love when they played loose with Eden's snake. However, God did not slay them. Instead, God banished them to their own solitary isles of remorse, hoping at least for their eternal redemption.

You once slew God's love by going your own stubborn way. In reality, you pronounced yourself Lord of your life. It is a hurtful truth to you now that you are a believer; nevertheless, living once in sin and for sin, you were once that callused toward your own loving Creator. However, did God obliterate you? No, instead God searched you out, loved you even while you were enemy, in hopes of redeeming what was left of your destiny.

He now invites each Christian to live out that same kind of persevering, at-times-tough love toward all others--especially those who are Enemy. God has already walked for us the path of love-for-foes. We, of all creatures, should know this for sure. Praise be to a loving, merciful God!

He then invites us to join Him on that love path. He has walked it for us. He asks us now to walk it for others.

NAZNET ZAPS JESUS’ ACCEPTANCE OF SCRIPTURE

2010-02-25T11:38:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet posts the Bible thrown out in favor of sweet-Jesus-only. No place for moral absolutes.

NazNet posts that when believers study Scripture God blurs out.

NazNet posts the Word error-riddled.

NazNet posts hope that all souls go to heaven—Unitarian’s universalism.

NazNet posts no hell but unsaved souls being burnt up at death.

NazNet posts an “intermediate state” after death.

NazNet posts writing your own religion according to your subjective whatevers, in other words “situation ethics” / moral relativism.

Question: What did Jesus believe about Scripture? Answer: He believed none of the above NazNet positions.

Jesus never questioned the divine inspiration or accuracy of Scripture.

On the Road to Emmaus, Jesus informed two travelers about Himself according to the Old Testament record.

Jesus warned more about hell than providing detail about heaven.

Jesus never spoke of an “intermediate state.” Jesus referred only to heaven and hell as the options for souls upon death.

Jesus accepted the historicity of Old Testament detail. For instance, Jesus accepted the reality of Abel’s existence. Further, He accepted Noah and the flood as having existed. He never questioned the existence of Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, Lot, Jonah, Daniel, and Sodom and Gomorrah.

Jesus accepted the fact that Moses wrote the books of law.

Jesus stated that Scripture was penned by mortals but inspired by God. Note Matthew 19:4, 5; 22:31, 32, 43; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37.

Jesus castigated those who remained ignorant of the Divine Word. Note Matthew 22:29; Mark 12:24.

Jesus warned against slicing and dicing Scripture. He taught that one accepted by faith the Word of God as is. Note Matthew 5:17; 15:1–9; 22:29; (cf. 5:43, 44); Mark. 7:1–12.

Jesus Himself lived out Old Testament prophesies regarding Himself. In other words, Jesus personified the accuracy of Scripture. One cannot go further than that—living out via one’s own bodily existence the eternal truth of holy writ.

Jesus Himself IS the Word. “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”

Is Jesus the Word errant? Is Jesus the Word prone to mistake? Is Jesus the Word riddled with suspicion? No. Jesus is the perfect image of God. He is the incarnation of deity.

Yet emergent church gurus as Brian McLaren want to toss out Scripture in favor of a love hug with Jesus alone. That cannot be done without coming under divine wrath. One cannot have Jesus without Scripture for Jesus is the Word in flesh and bones.

How clever of Satan to fool such individuals as McLaren and hysteriacs who follow him as the new Pied Piper. The fact is that the emergent heresy is nothing other than the old-line theological liberalism that has been around for centuries.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

ADDENDUM: JESUS THE WORD AS GOD

Jesus calls Himself God

Matthew 12:8
For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.

Matthew 28:19
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Mark 2:5-12
When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, "Son, thy sins be forgiven thee." But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, "Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?" And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, "Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, 'Thy sins be forgiven thee'; or to say, 'Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?' But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins," (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) "I say unto thee, 'Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.'" And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, 'We never saw it on this fashion.'

John 5:17-18
But Jesus answered them, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

John 8:58
Jesus said unto them, "Verily, verily I say unto you, 'Before Abraham was, I am'." [compare with Exodus 3:14 - And God said unto Moses, "I AM THAT I AM," and he said, "Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, 'I AM hath sent me unto you.'"]

John 10:30-33; 36-39
[Jesus said,] "I and my Father are one." Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, "Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?" The Jews answered him, saying, "For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God." [Jesus said,] "Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, 'Thou blasphemest'; because I said, 'I am the Son of God?' If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him." Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand...

John 13:13-14
You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

Revelation 1:8
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending," saith the Lord, "which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."

Jesus is called God by others or by the Bible

Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

Matthew 1:23
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, "God with us".

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 20:26-29
And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace be unto you." Then saith he to Thomas, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing." And Thomas answered and said unto him, "My Lord and my God." Jesus saith unto him, "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

John 21:17
[Peter said to Jesus], "Lord, thou knowest all things."

Acts 20:28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Romans 9:5
Of [the Israelites] as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever.

Revelation 17:14
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Colossians 2:9
For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

All things created through Jesus (and thus He existed before everything)

John 1:1-5,9-14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Colossians 1:12-20
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; and, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Hebrews 1:1-8
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, 'Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?' And again, 'I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?' And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, 'And let all the angels of God worship him.' And of the angels he saith, 'Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.' But unto the Son he saith, 'Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.'

NAZNET’S SWEET JESUS EMERGENT CRUCIFIES JESUS AFRESH

2010-02-24T18:23:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Emergent mess-up guru Brian McLaren says that “objective truth” is to be discarded for a Jesus all-in-all love fest.

Does McLaren think this kiss up to Jesus is pleasing to Jesus?

McLaren stands on extremely dangerous ground when he makes Jesus is to be the Nice Guy Max so that Jesus’ own divine revelation can be canned. In other words, someone needs to warn McLaren that there’s a hell.

To make this whole diabolical scheme worse, a holiness denomination is in danger of imploding via NazNet, a web site founded by a political opportunist named Dave McClung.

NazNet, unofficial “friend” to the holiness Church of the Nazarene, endorses via moderators Hans Deventer and Scott Cundiff in particular the sidelining of Scripture. Deventer states outright that he does not believe the Bible. What then is important to Deventer? Jesus only.

Does Deventer do Jesus a kindness with that devil’s doctrinal blasphemy? Obviously not.

Cundiff goes so far as to state on NazNet that the more he reads the Bible, the less God comes into focus. God fades out the more biblical research is engaged. In other words, invite dust to cloak the Scriptures while God goes fish.

Both Deventer and Cundiff disparage Scripture to such a hellish degree. And all the while McClung baptizes these moderators as legitimate.

From what I read in the Bible, McLaren and clique sidelined, Jesus does not like that kind of religiosity. In fact, Jesus considers it hypocrisy.

Jesus is, frankly, angry this moment because of the McLaren crowd, including Deventer, Cundiff and McClung.

Judgment Day is coming down on this wayward crew. They will burn and burn some more forever, though none of them admit even the existence of an eternal hell. Deventer dismisses hell completely, unabashedly. The others do so by companionship with the heretics.

There is no Sweet Jesus apart from Scripture. There is no Nice Guy Jesus apart from divine revelation.

And for McLaren, who claims all religions are under the Jesus umbrella if one wants them to be, Jesus is not in agreement with that “exegesis.” It was Jesus who stated no one goes to God the Father but by Jesus, that HE is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Holding to Jesus is an exclusive cling, not a swing-and-sway your way with Jesus and Buddha and Confucius.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET’S DAVE MC CLUNG’S CRONYISM UPS EMERGENT DEVILMENT

2010-02-24T17:41:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet’s founder Dave McClung furthers the emergent church fracas by way of his ongoing ecclesiastical power cronyism within the Church of the Nazarene.

McClung is wealthy as a successful businessman. At the same time, he has been a stroked layman placed on denominational prestigious boards, even serving as past-president of Eastern Nazarene College, Quincy MA.

That political opportunism permits McClung his favored status as NazNet founder in upping the emergent evil. McClung’s web site states he wants to foster “community.” He says NazNet is a “friend” to the holiness church.

Bosh.

NazNet squashes holy community within an evangelical church that is founded upon God’s call to the holy life.

NazNet does not enhance holiness of heart and life. The site disclaims biblical holiness by endorsing the emergent church’s claim that the Bible is sidelined while sweet Jesus is all that’s necessary. One can even bring under the Jesus tent all world religions, embracing whatever in Jesus love.

This is a blatant prostitution of the Jesus reality.

Do you see how far flung McClung’s cronyism within the Church of the Nazarene has brought the denomination into heresy via NazNet? It is blasphemy. It is diabolical.

Will the denominational leadership bring McClung to a “come to Jesus” agreement to expunge NazNet of heresies posted especially by moderators Hans Deventer and Scott Cundiff? If those denominational leaders do not do that, God will take care of the Church of the Nazarene in a most severe disciplinary manner. God being God, He is justice as well as mercy.

The emergent mess says that eternal absolutes are foolish, in the way, a nuisance. Emergent fuzz guru Brian McLaren states: “I believe people are saved not by objective truth, but by Jesus. Their faith isn’t in their knowledge, but in God.”

By “objective truth” he means “eternal, biblical absolutes.” In other words, McLaren and disciples believe in moral relativism—situation ethics. There are no “object truths.” None. Religion is all about being subjective—whatever you make “truth” to be, it is.

That is anti-Bible, antiChrist, anti-scriptural Christian theology. That is in-your-face old-time theological liberalism believed by Unitarians and all others disclaiming the Bible as the Word of God.

McClung’s site actually encourages this widespread devilment. How does he get by with it to this very moment? Why has he not been brought to task?

Remember: He is one of the power structure’s cronies. It’s politics, not truth, that counts with McClung and his clique.

That is being Pharisee groupie present-tense. McClung and colleagues stubbornly stand fast against God’s divine revelation.

I think there will be numerous Nazarenes standing quite stark naked, frosted in fear, at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Yet today they claim to be “holiness people.”

Such is the confusion of the times when it comes to holiness as defined by Scripture.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET’S GURU BRIAN MCLAREN = ALL RELIGIONS OK

2010-02-23T13:16:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

When a NazNet moderator posts that the Bible is not important, that’s apostasy.

Read NAZNET DEBUNKS SCRIPTURE at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2010/02/naznet-rejects-gods-infallible-word.html

When that moderator claims Jesus is The Only Item, downplaying Scripture, that’s apostasy.

Further, it is also old-fashioned theological liberalism, the type that I was taught long ago when a student at Harvard Divinity School.

Therefore, when NazNet moderators adopt Emerging Church Brian McClaren as their prime guru, they are embracing Unitarianism, the foundational theology that governs Harvard Divinity School.

Read NAZNET = MORE UNITARIAN THAN NAZARENE at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2010/02/naznet-more-unitarian-than-nazarene.html

How far then a “friend” to the Church of the Nazarene, namely NazNet by its own advertisement, attempts to swing this holiness church into blasphemy.

Read DISASTER AREA: NAZNET DAVE MCCLUNG AXES COMMUNITY at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2010/02/disaster-area-naznet-dave-mcclung-axes.html

If Nazarenes go for the blasphemy, God will level His wrath upon the denomination. It will crumble. If Nazarene leaders do not weed out this demonic intrusion, the structure will disintegrate globally in short order.

Read NAZNET SNUBS GOD'S BIBLE TRUTH at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2010/02/naznet-snubs-gods-bible-truth.html

McClaren states: “. . . help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu or Jewish contexts. . .”

That is theological liberalism—plain and obvious. It is not what evangelical biblical disciples hold to. Liberalism’s anti-Bible dogma is at the very opposite end of the evangelical spectrum.

Therefore, when NazNet claims moderators Hans Deventer’s and Scott Cundiff’s pro-McClaren conclusions as posh doctrine, NazNet betrays God, the Bible and the Church of the Nazarene.

Read NAZNET’S LOVE AFFAIR WITH EMERGING CHURCH at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2010/02/naznets-love-affair-with-emerging.html

Not only does Deventer betray his own church, but Cundiff betrays his own pastoral vows for he is the minister at the Alvin Texas Church of the Nazarene.

His church’s web site portrays Cundiff as a “holiness preacher;” however, his NazNet Unitarian-type doctrinal positions are just the opposite of Nazarene teaching. In other words, Cundiff lives theologically a “double life” kept secret from his small congregation.

Read NAZNET PASTOR SCOTT CUNDIFF’S ‘DOUBLE-LIFE’ EXPOSED at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2010/02/naznet-pastor-scott-cundiffs-double_15.html

Garbled McClaren continues his mix-and-match beliefs with such nonsense as the following: “To help Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, and everyone else experience life to the full in the way of Jesus (while learning it better myself), I would gladly become one of them (whoever they are), to whatever degree I can, to embrace them, to join them, to enter into their world without judgment. . .”

Do you get the wishy-washy feel of this swing-and-sway McClaren give-forth? It is gibberish. It is whatever-makes-you-feel-fuzzy religion. This infantile approach to doctrine is mirrored by the likes of Deventer and Cundiff on NazNet.

It is, however, more than that. It is a collection of belief statements that will damn McClaren’s soul, a popular false prophet in these confused times.

NazNet moderators who adopt McClaren’s false teachings are likewise in danger of damning their souls for they have wedded into his apostasy. They do more than that, however. They proclaim same on the Internet for the world to read, hoping the readers will agree with their devilment.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET’S LOVE AFFAIR WITH EMERGING CHURCH

2010-02-23T07:19:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet’s guru is Brian McLaren who states: “I believe people are saved not by objective truth, but by Jesus. Their faith isn’t in their knowledge, but in God.”

NazNet moderator Hans Deventer parrots this apostasy by stating Deventer does not believe the Bible, only the part about Jesus forgiving sins. Deventer, opportunist maximum, wants Jesus’ forgiveness to get into heaven. That’s all. Figures.

Deventer commits blasphemy by following Pied Piper McLaren rather than God’s infallible Bible. Deventer will pay at the Judgment Seat of Christ, as will all others who discount the divine revelation for their own egocentric “theologies.”

For McLaren to say he rejects “objective truth” is to state that he discards moral absolutes. That is exactly what the adolescent emergent church is built upon—the sand of their own situation ethics.

One does not throw away God’s absolutes in Scripture for a sweety notion of Nice Guy Jesus. That is anathema, yet McLaren and NazNet disciples fold right into such heresies.

NazNet founder Dave McClung does nothing to discount this on his web site. Instead, McClung along with other moderators such as Scott Cundiff and former moderator Barbara Moulton say Amen to it.

Do not these mortals factor in the Judgment Seat of Christ? They were all reared in the Scripture; now they throw the Bible to the winds for their own moral relativism.

McLaren states: “I don’t believe making disciples must equal making adherents to the Christian religion.” McLaren espouses one world religion, as does NazNet.

Yet NazNet claims to be a “friend” to the holiness Church of the Nazarene. What will the Board of General Superintendents, Nazarene Theological Seminary, Nazarene Theology School, Nazarene Bible College and Nazarene college religion department heads do about such heretical intrusions?

Time will tell.

Thus far, McClung and clique have relied on their political cronyism to keep them intact with the power structures throughout the denomination. Will that continue? If so, God’s wrath will descend upon the church. God will not tolerate blasphemy.

Alvin Texas Church of the Nazarene Pastor Scott Cundiff in particular is enamored by the likes of McLaren. Cundiff posts on NazNet that the more he studies Scripture, the less he knows God. He states that when meditating on this concept, it keeps him more in line with his Wesleyan theology.

Is that not crazy? Is that not evil? Wesleyan theology siding up to discounting the Bible as divine revelation? Wesleyan teaching a companion to moral relativism?

NazNet is one of the most dangerous web sites on the Internet in that it slices and dices the biblical call to heart holiness—the highest calling from the divine.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at [url=http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/]http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/[/url]

FOOTNOTE: JUDGMENT DAY

Hebrews 9:27:

It is appointed unto men once to die, but after that the judgment.

Matthew 7:21-23: the words of Christ:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Matthew 12:36-37: the words of Christ:

But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Romans 2:6-11:

God who will render to every man according to his deed: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immorality, eternal life; But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honor and peace to every man that worked good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.

Romans 14:10-12:

For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

I Corinthians 4:5:

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsel of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

II Corinthians 5:10:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Numbers 32:23:

Be sure your sin will find you out.

NAZNET NIXES THE SAVED = PRONTO HEAVEN

2010-02-23T05:05:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Apostle Paul writes: “We are confident. . .to be absent from the body (is) to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8

NazNet moderator Hans Deventer states that when one dies the soul goes into an “intermediate state,” whatever that means. The saved soul, per Deventer, does not go “to be present with the Lord.”

Deventer does not mind discounting the Bible. When in his whim, he does so frequently on NazNet.

Yet NazNet is represented as “friend” to the Church of the Nazarene, per web site founder Dave McClung. That church does not teach an “intermediate state” upon death.

The Church of the Nazarene has always held to the biblical data of the saved going immediately to heaven and the unsaved going immediately to hell.

Deventer makes up his anti-Bible “theology” as he goes along his moderator trail. He posts that he does not believe the Bible, for instance. What he does believe in that Book deals only with Jesus’ mercy for obviously Hans wants to go where Jesus is when Deventer dies.

However, because Deventer contradicts himself throughout NazNet, upon death he cannot go where Jesus is until Deventer first passes through his “intermediate state.”

By the way, Deventer posts on NazNet that the unsaved souls are annihilated. However, once again confusion reigns. Does the unsaved soul first go to an “intermediate state” before being annihilated?

Deventer discounts such biblical warnings concerning hell: Matthew 5:22, 29, 30; 7:13; 10:28; 13:38-42, 49-50; 23:15, 33; 25:28-41, 46; Mark 9:43-47; Luke 12:5; 16:23-26; II Thessalonians 1:9; James 3:6; II Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6; Revelation 1:18; 6:8; 9:1-2, 14:10-11; 19:20; 20:10, 13-15; 21:8.

Does McClung do anything about Deventer’s heresies? No. McClung permits them to remain on NazNet.

Yet McClung is esteemed by the Church of the Nazarene as an outstanding wealthy layman, even appointing him to prestigious denominational boards as well as one-time President of Eastern Nazarene College, Quincy, MA.

The sad picture then comes into focus: McClung has ingratiated himself politically into the ecclesiastical machine so as to be permitted trashing the Bible as well as destroying the denominational foundations.

In short, politics counts more than biblical truth. Just another travesty of these confusing religious times.

FOOTNOTE: HEAVEN

To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. II Corinthians 5:8

Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Matthew 25:34

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. I Corinthians 2:9

Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:20

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:l6

Jesus said: I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. John 11:25

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. II Corinthians 5:1

If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11

This is the promise that He has promised us — eternal life. I John 2:25

He who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. Galatians 6:8

Jesus said: My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. . . John 10:27-28

NAZNET DEBUNKS SCRIPTURE

2010-02-21T07:31:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

God Himself attests to His Word being perfect:

2 Peter 1:20-21 “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit cannot provide an imperfect revelation. Those who regard the Bible as error-prone are blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, the Scripture’s Author.

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”

Note that the word “all” is used. “All Scripture is God-breathed. . .” Yet mortals would breathe upon the Bible to disregard what they don’t like and keep what they do like. That is the height of hubris and will answer at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Proverbs 30:5-6 “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.”

Note the words “every word” are used. “Every word of God is flawless. . .”

John 12:47-50 "As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."

Note: “. . .whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” The Father cannot be mistaken, though some mortals claim Him to be in His ability to communication divine revelation.

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Note that “. . .the word of God. . .judges the thoughts. . .” Those discounting the divine revelation set forth in the Scriptures will regret the moment they ever started on that course.

Jeremiah 23:29 "’Is not My word like fire?’ declares the LORD, ‘and like a hammer which shatters a rock?’”

John 12:48 "He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.”

Rejecting the inerrant Word of God will convict the rebellious one at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Psalms 12:6: ". . .the words of the LORD are flawless."

Can God speak more clearly than that?

Psalms 119:89: "Your word, O LORD, is eternal, it stands firm."

Dare one earthly mortal contest the eternal truth of divine revelation?

Matthew 5:18: "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."

Christ is most efficient in His overview of the divine inspiration. “. . .one jot or one tittle. . .”

John 10:35: "...and the scripture cannot be broken."

Those who break the Word of God will be broken by it at the Last Day.

Revelation 22:18-19 “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”

What applies to this divine revelation by extrapolation applies to any divine revelation throughout the Word of God.

What about the severe passages in the Old Testament?

In the Old Testament, God commanded the death penalty in twenty-some cases. This was not because God was barbaric, but because God was civil. The Israeli twelve tribes had no law enforcement agencies. Further, they were surrounded by barbarisms of strange magnitudes exhibited by neighboring pagan nations.

Consequently, for God to establish an Israeli civil community, He set forth stringent punishments--some being the death penalty. He Himself became, in other words, the Law Enforcement Agency for the new nation of Israel. That chosen community thereby was to model morality / civility to the surrounding nations.

Extremely severe penalties then were commanded by God in order to bring in line an Israeli community which tended to be unruly like its neighbors. If God had been lax in penalties, human nature, being what it is, would have tested gladly the boundaries. But when penalties were severe, human nature thought twice before testing the boundaries, hence the death penalty prescribed by God in some instances.

However, once Israel lost its nationhood by "going a-whoring after other loves", Israel's civil structure disappeared. Israel as a nation lost its temple, its government--that is, its two primary components of culture--religion and politics. Pagan nations then ruled over the heretofore nation of God. In this loss was the disappearance of death penalties previously prescribed by God. The death penalty period as dictated by divine revelation, in other words, ended near the close of the Old Testament era.

That is why when Jesus appeared as flesh-and-bones divine revelation, He pronounced, "You used to say, 'An eye for an eye', but now I say to you: Love your enemies." Jesus pronounced a civility of love toward one's enemies. "Love your foes, pray for your foes." This was the New Testament for it was now a new way of dealing with others--all others.

Government was now established primarily within the believer rather than under Israeli kings. "The Kingdom of God is within you." Law was now primarily of the heart. "My law will be written on your hearts." That was the new politic. Further, the tabernacle was now primarily the human frame: "Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit." That was the new religion.

Therefore, for the New Testament Church Age, it is the law of love toward all--friends and foes. Jesus provided a simply stated ethic. He refused to garble it with amendments. But, one may ask: "What about these atrocious crimes and the death penalty?"

The biblical answer is still the same: love your friends and foes in Jesus. What kind of Christian love then can be shown to a multiple-murderer / rapist / arsonist / child molester? What kind of Christian love can be meted out to a Hitler?

It is a Christian tough love. Tough love keeps the exceptional criminal alive but consigns that one to supervised environs without parole. Hopefully, even that exceptional criminal then may come upon redemption through Christ, yet never be placed in tempting circumstances whereby he again may do others and Himself harm.

Keeping the individual alive also allows the possibility that, realizing human justice systems to be flawed, that person in truth may be found innocent though originally pronounced guilty. Indeed, the future may prove this to be fact if new evidence is forthcoming. History has case files on those in the aforementioned category.

Reason this moral / ethical situation from God's perspective: Adam and Eve slew God's love when they played loose with Eden's snake. However, God did not slay them. Instead, God banished them to their own solitary isles of remorse, hoping at least for their eternal redemption.

You once slew God's love by going your own stubborn way. In reality, you pronounced yourself Lord of your life. It is a hurtful truth to you now that you are a believer; nevertheless, living once in sin and for sin, you were once that callused toward your own loving Creator. However, did God obliterate you? No, instead God searched you out, loved you even while you were enemy, in hopes of redeeming what was left of your destiny.

He now invites each Christian to live out that same kind of persevering, at-times-tough love toward all others--especially those who are Enemy. God has already walked for us the path of love-for-foes. We, of all creatures, should know this for sure. Praise be to a loving, merciful God!

He then invites us to join Him on that love path. He has walked it for us. He asks us now to walk it for others.

FOOTNOTE: JUDGMENT DAY

Hebrews 9:27:

It is appointed unto men once to die, but after that the judgment.

Matthew 7:21-23: the words of Christ:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Matthew 12:36-37: the words of Christ:

But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Romans 2:6-11:

God who will render to every man according to his deed: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immorality, eternal life; But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honor and peace to every man that worked good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.

Romans 14:10-12:

For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

I Corinthians 4:5:

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsel of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

II Corinthians 5:10:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Numbers 32:23:

Be sure your sin will find you out.

NAZARENE LEADERS CONCERNED RE NAZNET HERESIES

2010-02-20T19:11:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Many within the Church of the Nazarene have not been aware of NazNet heresies on founder Dave McClung’s web site. This site says it is a “friend” to the denomination, though it is a prime enemy to Nazarene theology and practice.

Now Nazarene leaders have been informed concerning the NazNet undermining.

The Church of the Nazarene Board of General Superintendents, General Secretary and Department Heads have received the data.

The Nazarene Theological Seminary, Kansas
City, Missouri, administration and staff likewise have specifics concerning the site’s blatant posts advocating, for instance, the annihilation of unsaved souls at death.

These posts state there is no eternal damnation for the unsaved; instead, there is universal salvation. In other words, all souls go to heaven though the Bible warns just the opposite.

So have the Nazarene Bible College, Colorado Springs, Colorado, administration and faculty now been informed of numerous anti-Bible posts debunking faith in the Scripture as the Word of God. NazNet is openly suspicious of holy writ, concluding one’s doubt is a virtue rather than total faith in divine revelation.

Numerous Nazarene District Superintendents received explicit detail relating NazNet statements advocating, for example, that upon death souls go to an “intermediate state.” The Church of the Nazarene has never preached such a Catholic teaching. Yet that is posted on NazNet.

Apparently countless Nazarenes have believed NazNet’s byline that it is cordial to the holiness church. It is not. Instead, McClung and moderators have taken advantage of the Nazarene’s trust in order to propagate anti-Bible inroads.

Now Nazarene leaders and academicians know that NazNet cannot be blindly accepted as a companion to the church. McClung, having built up a personal trust politically and socially within the denomination, has done the church a grave disfavor. He has misused his relationships within the Church of the Nazarene.

McClung should have expunged these heresies a long time ago. He should have appointed only moderators who were biblically faithful in agreement with the Wesleyan holiness doctrines.

In that, McClung has failed miserably. And now we have in these confused times a site that undermines the very fundamentals upon which the Church of the Nazarene was built upon since its inception in 1908.

One of the most blatant intrusions focuses on Alvin Texas Church of the Nazarene Pastor Scott Cundiff. On his church’s web site he makes his pastorate appear as a congregation in tune with the “classic southern gospel style.”

Nazarenes reading that would assume that Cundiff’s preaching and teaching are loyal to the traditional Nazarene understanding of Wesleyan theology.

However, when moderator on NazNet, Cundiff changes from Alvin Texas web site Nazarene loyalist to cavalier theological liberal.

He is one of the most adamant in posting suspicions concerning the Bible as God’s infallible Word. He does not trust the Scriptures to be without error. In fact, he holds that the more one reads the error-prone Word, the less one knows God.

This is heresy. It is blasphemy.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET EXPOSED TO NAZARENE LEADERS

2010-02-18T16:29:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

The following has been sent to Church of the Nazarene headquarters General Superintendents, General Secretary, Clergy Office as well as Presidents of Nazarene Theological Seminary and Nazarene Bible College.

Also, this data has been sent to numerous Nazarene district superintendents as well as pastors on the South Texas District on which NazNet moderator Scott Cundiff pastors at the Alvin Texas Church of the Nazarene:

NazNet is laden with heresies.

NazNet claims to be a “friend” to the Church of the Nazarene but in fact posts heresies contrary to the teachings of the Church of the Nazarene.

These include the Bible as not reliable, annihilation of unsaved souls at death, the “intermediate state” upon death, and so forth.

Please click onto http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/ to read detail regarding this crucial matter.

Thank you and blessings.

NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET HANS DEVENTER’S BOSS ‘WILL DISCUSS QUESTIONS’

2010-02-16T18:23:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

That’s correct.

NazNet moderator Hans Deventer’s district superintendent in the Netherlands will dialogue with Deventer regarding serious issues conveyed to the boss.

It is about time that this avant-garde non-Nazarene Nazarene, more like unto Unitarian, is confronted with his apostasy posted on the supposed “Nazarene friendly” NazNet founded by supposed “Nazarene friendly” Dave McClung.

Neither Deventer nor McClug are in fact doctrinal companions to the holiness denomination. Instead, they tolerate heresies posted daily.

How do they get by this?

Deventer no doubt has a track record of ten years-plus with NazNet, such time frame making him feel quite comfortable in spewing forth anti-Bible “stuff” from right to left.

McClung is a cozy political crony with scores of high-powered personages in the denomination over years. He also has money, being a wealthy businessman.

However, a third heresy push elitist, Alvin Texas Nazarene Pastor Scott Cundiff, has now been exposed as denomination-loyalist at home base small church but high-powered theological renegade as NazNet moderator.

Now his little flock knows about his double life. His South Texas District leadership knows as well. The Nazarene General Superintendents, Kansas City, Missouri, likewise have been informed.

Finally, truth is getting out regarding the apostasy rampant on NazNet, let loose over years with young posters in particular being sucked into this leftist anti-Scripture profile.

As one NazNet reader emailed me, when analyzing the site’s bowing and scraping to anti-Bible theses, the diabolical data “cuts like a knife.”

Indeed.

To think that the denomination begun in 1908 in Pilot Point, Texas, has sludged into such doctrinal depths is horrific. God, however, being the Omega as well as Alpha, will bring His final say to the wayward site.

McClung, Deventer, and Cundiff in particular will answer severely before the Judgment Seat.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET = MORE UNITARIAN THAN NAZARENE

2010-02-16T04:56:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet lauds itself on being the “friend” to the holiness, evangelical, Wesleyan Church of the Nazarene.

Not so.

NazNet is more Unitarian/Episcopalian/Catholic than Nazarene.

NazNet moderator Hans Deventer believes the Bible is just another book. He states he does not believe the Scriptures to be the infallible Word of God. Unitarians believe the same.

NazNet moderator Scott Cundiff agrees with Deventer. NazNet founder Dave McClung permits those positions to remain on his Nazarene-friendly site.

NazNet also permits the belief in an “intermediate state” upon death. Roman Catholic teaching states the same.

NazNet permits the annihilation of the unsaved souls at death. Liberal theologians hold to the same.

NazNet espouses infant baptism for all Nazarenes worldwide. There is no record of an infant baptized in Scripture. Liturgical denominations such as Episcopalians and Roman Catholicism believe the same.

NazNet delights in referring to the Lord’s Supper, not as “communion” in the traditional Nazarene manner, but “the Eucharist.” That term is Episcopalian, Catholic, and other liturgical church verbiage. NazNet thrills as being “high church.”

NazNet permits the belief that all souls eventually go heavenward, that is, no souls are damned. If there is an eternal bliss we all find our ways there. Unitarian-Universalists believe the same. Most theological liberals concur.

NazNet considers it posh to promote the emerging church that holds to no moral absolutes. One writes his own religion in the emerging church. Unitarians in particular hold to that. Liberal theologians in general claim that as a staple.

If NazNet is such a friend to the Church of the Nazarene, why does it not provide more dialogue regarding Nazarene heritage emphases? Why does not NazNet accent more fully the biblical call to a holy life, the sanctified experience?

NazNet is wanting in its serious exploration of Wesleyan history and teaching. And when it does refer to Wesleyan teaching, as Scott Cundiff did in his profession of disbelief in the Bible as inerrant, he was wrong. The context of his statement had nothing to do with Wesleyan teaching; in fact, it countered Wesleyan teaching.

Nevertheless, Cundiff must have felt it opportunistic to use the term “Wesleyan” when discounting Scripture as divinely inspired. Did he really know that the word “Wesleyan” in that context was totally contrary to the context?

NazNet has a perfect opportunity to provide posters with in-depth Wesleyan doctrine, biblical holiness and the real-life sanctified experience.

But seemingly all that is “old hat” to the elitists on NazNet. Who, after all, would want to go back to all that bygone stuff when we can knock the Bible as God’s Word, say that all souls end up in paradise, and debunk an eternal hell?

MY TRUTH-TELL SCARES NAZNET

2010-02-15T19:49:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

I scared NazNet. NazNet shut me down so that I cannot access NazNet via my server.

Why did NazNet shut me out?

Truth.

NazNet has got by with deceit for so long that NazNet’s founder Dave McClung and staffers Scott Cundiff and Hans Deventer along with former staffer Barbara Moulton thought their lie-trail could go on forever.

It has not. Their trail has been exposed as heretical. NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/ has set forth in detail the outrageous anti-Bible claims on NazNet.

That scares McClung in particular. He has ingratiated himself as a politician among ecclesiastical politicians throughout the Church of the Nazarene. He is also wealthy as a businessman. McClung believed that he then could get by with his heretical web site without discipline.

In truth, McClung as a cyberspace Pied Piper was creating an Internet “church” in competition with the Church of the Nazarene. That gave McClung some sort of jollies kick, evidently.

However, I am not a part of any political network in the denomination. I don’t believe in that kind of egocentric opportunism for it opposes the Christian ethic.

Therefore, I exposed heresies on NazNet and so cut through the NazNet heretical deceit trail.

For instance, NAZNET DISTORTS reports on such NazNet heresies as these:

The unsaved do not go to hell when they die. They are annihilated. A loving God would not permit eternal punishment for the damned though Jesus stated such. This is per Hans Deventer in particular. Cundiff agrees.

The unsaved go into an “intermediate state,” the details not defined on NazNet but defended by moderator Hans Deventer. Question: how does an intermediate state, such as believed by Roman Catholics, mesh with Dementer’s annihilation of the wicked at death?

Deventer is a master at such contradictions. They do not bother him. He spins contradictions on one point on NazNet and then spins others elsewhere on the web site. That is no problem to Deventer as he cavalierly weaves his so-called theological yarns as biblical truth.

Further heresies: The souls of all mortals hopefully will go to heaven, none going to hell. Deventer says that he hopes God believes in universal salvation, that is, that all souls end up in eternal bliss, none excepted. That is nowhere found in the Bible; however, Deventer created his own doctrines contrary to the Word of God.

Again, how does universal salvation mesh with an intermediate state upon death and the annihilation of the wicked? Obviously, none of this poses problematic to Deventer, the end-of-the-line when it comes to theological certainty.

More heresies: The Bible is fallible. It has mistakes in it. It has errors throughout its pages. Deventer states boldly that he does not believe the Bible, except for Jesus passages that provide salvation. In other words, Deventer wants heaven when he dies and so he wants Jesus as Savior; all else can be dismissed.

Regarding suspicions about the Bible, who can believe in a literal flood in Noah’s day in which scores of humans were drowned under the directive of God? What kind of loving God could see that through?

Further, who can have faith in a believable God instructing Israelites to wipe out pagan peoples? That must not be accepted as historical. Therefore, it must be folklore.

Cundiff accents especially that the more one researches Scripture, the less one knows anything about God. So don’t study the Bible over a lifetime for it will lead you to a fading God. Deventer concurs.

The more one reads on NazNet the dictates of Deventer and Cundiff, the more one realizes they are more Unitarian than Nazarene. McClung counters none of this theological liberalism on his own site.

NazNet moderator Deventer also champions infant baptism throughout the Church of the Nazarene. Nowhere in the Bible is an infant baptized; yet Deventer presses for it to be embraced globally.

The emergent church’s infantile glob with no moral absolutes believed in is enthusiastically embraced by NazNet moderators Deventer and Cundiff, thereby countenanced by founder McClung.

For more heresies, click onto NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NazNet does not want any more heresies uncovered. Therefore, NazNet is afraid of me and my truth-telling. Consequently, my server has been shut down from a bridge build to NazNet, as if I cannot get access elsewhere.

The bottom line is evident: NazNet is frightened of my truthful investigative quest to expose NazNet as a prime enemy to the Church of the Nazarene. McClung states his site as a “friend” to the Nazarenes; but the facts prove otherwise.

I have stayed true to the facts on NazNet. I have cut through NazNet’s deceit. NazNet cannot tolerate any further exposures and therefore, playing the coward, NazNet has shut me out.

NazNet is afraid of me.

But it won’t work. I will continue to investigate and report the truth.

Read YES, YOU CAN BELIEVE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT GOD at http://www.michnews.com/J_Grant_Swank_Jr/jgs021010.shtml

NAZNET PASTOR SCOTT CUNDIFF’S ‘DOUBLE-LIFE’ EXPOSED

2010-02-15T07:04:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

To read the Alvin, Texas Church of the Nazarene web site, one would conclude that Pastor Scott Cundiff ministered in the old-fashioned Nazarene way.

Cundiff states on the site that he cares for his people in the “classic gospel southern style.” His services and daily devotional offerings are characterized in that fashion as well. In other words, to belong to Cundiff’s church family is like being “down home holiness” folk.

“Classic gospel southern style” would convey that Cundiff’s preaching focused on inviting worshipers to be saved. Then he would preach sermons on believers being sanctified. All this is standard in that holiness denomination since its inception in 1908.

Cundiff’s sermons would be based solidly on the Bible as the trustworthy Word of God; that is, if one believed his “classic gospel southern style” of sermon preparation and delivery. The Bible would be considered the Word of God—entirely, without doubt.

One would then assume that Cundiff’s exegesis of Scripture would be carefully focusing on holy writ as divine revelation—no question. That’s the “Nazarene way.” The Bible is God’s infallible, inspired communication.

After all, is not God capable of providing a revelation that is perfect? If God is God, then His Book is without error.

John 17:17: “Sanctify them through Your truth. Your Word is truth.”

However, Cundiff has lived a theological double life now exposed to his South Texas District colleagues and the General Superintendents of the Church of the Nazarene.

Also, this exposure has been communicated to his NazNet colleagues for Cundiff is one of founder Dave McClung’s long-time moderators on NazNet. However, these NazNet colleagues have known of Cundiff’s double life all along for they are a part of it.

While giving the impression to his Bible belt congregation that he is an honest biblically faithful preacher, Cundiff espouses disbelief in the Bible on NazNet. He is joined by fellow moderator Hans Deventer from the Netherlands. Both of these NazNet staffers are permitted their heresy push by McClung—over years. NazNet is in fact a prime enemy to the Church of the Nazarene.

Cundiff and Deventer have posted often on NazNet their conclusion that the Bible is laden with errors. Deventer goes so far as to state that he does not believe in the Bible, except for passages related to Jesus. After all, believing the sections about Jesus provide Deventer with salvation and heaven. The rest of the Book can be discarded.

Cundiff holds basically to the same.

Cundiff witnesses on his church site to being a trustworthy biblical preacher and teacher. But in fact on NazNet he is a cavalier theological liberal who shunts the Bible as a take-it or leave-it. In truth, on NazNet Cundiff comes across as being more Unitarian than Nazarene.

Note this on NazNet as posted by moderator Scott Cundiff:

“In a devotional I dealt with the command given by God to wipe out entire people groups as part of the occupation of Canaan. Writing from a devotional point of view my take away is that there’s that about God, an ‘otherness’ that is beyond us and that passages like that are reminders of that fact.

“Van de Beek is right. No matter how hard one tries, it is impossible to reconcile the many commands to kill enemies in the Old Testament with the commands to love our enemies in the New.

“Even more difficult is the portrait painted of God as a violent and genocidal child killer in the Old Testament (Noah’s flood, the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the slaughter of the Canaanites and Amalekites), and in Christ the lover of children in the New.

“Van de Beek admits as much. He confesses that ‘The more one wants to let all of Scripture speak for itself . . . the more unclear the Bible becomes. The more we believe that the whole Word is revelation, the less we know who God is.’”

Read that again: “’The more we believe that the whole Word is revelation, the less we know who God is.’” That is provided by Cundiff on NazNet, the latter allowed by NazNet founder McClung.

To the above quotes, Deventer exclaimed his ecstatic approval related to Cundiff’s skepticism concerning the Bible’s trustworthiness.

So there you have it: NazNet moderator Cundiff believes that the more we research the Bible, the “less we know who God is.” At the same time, Cundiff plays “holiness, Bible-believing” preacher to his Texas worshipers.

With all this deception, McClung repeatedly states on NazNet that his web site is a “friend” to the Church of the Nazarene.

Not so.

Read more about Cundiff at NAZNET: STUDY BIBLE, WATCH GOD FADE at http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5187366-naznet-study-bible-watch-god-fade

Read still more about NazNet heresies at NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

Read “Yes, you can believe in the Old Testament God” at http://www.michnews.com/J_Grant_Swank_Jr/jgs021010.shtml

NAZNET SNUBS GOD'S BIBLE TRUTH

2010-02-14T16:33:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

John 17:17: “Sanctify them through Your truth. Your Word is truth.”

That is one of the chief verses that the Church of the Nazarene has been based upon since 1908, its founding year in Pilot Point, Texas.

The Nazarenes have proclaimed holiness of heart and life. The Nazarenes have preached without apology that a mortal can not only be saved from sins but saved from the carnal nature—sin.

How can one come to know about this divine grace potential? Through the entire Word of God—from Genesis to Revelation. God’s Word is truth.

The Church of the Nazarene has given forth faithfully the glad tidings that the Bible can be trusted. God’s Word is “truth.” All of God’s Word is “truth,” not just parts of it.

However, NazNet site founder Dave McClung says just the opposite. It states through such staffers as Scott Cundiff and Hans Deventer and cheered on by such former staffers as Barbara Moulton that the Bible is error-laden.

In other words, one must be careful when reading the Bible for there are landmines in it that can lead one astray. Therefore, one must be clever enough to pick and choose what is to be believed and what is not to be believed.

Cundiff goes so far as to state that the more one reads the Bible the more God fades. The more one researches the Scriptures, the less one knows about God. Deventer states on NazNet that he concurs.

This is exactly what the NAZNET DISTORTS site exposes about NazNet. NAZNET DISTORTS lays bare the heresies propagated by NazNet and permitted by founder McClung.

Why is NazNet up to this? Who knows? But it is there on the Internet for anyone to research. NAZNET DISTORTS has done much of the homework for the wise and discerning.

Click onto http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

It is part of the “great falling away” for the Church of the Nazarene to be attacked by its own. The General Superintendents have been informed of this intrusion. What have they done about it? I don’t know but I have at least informed them.

I have also informed the District in which Cundiff’s Alvin Texas Church of the Nazarene resides. What that officialdom does about it is under God’s surveillance. The last move they should make is to turn upon the truth giver—NAZNET DISTORTS.

God’s Word is reliable from cover to cover. Christians have witnessed that to be practical truth throughout their lifetimes.

Now come along doubters McClung, Cundiff, Deventer, Moulton and naïve posters who have lauded their positions on NazNet. It is a shame. It is blasphemy. It must be exposed far and near.

Read “Yes, you can believe in the Old Testament God” at http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/swank/100209

WHY DOES NAZNET SHUT DOWN SITE TO ME?

2010-02-14T06:36:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

As of February 14, 2010, NazNet forbids me to get into NazNet. Why?

Every avenue to the site has been cut off to me.

Logic says NazNet Founder Dave McClung and staffers Scott Cundiff and Hans Deventer do not want me to expose their heresies any further.

Moreover, NAZNET DISTORTS http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/ exposes detail upon detail regarding NazNet’s anti-Bible, anti-God postings.

In addition, NAZNET DISTORTS has exposed former NazNet staffer Chaplain Barbara Moulton’s refusal to witness publicly concerning God’s abhorrence of homosexual practice. Moulton stated she would not perform “wedding ceremonies” for same-gender duos but she would not witness publicly to the biblical prohibitions of same either.

Since that exposure, Moulton has left NazNet as a staff member and her name and email address no longer appear on the NazNet masthead; however, she continues to post comments throughout NazNet.

The latest revelation regarding NazNet has been Alvin, Texas Church of the Nazarene Pastor Scott Cundiff’s refusal to accept the Bible as the infallible Word of God. He, a NazNet moderator, has stated that the more one researches the Bible, the less one knows God. Deventer agrees. McClung does nothing to expunge this anti-Church of the Nazarene position from NazNet.

As soon as Cundiff’s lack of faith in the Bible was posted on the Internet on February 13, 2010, NazNet was cut off to me. I have been forbidden access following that exposure.

Nevertheless, as of February 14, 2010, South Texas Church of the Nazarene District officialdom has been informed of Cundiff’s NazNet statements concerning his disbelief in the entire Bible as divine revelation.

One wonders how far NazNet will go in its splintering of the Church of the Nazarene before McClung as Founder will apologize to the Church of the Nazarene for propagating heresies.

Then Cundiff needs to confess at least to his local congregation that he does not have faith in the entire Bible as God’s error-free Word.

Deventer needs to make exit from NazNet for he is exceptionally brash in his forthright denial of eternal damnation. He does not believe the Bible per his own confession on NazNet. Yet McClung permits this moderator to continue posting anti-Scripture opinions.

All the while McClung repeats that NazNet is a “friend” of the Church of the Nazarene. It is not. It is a prime enemy and has been for some time.

Read NAZNET DAVE MCCLUNG IS IRRESPONSIBLE AS ‘CHRISTIAN’ at http://truthinconviction.us/weblog.php?id=P3472

In addition, the denomination’s General Superintendents have been informed all along of NazNet’s heresies push. Specific details have been sent to the Superintendents every time NazNet heresy exposures have been placed on the Internet.

I have sent to McClung, Cundiff and Deventer the following article detailing faith in the Bible as the infallible Word of God; however, NazNet’s power clique continues to hold to the Bible being laden with errors.

Read “Yes, you can believe in the Old Testament God” at RenewAmerica.com http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/swank/100209

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

TEXAS PASTOR SCOTT CUNDIFF HIDES NAZNET HERESY

2010-02-13T16:43:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet Moderator Scott Cundiff hides his disbelief in the Bible when presenting himself as a Church of the Nazarene pastor in Texas.

Check it out here: http://www.pastorscott.com/

Cundiff and wife are pictured as a sweet couple furthering the gospel message. In fact, that is exactly what Cundiff states. One would think that he is an old-fashioned Nazarene loyalist preaching scriptural truth. In other words, Cundiff fits right in with the Bible belt where he ministers.

He describes himself as a hard-working local pastor and web site master. He states he’s on NazNet staff. And so forth.

Cundiff invites readers to click on to his daily devotions. His site is chummy enough to ask friends to view his clan’s photo album. He describes his ministry as in the “classic gospel southern style.”

However, there is no inkling on his church’s site that Cundiff does not believe in the Bible.

Yet Cundiff has severe suspicions about the reliability of the Scriptures. He really does not accept the Bible as trustworthy; in fact, the more one researches the Word, the less one knows God. That’s Cundiff’s final conclusion on studying the Book.

However, no hint of that agnosticism is on Cundiff’s Texas church site. None.

Cundiff on NazNet encourages readers to fall right in line with those suspicious of biblical detail. He chooses what he wants from the Bible; he discards what he considers not palatable.

In that, Cundiff is a cohort with NazNet staffer Hans Deventer. Further, Cundiff is theological companion to NazNet Founder Dave McClung. In reality, these three plant repeated blatant suspicions regarding Scripture, thus undercutting the faith in the Christian’s holy writ.

Cundiff poses as a kind local pastor and web site connoisseur while at the same time slicing and dicing the very God he claims to defend. In other words, Cundiff does not tell the truth; he lies. He does lie. There is no kinder way to state it but that Cundiff lies.

He witnesses on his pastoral site to being a trustworthy biblical preacher and teacher. But in fact on NazNet he is a cavalier theological liberal who shunts the Bible as a take-it or leave-it.

Note this on NazNet as planted by Moderator Scott Cundiff:

“In a devotional I dealt with the command given by God to wipe out entire people groups as part of the occupation of Canaan. Writing from a devotional point of view my take away is that there’s that about God, an ‘otherness’ that is beyond us and that passages like that are reminders of that fact.

“However, in the open letter (of Dr. C. S. Cowles of Point Loma Nazarene University), I find a solid Wesleyan perspective that helps me deal with the issue, not from a devotional point of view, but rather from a theological one. I appreciate this insight.

“And van de Beek is right. No matter how hard one tries, it is impossible to reconcile the many commands to kill enemies in the Old Testament with the commands to love our enemies in the New.

“Even more difficult is the portrait painted of God as a violent and genocidal child killer in the Old Testament (Noah’s flood, the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the slaughter of the Canaanites and Amalekites), and in Christ the lover of children in the New.

“Van de Beek admits as much. He confesses that ‘The more one wants to let all of Scripture speak for itself . . . the more unclear the Bible becomes. The more we believe that the whole Word is revelation, the less we know who God is.’”

Read more about Cundiff at NAZNET: STUDY BIBLE, WATCH GOD FADE at http://zenithmax.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/naznet-study-bible-watch-god-fade/

Read still more about NazNet heresies at http://zenithmax.wordpress.com/

Read “Yes, you can believe in the Old Testament God” at http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/swank/100209

DISASTER AREA: NAZNET DAVE MCCLUNG AXES COMMUNITY

2010-02-13T15:56:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet Founder Dave McClung states this on his site: “The only goal I have ever had for NazNet is to build community.”

As I reread that one sentence, I could not help but wonder who this double-speak McClung really is?

He has come across as a sweet gentleman who loves people and wants to help them. However, now that he has set up his web site, he has come across as a major disaster area.

McClung’s site, advertised as a “friend” to the Church of the Nazarene, is anything but. The Church of the Nazarene, birthdated in 1908 in Pilot Point, Texas, has preached biblical holiness.

It is in the Wesleyan theology tradition. The church has brought countless souls to Christ as Savior and Sanctifier.

The Church of the Nazarene has a heritage of teaching biblical truth without compromise or apology. Its educational institutions have brought the denomination in a high level of academic recognition.

I for one graduated from Eastern Nazarene College, then was immediately accepted into Harvard Divinity School. That small Nazarene college in Quincy, Massachusetts, had an outstanding academic standing with Harvard.

But now this church is under attack from one who claims that all he has wanted to do is create community, specifically within the Church of the Nazarene.

How can one acknowledge this while reading on McClung site’s his staffers championing outright heresies?

For instance, NazNet sets forth that there is no
eternal hell for the unsaved. Hans Deventer aggressively, repeatedly leads the march on that one.

That kind of carnage on NazNet does not create biblical community; it fosters confusion and dissension. It can even lead theological novices into blatant untruths. For that, Deventer will answer at the Judgment Seat of Christ; however, reading Deventer on the site makes one wonder if he actually believes in a Judgment Seat of Christ.

Further, NazNet proclaims that the Bible is not to be believed from cover to cover. Hans Deventer and Scott Cundiff endorse this heresy with gusto. Flippantly they dismiss the Word of God is grossly suspect. They apparently have no qualms about scuh blasphemy.

Surely McClung knows of these two staffers cutting through Scripture with their coy suspicions. Further, when Deventer and Cundiff post these suspicions, posters are persuaded to follow their doubts. That is apparent in the comments following. Not all, but even one led astray is one too many for a site that is supposed to be a “friend” to a holiness church.

Read NAZNET DAVE MC CLUNG = LIBERAL PIED PIPER at http://truthinconviction.us/weblog.php?id=P3475

Deventer states that he does not believe the Bible except the part about Christ as Savior. That unreasonable approach to scriptural study is so exegetically moronic that it does not deserve retort.

However, Deventer and Cudiff cavalierly delight in picking and choosing what biblical passages they believe deserve acceptance and which ones are to be discarded. Such hubris.

McClung knows of this. McClung does nothing about it. McClung thereby does not build community. He implodes it.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS for numerous other intrusions on biblical truth. Conclude for yourself whether or not McClung is the kind, gentlemanly Christian he poses for others to believe him to be.

The fact is that he is just the opposite. In these confused theological times the last person a holiness denomination needs is a splinter fitter named Dave McClung.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET DAVE MCCLUNG IS IRRESPONSIBLE AS ‘CHRISTIAN’

2010-02-09T07:33:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet Founder Dave McClung is irresponsible as a biblical Christian for permitting staffers who decry the Word of God as infallible. Question: Is McClung truly a Christian in light of the theological aberrations he is broadcasting via NazNet?

Read NAZNET MODERATOR’S DAVE MCCLUNG IS LAX, INEPT, A TROUBLE-MAKER at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/11/naznet-moderators-dave-mcclung-is-lax.html

Moderators Hans Deventer and Scott Cundiff are prime promoters of heresies.

Yet McClung continues to repeat that NazNet is a “friend” to the Church of the Nazarene. He is not. He is a major enemy to the holiness denomination.

McClung however has held official positions at the Nazarene headquarters and elsewhere. In other words, he had hobnobbed with those in ecclesiastical power—both past and present.

That means that the authoritative personages appear reluctant to discipline McClung for his NazNet continues the heresy push. These authorities have been aptly informed of McClung’s endangerment to the church.

NazNet promotes the Bible as not divine revelation. Deventer blatantly states that he does not believe the Bible. Cundiff has come out for the Scriptures as being just another book.

Read NAZNET HANS DEVENTER: ‘I DON’T BELIEVE THE BIBLE’ at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2010/02/naznet-hans-deventer-i-dont-believe.html

Read NAZNET’S SCOTT CUNDIFF KNOWS LESS OF GOD at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2010/02/naznets-scott-cundiff-knows-less-of-god.html

Read NAZNET STILL NOT SURE ABOUT BIBLE BEING INFALLIBLE at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/12/naznet-still-not-sure-about-bible-being.html

Read NAZNET = BIBLE NOT THE WHOLE WORD OF GOD at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/11/naznet-bible-not-whole-word-of-god.html

Deventer and Cundiff repeatedly accent their pet anti-Bible theme.

How does McClung reconcile these horrific theses with being a Christian let alone friendly to the Church of the Nazarene?

Read NAZNET MANAGER SCOTT CUNDIFF DELETES BIBLE AS ALL- OK: INERRANT VS. ERRANT at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/11/naznet-manager-scott-cundiff-deletes.html

Read ANOTHER NAZNET STAFF, SCOTT CUNDIFF, SUPPORTS ERROR-PRONE BIBLE
BIBLE at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/11/another-naznet-staff-scott-cundiff.html

Deventer also pushes his belief that God accepts all souls into heaven—universal salvation. That means that no soul is in hell. In fact, Deventer does not believe in hell. All this is on NazNet as “friend” to biblical believers.

Read NAZNET HANS DEVENTER HOPES GOD TAKES ALL SOULS HEAVENWARD at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2010/02/naznet-hans-deventer-hopes-god-takes.html

Read NAZNET’S HANS DEVENTER: HELL DARK & LIGHT? at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2010/02/naznets-hans-deventer-hell-dark-light.html

Read NAZNET’S HANS DEVENTER: ‘NO’ TO ETERNAL PUNISHMENT at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2010/02/naznets-hans-deventer-no-to-eternal.html

Read NAZNET CONTINUES TO ESPOUSE HELL AS ANNIHILATION at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/12/naznet-continues-to-espouse-hell-as.html

Then Deventer comes up with an “intermediate state” after death. McClung knows that is Roman Catholic teaching; it is not evangelical, holiness belief. Yet McClung permits that blasphemy to stay on NazNet. Why?

Again, it appears that McClung is so webbed by Nazarene politics that he can allow anything he wants. That is why it makes one suspicious that McClung is trying to create a “church” in competition to the Church of the Nazarene. His “church” exists on the Internet.

Read NAZNET NOT A CHURCH? at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/11/naznet-not-church.html

Read NAZNET UNDERCUTS THE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/11/naznet-undercuts-church-of-nazarene.html

Further, Deventer has this fetish about infant baptism being enveloped globally by the Church of the Nazarene. Nowhere in the Bible is an infant baptized; however, “high church” Deventer and Cundiff want it. Forget the Bible, just state your own manufactured doctrine as truth and you’re in.

Read NAZNET MODERATOR HANS DEVENTER SUPPORTS INFANT BAPTISM OVER ADULT BAPTISM at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/11/naznet-moderator-hans-deventer-supports.html

Then there is former Moderator Chaplain Barbara Moulton who states she will not marry same-gender duos. However, she will never take a biblical public stand on the issue. In other words, she will keep her Christian witness “in the closet.”

Read NAZNET’S CHAPLAIN MODERATOR KEEPS ‘GAY MARRIAGE’ IN THE CLOSET at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/11/naznets-chaplain-moderator-keeps-gay.html

Read NAZNET’S CHAPLAIN MODERATOR BARBARA MOULTON DRAWS SPIKED REACTIONS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/11/naznets-chaplain-moderator-barbara.html

Moreover, NazNet is enamored by the emerging church. That is quite the new find for NazNet moderators, particularly Cundiff.

Read NAZNET LAUDS OLD HIPPIES’ RELIGION at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2010/02/naznet-lauds-old-hippies-religion.html

The Bible has errors throughout it.

There is no eternal hell.

All souls go to heaven.

Infant baptism should be practiced worldwide.

A chaplain will not publicly defend God’s position on homosexual practice.

The Church of the Nazarene is old-stuff and needs a liberal release.

McClung creates a “church” on site, same being a competitor to the Church of the Nazarene.

The emerging church flimflam is where it is at for worshipers’ futures.

All the above is boldly stated on the McClung site. There is his photo. There is a group photo of his site pals. And there are the forums in place to proclaim heresies.

Though the General Superintendents have been informed of all this detail, seemingly they have no authority by which to expunge from McClung’s Internet “church” these declarations in direct opposition to the Nazarene heritage.

McClung will answer at the Judgment Seat of Christ for fomenting anti-God beliefs and leading many posters astray with his cute image, flip style, and sweet way of luring especially the young into his web.

Apparently McClung’s ego is large enough in his Pied Piper play at the moment that he really does not care about a final accountability. I frankly do not believe that he, Deventer, Cundiff, and Moulton believe in the Judgment Seat of Christ.

FOOTNOTE: JUDGMENT DAY

Hebrews 9:27:

It is appointed unto men once to die, but after that the judgment.

Matthew 7:21-23: the words of Christ:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Matthew 12:36-37: the words of Christ:

But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Romans 2:6-11:

God who will render to every man according to his deed: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immorality, eternal life; But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honor and peace to every man that worked good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.

Romans 14:10-12:

For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

I Corinthians 4:5:

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsel of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

II Corinthians 5:10:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Numbers 32:23:

Be sure your sin will find you out.

NAZNET HANS DEVENTER: ‘I DON’T BELIEVE THE BIBLE’

2010-02-08T14:48:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Dave McClung: Why do you permit this heresy on your NazNet site? You are ultimately responsible for this kind of anti-Bible detail appearing.

NazNet Moderator Hans Deventer states: “So I don't believe in the Bible, I believe in the God to Whom the Bible testifies. A subtle, but crucial difference.

“The witness is trustworthy to bring us to Christ (John 20:31). It can be trusted to do so. And that is its sole purpose, and the only one in which it is and needs to be inerrant.”

Click here for the quote: http://www.naznet.com/community/showthread.php/26610-JUD805-Inerrancy-of-the-Scriptures?p=275152

This is the site that claims to be a “friend” to the holiness Church of the Nazarene.

Yet a site Moderator Deventer states outright that he does not believe in the Bible. Is that helping the denomination? Does that help anyone questing for divine truth? Does that uphold divine revelation of Scripture?

No.

If one does not by faith accept the Bible as divine revelation, how in the name of reason can one have faith in the data relating to Christ? There is no reason why that data should not be suspect.

Missionary to Africa Albert Schweitzer read the data and concluded that Christ was not God. Schweitzer set his thesis forth in “The Quest of the Historical Jesus.”

In that dissertation he said he believed Christ to be a disillusioned young male Jew who held that by dying a violent death He would usher in the kingdom of God.

One must come to the Bible in faith believing it to be the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation. Otherwise, a person can pull one suspect thread after another from the revelation to conclude in nothing. The Unitarians do that all the time.

Therefore, Deventer and other theological liberals on NazNet do no favor for God and the Bible by printing their agnosticism, particularly for young posters to digest it. Deventer is no Christian mentor for posters; he is an enemy to divine truth.

Why then does NazNet Founder Dave McClung and fellow Moderator Scott Cundiff permit Deventer such prime place on NazNet? The buck stops especially at McClung’s desk. He is lax. He is wrong. And he will answer for this at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Of course, one wonders if the three even believe in the Judgment Seat of Christ, their biblical suspicions running wild throughout the site.

For those interested in believing the Old and New Testament God to be the same merciful and just deity, read YES, YOU CAN BELIEVE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT GOD at http://zenithmax.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/yes-you-can-believe-in-the-old-testament-god/

NAZNET’S SCOTT CUNDIFF KNOWS LESS OF GOD

2010-02-08T05:38:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

In the Old Testament there is recorded the divine directive to kill. In Noah’s generation, God drowned all but eight righteous individuals.

Let God be God.

There is not only the loving, merciful component in the divine persona; there is also the wrathful, just component. Deal with it. Accept it. That’s God.

Since God created the sphere and all related to it, God has the right to set His own rules. One of them is that following God is to live; turning against God is to die.

Noah’s generation knowingly turned against God. Sodom and Gomorrah did the same. And so forth. When cultures rebel against the God of the universe, they die in one way or another.

The innocent children within those collections are taken to heaven via divine mercy, for “of such is the kingdom of God.”

Christ stated the same concerning obeying and disobeying God; therefore, the New and Old Testaments agree. Christ stated that those who turn against God spend eternity in hell. Those who obey God spend eternity in heaven.

Therefore, there is no violent, mad Old Testament God in contest with a sweet, caring New Testament God. God is the same God throughout the Bible.

Regarding the harsh punishments set forth in the Old Testament, read BIBLE HARSH PENALTIES & CHRIST’S ETHIC at http://truthinconviction.us/weblog.php?id=P3465

However, NazNet Moderator Scott Cundiff and others on that website staff do not like the Old Testament God’s actions when He destroys peoples. That is one conclusion that prods these staffers to discount the inerrancy of Scripture.

NazNet staffers in the main champion a Bible with errors in it. That opens up the following: pull one error thread and where does one stop? It’s all up to the reader, of which there are countless. The ultimate thread pull is to end up in the Unitarian-Universalist camp.

What mortal dares to discount the Word of God as totally reliable, eternally revealed truth that must not be added to or subtracted from? Yet on NazNet that exercise is championed. It is lauded. That is blasphemous.

Note this on NazNet as planted by Moderator Scott Cundiff:

“In a devotional I dealt with the command given by God to wipe out entire people groups as part of the occupation of Canaan. Writing from a devotional point of view my take away is that there's that about God, an ‘otherness’ that is beyond us and that passages like that are reminders of that fact.

“However, in the open letter (of Dr. C. S. Cowles of Point Loma Nazarene University), I find a solid Wesleyan perspective that helps me deal with the issue, not from a devotional point of view, but rather from a theological one. I appreciate this insight.

“And van de Beek is right. No matter how hard one tries, it is impossible to reconcile the many commands to kill enemies in the Old Testament with the commands to love our enemies in the New.

“Even more difficult is the portrait painted of God as a violent and genocidal child killer in the Old Testament (Noah's flood, the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the slaughter of the Canaanites and Amalekites), and in Christ the lover of children in the New.

“Van de Beek admits as much. He confesses that ‘The more one wants to let all of Scripture speak for itself . . . the more unclear the Bible becomes. The more we believe that the whole Word is revelation, the less we know who God is.’”

Can one imagine that? The more one researches the Bible, the more the Word of God becomes “unclear.” That leads to unbelief; but that is permitted for there is no other choice. “The more we believe that the whole Word is revelation, the LESS WE KNOW WHO GOD IS.”

Consequently, a flippant knowledge of Scripture is best for the reader really does not get to know the God of the Book. However, when one spends a lifetime delving into the Bible’s minutia, the less one understands God. That’s what NazNet’s staffers declare by their support of Cowles and Van de Beek.

And with that, Cundiff applauds both men. Staffer Hans Deventer agrees, of course, for Deventer’s statements elsewhere on NazNet conclude him not to accept the total reliability of the Bible.

Where is NazNet Founder Dave McClung at this point? He is agreeing with the Cowles statement. Not only that, he agrees having it posted on his site that claims to be a “friend” of the Church of the Nazarene.

The denomination has never promoted disbelief in the Bible and thereby concluding one finds God unknowable.

FOOTNOTE: BIBLE HARSH PENALTIES & CHRIST’S ETHIC at http://truthinconviction.us/weblog.php?id=P3465

NAZNET HANS DEVENTER HOPES GOD TAKES ALL SOULS HEAVENWARD

2010-02-06T15:51:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet Site Coordinator Hans Deventer wobbles again.

The question is asked on NazNet as to who believes in universalism.

Read http://www.naznet.com/community/showthread.php/30581-Are-you-a-universalist-at-heart

Universalism believes that all souls go to heaven. God’s grace is universally applied, no soul excepted, hence the creation of the Unitarian-Universalist Society, headquartered in Boston.

“Universalism refers to the belief that all humans can be saved through Jesus Christ and eventually come to harmony in God's kingdom. A related doctrine, apokatastasis, is the belief that all mortal beings will be reconciled to God, including Satan and his fallen angels. In the 17th-century and 18th-century Europe and America, other Christian reformers came to believe in a universally loving God and felt that God would grant all human beings salvation. Read “Universalism” at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universalism

The Bible over and over again states that there is an eternal hell and an eternal heaven. Those who follow Christ go to heaven. Those who do not, go to hell. This reveals divine mercy and justice in balance, just as the Bible teaches.

Can the Bible get clearer than that?

Obviously the Bible is offbeat for Deventer. Deventer does not regard the Bible as infallible. He holds that it has errors in it. Question to Deventer: Once you pull one error thread from the Bible, where do you stop? If you logically continue to your heart’s content, you will end up in the Unitarian-Universalist camp.

Deventer states in reply to this NazNet site question “Are you a universalist at heart?” the following limp response for a designated NazNet staff member.

“’I'm a Nazarene, I do not believe in universalism, but I hope God does.’”

Sappy.

That is typical unsteady Deventer and others on NazNet. Instead of forthrightly endorsing the Bible with Scriptural references, they wobble, they waffle. They must think that is cute. It is not cute. It is blasphemous to counter the Word of God with one’s willy-nilly statements.

Again, NazNet claims to be a “friend” of the evangelical, holiness Church of the Nazarene. No way does that church support universalism or wobbly sweet nothings as Deventer prints on the site.

NazNet cannot be trusted. It is not biblically solid.

Deventer also believes that unsaved souls are annihilated at death; they suffer no eternal hell.

NazNet is no friend of God, the Bible or the Church of the Nazarene.

Read NazNet Distorts at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET LAUDS OLD HIPPIES’ RELIGION

2010-02-06T15:24:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank Jr.

NazNet’s Coordinators Scott Cundiff and Hans Deventer stand at the forefront of cheerleaders applauding the emerging church.

NazNet Founder Dave McClung obviously endorses the emerging church along with his staffers for he does not discount their enthusiasm.

One can count on NazNet to champion the bizarre and left of center while at the same time repeatedly stating it to be a “friend” to the Church of the Nazarene. That denomination is having troubles enough regarding the emerging church without a site “friend” getting onboard this experimental charade hoodwinking congregations into believing the emerging church is solidly based on Scripture.

Regarding the emerging church, once you proclaim that there are no absolutes, you put yourself outside Christianity.

Christianity is constructed on the biblical absolutes or it's not Christianity.

There are all kinds of prostitutions of Christianity; but God knows Christianity when He sees it. And when He sees the real thing, it's based on His absolutes as set forth in divine revelation.

The Emerging Church basically is the throwback to hippies with religion tagging along somehow somewhere.

The Emerging Church won't say anything absolute about homosexuality or abortion. That means it's a cowardly conclave that wants more of self than God's truth.

God's truth is set forth in Scripture. Regarding homosexual practice, God abhors it. Regarding killing womb babies, God abhors it.

Therefore, when the Emerging Church plays chicken on such ethical concerns, it sides with the dark powers. God is light. The Emerging Church cohabitates with compromise and that lifts it outside the genuine company of believers.

The Emerging Church is a fad that will fade - and the quicker the better. It is a giggle kind of group that is self-centered in that whatever plays best for the constituents is what goes.

Christians are not on Earth to play best for self. Christians are here to live out the biblical ethic - period.

The Emerging Church boasts of its swing dance group, its happy hour, its hiking clubs and so on and so on. Whatever serves self's giddy get-up this Friday works for the Emerging Church.

That's a far cry from biblical commissions to live out holiness, go into all the world to make disciples of Christ, and be separate from worldliness unto God's impress.

The Emerging Church is touted among some today as The Latest in religious zeal, even at times including the term "evangelical" in its description.

All this is so much untruth in advertising.

This Emerging Church self-based flimflam will dissipate for it has no actual substance. Its little candle will light itself dry soon.

The world is crazy. Yes. And part of that nuthouse stuff is the Emerging Church.

With that, farewell to those who pride themselves on having discovered something new. It's nothing more than the old hippie bag with a religion of self-preoccupation.

NAZNET’S HANS DEVENTER: HELL DARK & LIGHT?

2010-02-05T05:21:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet Coordinator Hans Deventer poses his questions about an eternal hell.

One of the dilemmas he posits is that there cannot be an everlasting fire in total darkness called “hell” even though Jesus stated that.

Therefore, this reasoning helps Deventer conclude that when Jesus speaks of an eternal burning fire as well as entire darkness, He must have been uninformed.

That then edges Deventer closer to his doctrine of the annihilation of the unsaved rather than those souls spending forever in punishment.

In other words, Deventer knows more than Jesus. There is no other conclusion that a bystander can reach but that—Deventer knows what hell is and Jesus was mistaken. Consequently, eternal hell is not. Deventer says so.

Deventer is obviously ignorant of the fact that total darkness with intense heat already exists. It is the burnt out star known as the “black hole.”

Black holes in the universe are just those—entities in which there is no light at all and at the same time there is heat beyond description. In other words, black holes could very well stand for “hell.” At least, they supply the existence of Jesus’ definition.

Deventer needs to move over and let Jesus be God. When God speaks in the Bible, whether we understand what is there or not, does not discount what is there.

Deventer finds it difficult to reckon with his finite brain. He is mortal. He is not capable to think through eternal data to its nth degree. Therefore, Deventer needs to quit depositing doubt on NazNet and start upping his faith quotient in the infallible Word of God.

However, Deventer and fellow Coordinator Scott Cundiff do not hold to an infallible Scripture. They conclude that the Word of God has errors in it. That doubt factor is blatantly stated on NazNet. What then are posters to think when these two staffers question the Bible as the truth-full divine revelation?

In the meantime, NazNet Founder Dave McClung needs to request Deventer in particular to keep his anti-Bible doubts to himself rather than blather them all over a site that claims to be a “friend” to the Church of the Nazarene.

Such cutting up Nazarene beliefs in the name of “friend” is not friendly at all. It is betrayal.

All of this has been pointed out to the Church of the Nazarene General Superintendents, but seemingly to no avail. Could it be because McClung has been “high up there” in various denominational positions over years and therefore has insulated himself against criticism?

I don’t know; but the heresies continue to stand on NazNet even though the Nazarene leaders have been requested to do something about them. Apparently the denomination can be sacrificed in other protect a fellow politician.

And so the dreadful beat goes on of NazNet threatening the Church of the Nazarene’s integrity. NazNet, in short, appears to be creating a “church” of its own while playing up to the Church of the Nazarene hierarchy, trying to appear companionable.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET’S HANS DEVENTER: ‘NO’ TO ETERNAL PUNISHMENT

2010-02-04T16:03:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet Coordinator Hans Deventer cannot bring himself to accept Jesus’ clear statements regarding eternal punishment for the unsaved.

This is what Deventer provided on NazNet:

“The other day this verse crossed my mind:

4 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his;
praise his holy name.

5 For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning. (Psalm 30)

“And

7 "For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.

8 In a surge of anger
I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,"
says the LORD your Redeemer. (Isaiah 54)

“Do these verses sound like God will maintain endless conscious suffering in hell?”

Deventer, always tending to experiment with the Bible, considering it to be fallible, refuses to accept the eternal punishment of the unredeemed. Therefore, he explains away Jesus’ warnings of everlasting damnation.

This is sheer hubris, of which Deventer is not averse. In fact, when reading this NazNet staff member’s posts, they frequently state the gospel according to Deventer rather than the divinely revealed eternal truths.

Deventer delights in posing questions about Jesus’ teachings concerning those who reject the sinless Sacrifice’s provision for salvation. In that, Deventer even goes so far as to believe in the annihilation of unsaved souls.

He cannot bring himself to accept the divine justice inherent in an eternal hell. He is more than willing to write copiously about divine love and mercy. But when it comes to the divine anger and justice, he wilts.

That is not healthy for a theological segment on the site, such stating repeatedly that it is a “friend” to the Church of the Nazarene.

The Church of the Nazarene history is one of total loyalty to the Bible as God’s revealed truth. Therefore, when it comes to the clear verses concerning heaven and hell, they have been preached in the Church of the Nazarene just as one reads them in the Bible.

However, then comes along Deventer who has the most fun whittling away, carving out his own definitions, and finally questioning the substance of the verses studied.

Read “Church of the Nazarene Threatened by Heretical Naznet Site” at http://www.magic-city-news.com/J_Grant_Swank_61/Church_of_the_Nazarene_Threatened_by_Heretical_Naznet_Site13013.shtml

When is NazNet founder / coordinator Dave McClung going to expunge Deventer’s heresies? Unless he does, NazNet continues to be an enemy to the holiness foundation of the Church of the Nazarene.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZARENES THREATENED BY NAZNET SITE

2010-02-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

The Church of the Nazarene holiness heritage is threatened by heresies propagated by NazNet and obviously permitted by founder Dave McClung.

Check out NazNet: http://www.naznet.com/

Staffers offering their own versions of Christian truth include Hans Deventer, Scott Cundiff, and Dave McClung.

Chaplain Barbara Moulton, once on staff, has since bowed out after stating she would not perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex duos but also she would not take a public stand against such either. So goes her biblical testimony on behalf of one-man one-woman nuptials.

Heresies furthered by NazNet include Deventer believing that unsaved souls are annihilated at death. For him there is no everlasting punishment called “hell.”

Deventer also refers to an “intermediate state” for the soul after death. Where does the Bible teach that? It doesn’t. It is a Catholic / sometimes Anglican teaching but not found in Scripture. Nevertheless, Deventer goes on elaborating nonsense on behalf of an “intermediate state.”

Several staffers, including Deventer and Cundiff in particular, do not believe that the Bible is totally reliable as 100% divinely inspiration holy writ. In other words, the Bible has errors in it. Once we pick out one error, then when and where do we stop if we don’t accept the infallible Word of God?

Deventer states that he does not believe in universalism—that is, universal salvation in that all souls go to heaven—but wishes that God believed in universal salvation.

Now that is totally sap material and should never find a place on a website that repeatedly claims it is a “friend” to the Church of the Nazarene.

Deventer is quite enthusiastic about infant baptism
so believes it should be accepted worldwide as a bottom line ritual. Though there is no reference in the Bible to infants being baptized, Deventer wishes that it was embraced globally by the Church of the Nazarene.

NazNet has an obvious bias for a “high church” Church of the Nazarene. Mimicking Catholicism / Anglicanism is a prime choice by staffers.

NazNet cheers on the emerging church with its flim-flam diluting of biblical preaching and teaching. NazNet thrills at the thought of an emerging church engulfing the Church of the Nazarene.

I have contacted NazNet staffers repeatedly as well as the General Superintendents of the Church of the Nazarene concerning these heretical intrusions. However, nothing basic has changed at NazNet.

And apparently the General Superintendents leadership is sadly limp at this point, that is, relating to NazNet’s destructive influence. If with NazNet, where else are Superintendents lax?

Why doesn’t the Church of the Nazarene use this religiously confused time to spell out more exactly the denomination’s historic biblical truths: salvation, sanctification, heaven, hell, biblical infallibility, grassroots evangelism and so forth?

Instead, NazNet delights in the heretically novel, playing up to young posters especially, trying to be on the theological edge and baiting doctrinally grounded biblical Nazarenes to beg off the site for fear of being ostracized by the heretically “elite.”

If this continues, the Church of the Nazarene will splinter further. It is fractured now; but the NazNet heresies’ push with Superintendents’ laxity will further the malaise.

While the world awaits a more specific explanation regarding the Nazarene’s historically prime call—preaching and teaching biblical holiness—the denomination crumbles due to lack of leadership and divisions increasing within its ranks.

Read NazNet Distorts at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET: ‘GAY-MUM’ CHAPLAIN BARBARA MOULTON RECANTS NOT

2010-02-03T09:59:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Chaplain Barbara Moulton, former staff member of NazNet, stated as a clergyperson she would not perform homosexual “marriages.”

However, she then stated she would not publicly say she disagreed with same-gender duo nuptials.

In other words, she would not use her chaplaincy to conduct weddings for two women or two men; however, she would not let the world know her position either.

Moulton was confronted with this inconsistency of refusing performing nuptials but not stating her biblical position “outside the closet.”

Read FORMER NAZNET CHAPLAIN BARBARA MOULTON STILL CLOSETS ‘GAY UNIONS’ at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/11/former-naznet-chaplain-barbara-moulton.html

With that confrontation, I was informed by NazNet Founder / Coordinator Dave McClung that Moulton was quite “pained” in having to be faced with her contradiction. I did not respond to McClung. Nevertheless, I did wonder how a Nazarene chaplain could be on staff for NazNet and yet hold to such a “gay-mum” stance.

Read NAZNET MODERATOR’S DAVE MCCLUNG IS LAX, INEPT, A TROUBLE-MAKER at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/11/naznet-moderators-dave-mcclung-is-lax.html

Since then, Moulton’s name is no longer on NazNet’s masthead though she frequently contributes to the sites’ discussions, usually on the liberal side of issues.

The Church of the Nazarene General Superintendents have been informed of this debacle, as well as informed of numerous heresies propagated by NazNet, seemingly with no significant results forthcoming.

Read NAZNET UNDERCUTS THE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/11/naznet-undercuts-church-of-nazarene.html

It is often circulated that the General Superintendents
muffle their authority on a number of themes; consequently, I was not surprised that they had not made an imprint on NazNet for change.

Many wonder if the Church of the Nazarene is changing for the worst, moving from its original calling of proclaiming scriptural holiness worldwide. Now it has become bogged down in contentions of one sort or another.

Read CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE THREATENED BY HERETICAL NAZNET SITE at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2010/02/church-of-nazarene-threatened-by.html

The Moulton situation is exemplary of how stogy the Nazarene Kansas City headquarters headship has hidden its head in the sand. All the while, the denomination founders.

Concerning Moulton, there have been those who hoped that she would put down her silence position to come out publicly on behalf of God’s Word. The Bible states without doubt that God abhors homosexual practice, let alone “marriages” of same-gender duos.

Nevertheless, Moulton does not recant regarding her “gay-mum” lock-in, at least not via NazNet. Therefore, her cowardice remains intact to confront her at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

ADDENDUM:

ANTI-HOMOSEXUAL PASSAGES IN THE BIBLE

Leviticus 18:22: "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination."

Leviticus 20:13: "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them."

Romans 1:18-32: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. . .For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools. . .

"Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. . .

"For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire towards one another, men with men committed indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

"God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice. . .without understanding. . . and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them."

I Corinthians 6:9: "Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God."

HERETICAL NAZNET HYPES EMERGING CHURCH. WHY?

2010-02-03T05:53:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Why does heretical NazNet hype the emerging church? Because NazNet does whatever is the latest hype, even when it is against biblical truth.

The emerging church is flung around thither and yon. It hardly as a reliable definition except that it delights in not having a reliable definition. With that, NazNet wades in to help sway in the direction away from the traditional theology of the Church of the Nazarene, let alone anything else tradition about that holiness denomination.

Take a look at the emerging church’s intentional blur:

Once you proclaim that there are no absolutes, you put yourself outside Christianity.

Christianity is constructed on the biblical absolutes or it's not Christianity.

There are all kinds of prostitutions of Christianity; but God knows Christianity when He sees it. And when He sees the real thing, it's based on His absolutes as set forth in divine revelation.

The Emerging Church basically is the throwback to hippies with religion tagging along somehow somewhere.

The Emerging Church won't say anything absolute about homosexuality or abortion. That means it's a cowardly conclave that wants more of self than God's truth.

God's truth is set forth in Scripture. Regarding homosexual practice, God abhors it. Regarding killing womb babies, God abhors it.

Therefore, when the Emerging Church plays chicken on such ethical concerns, it sides with the dark powers. God is light. The Emerging Church cohabitates with compromise and that lifts it outside the genuine company of believers.

The Emerging Church is a fad that will fade - and the quicker the better. It is a giggle kind of group that is self-centered in that whatever plays best for the constituents is what goes.

Christians are not on Earth to play best for self. Christians are here to live out the biblical ethic - period.

The Emerging Church boasts of its swing dance group, its happy hour, its hiking clubs and so on and so on. Whatever serves self's giddy get-up this Friday works for the Emerging Church.

That's a far cry from biblical commissions to live out holiness, go into all the world to make disciples of Christ, and be separate from worldliness unto God's impress.

The Emerging Church is touted among some today as The Latest in religious zeal, even at times including the term "evangelical" in its description.

All this is so much untruth in advertising.

This Emerging Church self-based flimflam will dissipate for it has no actual substance. Its little candle will light itself dry soon.

The world is crazy. Yes. And part of that nuthouse stuff is the Emerging Church.

With that, farewell to those who pride themselves on having discovered something new. It's nothing more than the old hippie bag with a religion of self-preoccupation.

HAWAII: CHRISTIANS NIXED ‘GAY UNION’ VS NAZNET’S BARBARA MOULTON COWARDICE

2010-02-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Christians got to work, including prayer, to defeat officialdom from blessing ‘same-sex unions’ as legal, per Baptist Press’ Michael Foust.

Believers banded together to network. They showed up before lawmakers to tell them not to legalize these unions.

They prayed in church, at home and in their individual devotions that God would bring biblical ethic victory to Hawaii. And it happened.

“Rick Lazor, pastor of OlaNui Church, a Southern Baptist congregation, told Baptist Press the outcome was pleasantly surprising.

“’We can come up with some good procedural reasons [for why it failed], but I don't have a doubt in my mind that it was prayer,’ Lazor told Baptist Press.

“‘We can't figure out how seven or eight representatives switched [in the last year], and some of these who became “no” votes or didn't want to vote were folks who were extremely passionate about passing it last year. It was pretty amazing.’”

God promised that the “effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous avail much.” God inspired his Holy Word to guide us in intercession and to keep the hope alive when battling various social evils.

Christians around the world daily are more and more aware that the sphere is spiritual. We are not confined to a secular world. We are living in a sphere in which the forces of good battle against the bad. Therefore, believers must be on the front lines defending the Scriptures as divinely inspired. Consequently, they defend scriptural morality.

As an example of how not to do it, chaplain Barbara Moulton, former staff member of NazNet web site, stated that she would not testify publicly against same-sex “marriages.” Yet she claims to have been a writer for the pro-friendly Church of the Nazarene read.

NazNet is not officially linked to the holiness church; however, Dave McClung, founder, repeatedly states that his site is a “friend” to the denomination. This cannot be fact for the site espouses teachings that are heretical to the Church of the Nazarene, e.g., annihilation of the unsaved at death, an “intermediate state” following death, the teaching that the Bible cannot be trusted for it has errors in it, and the hope of universal salvation.

Read NazNet Distorts at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

For Ms. Mouton, as an example, to refuse to give witness to the biblical definition of marriage is appalling. Thank heaven the believers in Hawaii disagreed with her cowardice.

Read “Christian opposition (again) credited with defeat of Hawaii gay unions bill” at http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=32182

NAZNET UNIVERSALIST HANS DEVENTER WOBBLY

2010-01-29T10:20:00.001-08:00

NAZNET STILL NOT SURE ABOUT BIBLE BEING INFALLIBLE

2009-12-23T13:58:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet Site Manager Scott Cundiff still chooses to question whether the Bible is totally reliable as the infallible Word of God.

Site founder and moderator Dave McClung must be confused as well for he has been appealed to to stand alongside the Bible as the Word of God that can be trusted from Genesis to Revelation.

However, McClung continues to foster questions and doubts about the Word of God.

Staff Hans Deventer joins in with the same stanza.

Yet NazNet states on its site that is the friend to the Church of the Nazarene. Not so.

The Protestant evangelical denomination stands with those who witness to the Word of God being absolutely reliable as divine revelation.

Once one thread is pulled from this stance, the whole Bible can be unwoven.

I know. I was a divinity student at Harvard Divinity School. I saw what theologians can do to pull all threads from the Word of God. The end result is Unitarianism, where I was seated as a young
ministerial student.

I know how dangerous that unbiblical journey can become.

Yet NazNet applauds it.

The Church of the Nazarene General Superintendents have been informed of this but seem not to be doing anything about it and its relationship to the site.

This is a travesty.

Read NAZNET STAFF HANS DEVENTER CONFUSED ABOUT ‘INTERMEDIATE STATE’? at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/12/naznet-staff-hans-deventer-confused.html

Read NAZNET CONTINUES TO ESPOUSE HELL AS ANNIHILATION at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/12/naznet-continues-to-espouse-hell-as.html

NAZNET CONTINUES TO ESPOUSE HELL AS ANNIHILATION

2009-12-23T13:36:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

“I agree, no part of us is immortal. That is why I believe that hell is annihilation and immortality is conditional.”

That is what Hans Deventer, NazNet staffer, continues to state on this site that claims to be a friend of the Church of the Nazarene.

Site founder and moderator Dave McClung has been informed about this heresy and yet Deventer continues propagating it.

What is going on here regarding ethics?

What is going on here concerning biblical truth?

Deventer does not care about biblical data. He manufactures his own, McClung baptizing it as legitimate for his site.

The Church of the Nazarene General Superintendents have been informed of this but seemingly cannot do anything about McClung, his site’s claims to be friend of the Nazarenes, and Deventer stating that which is totally against the Bible.

Yet the reading world should know the truth, hence this post.

The Bible states nowhere that the damned go to annihilation. Christ Himself speaks repeatedly of eternal damnation. Those familiar with the Bible know these passages. Those in the Church of the Nazarene know these passages.

Please, someone do something to exorcise these untruths from NazNet or at least persuade the Church of the Nazarene officialdom to post a statement disagreeing with any tie with McClung and his site.

Read NAZNET STAFF HANS DEVENTER CONFUSED ABOUT ‘INTERMEDIATE STATE’? at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/12/naznet-staff-hans-deventer-confused.html

NAZNET STAFF HANS DEVENTER CONFUSED ABOUT ‘INTERMEDIATE STATE’?

2009-12-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

“The Bible isn't clear about the intermediate state. . .”

That is Hans Deventer lamenting.

The Bible says nothing about an intermediate state.

Why does this Deventer persist that it does? Is this NazNet staffer a part of the Church of the Nazarene? NazNet says he is.

Yet that denomination no way states anything about such a state. It is bogus. Yet the staffer continues posting on the Dave McClung site that the latter states it is supportive of the Church of the Nazarene.

This is totally confusing and disturbing for it goes on and on and on.

When is this intrusion of non-biblical nonsense going to come to an end so that readers are not taken off the biblical course?

McClung has been appealed to about this matter. Nothing done.

Deventer has been appealed to about this matter. Nothing done.

There it is on the site for the world to read as if it is an issue crucial to the Church of the Nazarene.

The Bible speaks of heaven and hell, no intermediate state.

Roman Catholicism speaks of limbo for the unbaptized dead children and purgatory for those not accepted directly into heaven.

All this is heresy.

So where does NazNet staffer Deventer come up with his own concoction of the intermediate state?

Please, NazNet, clean up your site or apologize to readers and the Church of the Nazarene for being sloppy in maintaining your site or purposefully directing readers into heresy.

Read “Eternal torment?” at http://www.naznet.com/community/showthread.php?t=28935

NAZNET NOT A CHURCH?

2009-11-17T08:11:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet Moderator Hans Deventer: “NazNet is an online forum, it’s not a church.”

Incorrect.

NazNet appears as an “online forum.” But in reality when checking out its base line on theology, it acts like a church.

NazNet presents its own doctrines, such, for instance, being Deventer’s belief statements. They include that there is no eternal torment in hell as Christ informs. Instead, Deventer states that the unsaved are zapped via “annihilation.”

Now Deventer right there puts forth a churchly faith statement as churches do. Consequently, Deventer is not only holding forth on an “online forum” but pitting his “doctrines” against the holiness Church of the Nazarene, the latter posted on NazNet as being friends with NazNet.

Further, Deventer and fellow Moderator Scott Cudliff state doctrinal beliefs thusly: the Bible has errors in it. Yes. That’s what they hold faith in. It is not the infallible inerrant Word of God, a divine who knows how to reveal without flaw.

When these two Moderators give forth with that kind of theology, they are not in keeping with the Church of the Nazarene. In fact, they become theological enemies to Nazarenes. That evangelical Protestant denomination believes deity is equipped to tell His own proclamations flawlessly.

As one reads through NazNet, the unmistakable conclusion reached is that Founder and Moderator Dave McClung definitely pits his site against the Church of the Nazarene.

He is forming his own competitive Internet-church to the Church of the Nazarene. If the Nazarene General Superintendents don’t confront this head-on, they are not fulfilling their responsibilities.

In addition, Deventer doctrinally proclaims his belief that “eternal life” as defined by Christ is not everlasting. That poses the question as to whether Deventer has any acumen by which to define terms understood by others as meaning what they mean.

Just importantly, this kind of heresy weave throughout NazNet would put that site in the form of a church. It is a church without buildings. But it does have officialdom and creeds. It does have means by which to communicate those creeds.

So NazNet preaches that heaven is not without end. Hell is not eternal torment. The Scriptures are not reliable.

But there is more: Deventer teaches that infant baptism is divinely approved accurate, more so than adult believers’ baptism. The New Testament states just the opposite; but who cares? We have Deventer.

So now NazNet has its own definition of a sacrament. That surely does move into the churchly venue.

Will the Church of the Nazarene leadership own up to this opposing “church”, doing so as to state publicly that the denomination disavows any “friendly tie” to NazNet? NazNet delights in repeatedly claiming to be Nazarene-friendly. Oh yes, very much so.

Will Nazarenes realize that when reading NazNet they are being drawn into a church as defined by the site’s own doctrinal statements?

Further, a former Moderator Chaplain Barbara Moulton even went so far as to inform me about her position on a moral issue. It was homosexuality.

She, a chaplain, stated she would not witness to the scriptural position on the topic, that is, she would not support God’s stance in public. In other words, she would play coward at that juncture.

I then would take that as a churchly position taken by one of NazNet’s top names, though now she has bowed out of the site, per Dave McClung absenting her from the masthead and also his latest post of “Making NazNet an even friendlier place”.

Read more at NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

FORMER NAZNET CHAPLAIN BARBARA MOULTON STILL CLOSETS ‘GAY UNIONS’

2009-11-16T12:23:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Barbara Moulton told me: “I don't perform them (homosexual ‘marriages’) and will never perform them. I simply am not going to crusade against allowing them to take place in my country.”

“. . . not. . .crusade against allowing them. . .”

So that’s the conclusion of it, is it Ms. Chaplain?

To her cemented conclusion I asked her how she could be a biblical Christian and yet gag her biblical testimony in the marketplace?

My Bible reads that Christ told His own to gospel the world. That includes the Christ ethic regarding issues such as homosexual practice. Moulton refuses to recant her cowardliness for courage in witnessing openly regarding this pressing moral issue.

I have waited for a retraction from the Chaplain. None has been forthcoming.

Instead, Moulton has informed me that she has blocked my email communications. In her own words: “I will be blocking your e-mail.” Clearly noted.

Further, she complains that by exposing her cowardliness, I botched her morning.

She states: “Thanks for starting my day off in such a lovely manner.” That said sarcastically, obviously.

Immediately I thought of God’s heart. How “lovely” has Moulton delighted the divine by hiding “gay nuptials” in the closet. There she put “homosexual marriage” for all time, no matter the call of God to broadcast truth by every means possible.

As Ms. Chaplain locks the closet door, homosexuals clog our boulevards with crusading chants.

Did not Christ say something about not hiding one’s light under a bushel?

Read more re Barbara Moulton: NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET MODERATOR HANS DEVENTER: NAZARENES GOOFED ON DEFINITION OF HELL

2009-11-16T10:49:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet website Founder/Moderator Dave McClung makes this statement at the site’s outset:

“NazNet is proud to be a loyal supporter of the denomination and its world wide mission -- to respond to the Great Commission of Christ ‘to make Christ-like disciples in the nations.’ This is a Nazarene friendly site and our purpose is: ‘building community among Nazarenes and friends.’”

Not so. In fact, far far from it.

NazNet undercuts Church of the Nazarene historic theology. One of the site’s prime voices is Moderator Hans Deventer, unfortunately.

McClung should absent Deventer from any posts on the site if McClung wants to be honest in his opening statement of support for the Church of the Nazarene.

Deventer propagates heresies that will never be acceptable to Wesleyan holiness teachings of the Church of that Nazarene, that is, unless this denomination transgresses its spiritual journey in disobeying God. And that in fact is happening as I type. If it continues, the Church of the Nazarene will implode under God’s wrath.

For example, NazNet reader Ian Gentles states to Deventer: “I believe in eternal torment. Oh trust me, I don’t like it, but I believe it. Can the church have misunderstood all these centuries?”

Deventer answers: “THE church has had different opinions, and THE church has never felt the need to express itself in the early creeds on this topic. Hence, it is an issue where differences of opinion are allowed.”

Gentles responds: “Did the Nazarene church misunderstand?”

Deventer says: “Yes. Hey, we can't have everything right, can we?”

Gentles continues: “Did i misunderstand the Bible?”

Deventer again: “Yes.”

Yes?

Gentles states he believes the biblical Christ’s teaching regarding eternal torment being just that.

Deventer redirects him to the “truth according to Deventer.” Sadly Deventer does this repeatedly throughout the site.

Deventer tenaciously believes in infant baptism, contrary to the traditional Nazarene infant dedication and adult believers’ baptism.

Deventer teaches that there is no “eternal torment.” Deventer states that “annihilation” is the proper reality.

Deventer teaches that there is no such entity as “eternal life.” “Eternal” is not meant to be everlasting but merely the content, not duration for the saved.

Deventer does not hold that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant Word of God. He believes that the more doubt one holds to, the more one comes upon truth. Moderator Scott Cundiff agrees. NazNet Founder Dave McClung does nothing to correct these heresies.

I emailed Deventer regarding his misuse of Scripture. His email to me let me know that I am his “enemy.”

If am his enemy, I am God’s friend. Deventer destroys the biblical truth; I support biblical truth.

Deventer seemingly has no fear of appearing before the Judgment Seat of Christ for he writes his own holy writ by flying by the seat of his pants.

That’s actually not the way to carry out biblical research, especially for the benefit of inquirers on a site that advertises itself as friend to Nazarenes.

What say, McClung?

Read more: NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET MODERATOR HANS DEVENTER: ‘ETERNAL LIFE’ IS NOT ETERNAL

2009-11-15T19:00:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet Moderator Hans Deventer has no clue as to what happens to the soul upon death.

In a particular NazNet discussion slide he states unabashedly that hell is not “eternal torment,” though Christ states same as well and in numerous places gives more data than that.

Yet Deventer upstages Christ by declaring that there is no eternal torment known as “hell.” Instead, hell is “annihilation.” Annihilation? Yes, annihilation, per Hans Deventer.

Nowhere in Scripture does God the revelator proclaim that definition of annihilation for “hell.” Deventer makes it up and yet without apology puts it on the site that underlines its allegiance to the holiness, biblically grounded Church of the Nazarene.

Now in that same discussion slide, Deventer questions “eternal life” as being “eterenal.” Deventer once again plays linguistic magician by taking clear scriptural language and giving it a totally different definition.

Here is typical Deventer: “Eternal life is known to be a quality of life rather than a duration.”

I always thought that “eternal” meant “eternal.” Deventer declares the exact opposite. He says that it has nothing to do with eternality but the content of existence.

This kind of twist and turn repeats itself throughout NazNet while non-theologian NazNet Founder Dave McClung does absolutely nothing to biblically correct these heresies.

No wonder Deventer along with NazNet Moderator Scott Cundiff do not believe that the Bible is in fact the infallible, inerrant Word of God. They state that the Bible is loaded with flaws. Therefore, God has no idea how to communicate a perfect revelation; instead, He makes mistakes or stretches detail at times or just plain misses the point on occasion.

Such hubris. However, hubris is current fare of NazNet overseers.

So there you have it on heaven: it is not eternal. “Eternal” does not mean “eternal” to Deventer.

And the devilish beat goes on and on.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

NAZNET UNDERCUTS THE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE

2009-11-15T11:45:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

That is correct.

Site overseers such as NazNet Manager Scott Cudliff and Moderator Hans Deventer champion those who doubt the Bible as a reliable revelation from the Christian God. (See footnote for further detail at NAZNET DISTORTS http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/ .)

Yet the Bible states in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto good works.”

“All Scripture. . .is profitable for doctrine. . .”

When God inspired those words, He meant it. Not just what is convenient Scripture or that which is pleasant to you, but all Scripture. Not just what liberals pronounce as condoned, but all Scripture. That means from Genesis to Revelation, all Scripture is God’s infallible communication.

Does NazNet’s deity have flawed communication skills? Obviously, for Cudliff and Deventer applaud same. NazNet Founder and Moderator Dave McClung must go along with this heresy for he never disciplines his overseers or counters their anti-God views.

By the way, McClung is not a theologian. He is a successful businessman.

Why then does he found and head a primarily religious site, advertising it as Church of the Nazarene-friendly? He is not doctrinally astute. He is not theologically trained. Yet he is forming a seminary-on-Internet and Internet competitive “denomination” against the holiness Nazarene history.

McClung delights in his ego aggrandizement in watching particularly the young follow his Pied Piper musical dance into God’s wrath. McClung is proud. He is conceited. That is why he has molded this NazNet grouse that entices the unknowing into his dark web.

Yet all along he boasts that NazNet is a support system for the Wesleyan holiness Church of the Nazarene. It is just the opposite.

For instance, Cudliff states on NazNet that he is mesmerized by C. S. Cowles’ address regarding the emerging church. In that address, Cowles esteems a liberal theologian who destroys faith in the Bible for ongoing doubt.

Cudliff lifts high that quote from Cowles and states for the world to read that such an heretical view encourages Cudliff’s “Wesleyan perspective.”

That is a lie. It cannot be. Cowles’ quote has nothing to do with endorsing Wesleyan theology and the holiness interpretation of the Word. In fact, that quote enables atheism, not Wesleyan doctrine.

Time and again, such deceit weaves its way through the discussion slides on NazNet. There is much there that is cotton candy; but there is enough to damn. And McClung knows that; but he is so enthralled with his own ego enlargement by this site that he continues to “gospel” lies.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. . .”

That includes the flood in Noah’s day. That flood is scuttled by Cowles and thereby by Cudliff by the latter’s own confession on NazNet.

That divine inspiration includes the slaying of various peoples in the Old Testament period. Such is submerged by Cowles and therby Cudliff.

What these liberals do is to transplant their own divine personality mold upon the Bible—mostly sugary sweet deity images. If the Bible does not support that persona, the biblical verses are scrapped. Of course, Psalm 23 is left. And I Corinthians 13. However, the more difficult passages are yanked out as logically and theologically unsound.

However, God has stated: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. . .” It is not there for us to scissor out at our whim. Scripture is not provided for us to critique. It is there by “inspiration of God.” God!

Therefore, if you cannot stomach that God, don’t claim Him.

However, the likes of Cowles, Cudliff, McClung and Deventer want to claim Him to get to heaven; but they disown His ability to give us a responsible revelation. Such hubris. Yet it is there on NazNet while that site witnesses to being a companion to the Church of the Nazarene.

Will the General Superintendents do anything about this?

I don’t know. But I have emailed to them various NazNet samplings to let them know the facts about that site.

If they do nothing, then they have no spines. They are mandated by Christ to tell the truth, defend the truth, and particularly care for the holiness biblical trust of the Church of the Nazarene. Time will tell what they do about such demonic inroads as NazNet.

Some time ago, I wrote about the difficult sections of Scripture in the light of God’s persona. I did not have to slide God off the charts. I instead discovered in the study of those venues that this God I serve is most respectable. It is because of his just and merciful holy nature.

What the rebels such as overseers on NazNet have done is to overweigh God on the love side of His persona and neglect His justice side. One cannot do that.

Holy God is the eternal, perfect balance of justice and mercy. When realizing that truth in both Old and New Testaments, one comes upon a perfect deity, in no need of NazNet’s surgical knives.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

Read BIBLE HARSH PENALTIES & CHRIST’S ETHIC at http://truthinconviction.us/weblog.php?id=P3256

NAZNET = BIBLE NOT THE WHOLE WORD OF GOD

2009-11-15T11:22:00.001-08:00

NAZNET MANAGER SCOTT CUNDIFF DELETES BIBLE AS ALL- OK: INERRANT VS. ERRANT

2009-11-15T06:32:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Once again, NazNet counters its prime aim. It states that it is Church of the Nazarene-friendly. The Church of the Nazarene historically accepts the Bible as the inerrant Word of God, a few rebels excepted.

Now NazNet seeks to turn that around by making the Bible weighed down in error, therefore opening up the window for dark shadows. When one takes away the conviction that the Bible is the pure Word of the divine, mortals start to slice and dice.

In that, NazNet joins the rebels.

Liberals have been doing slice and dicing for years, hence the liberal creed of doubt over faith.

NazNet encourages that doubt over faith, particularly when making sense of the “harsh passages” of the Old Testament. And this is to be Church of the Nazarene-friendly? This is supportive of the “Nazarene community” that NazNet plays up to?

Cundiff, along with NazNet Founder Dave McClung and Moderator Hans Deventer, adore C. S. Cowles’ position of errancy.

NazNet readers are encouraged to read in full Cowles’ “An Open Letter Concerning Scriptural Inerrancy.” Note: http://www.naznet.com/inerrant.htm

Highlighting that encouragement, Cundiff states the unthinkable: “I find a solid Wesleyan perspective that helps me deal with the issue, not from a devotional point of view, but rather from a theological one. I appreciate this insight.”

A Wesleyan perspective? Hardly.

All the more NazNet overseers use companionable words to cozy up to Nazarenes, e.g., “Wesleyan.”

Yet with that “Wesleyan” slide-in, who could then doubt Cowles’ position. It must be a winner for Cundiff to give it the Wesleyan wave.

Cundiff then on NazNet provides this Cowles quote: “No matter how hard one tries, it
is impossible to reconcile the many commands to kill enemies in the Old Testament with the commands to love our enemies in the New.

“Even more difficult is the portrait painted of God as a violent and genocidal child killer in the Old Testament (Noah’s flood, the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the slaughter of the Canaanites and Amalekites), and in Christ the lover of children in the New.

“(Dutch Reformed theologian A.) Van de Beek admits as much. He confesses that ‘The more one wants to let all of Scripture speak for itself . . . the more unclear the Bible becomes. The more we believe that the whole Word is revelation, the less we know who God is.’”

“’. . .the more unclear the Bible becomes’”? “’. . .the less we know who God is’”?

If a guide is going to take us in that direction, do we really want to follow that guide, that theological modus operandi? Apparently Cundiff finds that guide in keeping with his “Wesleyan perspective.” Seemingly Cundiff discovers that journey helpful in his theological understanding. So with that, NazNet encourages Nazarenes to travel hand-in-hand in Cundiff’s come-upon.

I have discovered just the opposite than Cundiff, Cowles, Deventer, McClung, and de Beek. I have found that the more one wants to let all of Scripture speak for itself, the clearer the Bible becomes. The more I believe the whole Word is revelation, the more I know who God is. That’s my personal testimony, satisfied that I am that it is a secure one.

How can Cundiff, apparently supported by McClung and Deventer with other site overseers, ever agree with de Beek? In that, these individuals strip all confidence in the divine revelation as being purely perfect.

But is God imperfect in His communication? Is the Word thereby flawed so as to leave us hanging with doubts innumerable? Is the Bible we have held to over time now declared to be crippled so that we are left with merely another literature piece?

What these doubters have exposed is not the imperfect Bible. What they have revealed is their lack of intellectual acumen plus lack of spiritual excellence.

If they had drawn upon the Holy Spirit’s guidance, they would have come upon answers to their questions, solutions to their problems.

It is possible to read in the Spirit to as to be more convinced than ever that the supposed harsh biblical passages all the more reveal the personhood of a just and loving deity.

Both Old and New Testaments speak pointedly concerning the divine nature. Instead of relying on our preconceived portrait of God, wanting the Bible to support that, we must take the scriptural data as is. With that, God’s persona will come into form in its reality.

Let that reality stand as who God is, for it is in truth who God is.

Someone asked me: “You’ve apparently linked belief in Christ with blindly following everything in the Bible?”

That questioner did not believe that I could hold to an Old Testament God who was the same God who appeared in the New Testament. Here is my answer to his questioner:

In the Old Testament, God commanded the death penalty in twenty-some cases. This was not because God was barbaric, but because God was civil. The Israeli twelve tribes had no law enforcement agencies. Further, they were surrounded by barbarisms of strange magnitudes exhibited by neighboring pagan nations.

Consequently, for God to establish an Israeli civil community, He set forth stringent punishments–some being the death penalty. He Himself became, in other words, the Law Enforcement Agency for the new nation of Israel. That chosen community thereby was to model morality / civility to the surrounding nations.

Extremely severe penalties then were commanded by God in order to bring in line an Israeli community which tended to be unruly like its neighbors. If God had been lax in penalties, human nature, being what it is, would have tested gladly the boundaries. But when penalties were severe, human nature thought twice before testing the boundaries, hence the death penalty prescribed by God in some instances.

However, once Israel lost its nationhood by “going a-whoring after other loves”, Israel’s civil structure disappeared. Israel as a nation lost its temple, its government–that is, its two primary components of culture–religion and politics. Pagan nations then ruled over the heretofore nation of God. In this loss was the disappearance of death penalties previously prescribed by God. The death penalty period as dictated by divine revelation, in other words, ended near the close of the Old Testament era.

That is why when Jesus appeared as flesh-and-bones divine revelation, He pronounced, “You used to say, ‘An eye for an eye’, but now I say to you: Love your enemies.” Jesus pronounced a civility of love toward one’s enemies. “Love your foes, pray for your foes.” This was the New Testament for it was now a new way of dealing with others–all others.

Government was now established primarily within the believer rather than under Israeli kings. “The Kingdom of God is within you.” Law was now primarily of the heart. “My law will be written on your hearts.” That was the new politic. Further, the tabernacle was now primarily the human frame: “Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.” That was the new religion.

Therefore, for the New Testament Church Age, it is the law of love toward all–friends and foes. Jesus provided a simply stated ethic. He refused to garble it with amendments. But, one may ask: “What about these atrocious crimes and the death penalty?”

The biblical answer is still the same: love your friends and foes in Jesus. What kind of Christian love then can be shown to a multiple-murderer / rapist / arsonist / child molester? What kind of Christian love can be meted out to a Hitler?

It is a Christian tough love. Tough love keeps the exceptional criminal alive but
consigns that one to supervised environs without parole. Hopefully, even that exceptional criminal then may come upon redemption through Christ, yet never be placed in tempting circumstances whereby he again may do others and Himself harm.

Keeping the individual alive also allows the possibility that, realizing human justice systems to be flawed, that person in truth may be found innocent though originally pronounced guilty. Indeed, the future may prove this to be fact if new evidence is forthcoming. History has case files on those in the aforementioned category.

Reason this moral / ethical situation from God’s perspective: Adam and Eve slew God’s love when they played loose with Eden’s snake. However, God did not slay them. Instead, God banished them to their own solitary isles of remorse, hoping at least for their eternal redemption.

You once slew God’s love by going your own stubborn way. In reality, you pronounced yourself Lord of your life. It is a hurtful truth to you now that you are a believer; nevertheless, living once in sin and for sin, you were once that callused toward your own loving Creator. However, did God obliterate you? No, instead God searched you out, loved you even while you were enemy, in hopes of redeeming what was left of your destiny.

He now invites each Christian to live out that same kind of persevering, at-times-tough love toward all others–especially those who are Enemy. God has already walked for us the path of love-for-foes. We, of all creatures, should know this for sure. Praise be to a loving, merciful God!

He then invites us to join Him on that love path. He has walked it for us. He asks us now to walk it for others.

NAZNET REFUSES BIBLICAL STANDARD RE EMERGING CHURCH

2009-11-13T10:48:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet highlights the topic on its site. But officially it does not take a biblical stand against the Emerging Church.

Naturally that could not happen, for NazNet settles for an errant Bible. That is, the Word of God is not granted us by a deity who knows how to perfect His communications skills.

Therefore, NazNet sets forth the Emerging Church topic and lets it fly. Relativism counts most.

Why does not a site that boasts on being a friend to the holiness Church of the Nazarene declare biblical convictions concerning Scripture and the bogus Emerging Church?

One, of course, cannot expect that kind of bold declaration from the overseers Founder and Moderator Dave McClung, Moderator Chaplain Barbara Moulton, Moderator Hans Deventer, and Manager Scott Cundiff.

These persons waffle when opportunistic. They are not grounded in biblical insight. They pose as experts concerning biblical faith but in fact they are amateur pied pipers luring the unsuspected reader.

These individuals have created a site that has no sound scriptural base. It is more in league with theological liberals than evangelical, holiness scholarship.

Now here is a biblical definition of the Emerging Church that can be trusted:

Once you proclaim that there are no absolutes, you put yourself outside Christianity.

Christianity is constructed on the biblical absolutes or it's not Christianity.

There are all kinds of prostitutions of Christianity; but God knows Christianity when He sees it. And when He sees the real thing, it's based on His absolutes as set forth in divine revelation.

The Emerging Church basically is the throwback to hippies with religion tagging along somehow somewhere.

The Emerging Church won't say anything absolute about homosexuality or abortion. That means it's a cowardly conclave that wants more of self than God's truth.

God's truth is set forth in Scripture. Regarding homosexual practice, God abhors it. Regarding killing womb babies, God abhors it.

Therefore, when the Emerging Church plays chicken on such ethical concerns, it sides with the dark powers. God is light. The Emerging Church cohabitates with compromise and that lifts it outside the genuine company of believers.

The Emerging Church is a fad. It is a giggle kind of group that is self-centered in that whatever plays best for the constituents is what goes.

Christians are not on Earth to play best for self. Christians are here to live out the inerrant biblical ethic—period.

The Emerging Church boasts of its swing dance group, its happy hour, its hiking clubs and so on and so on. Whatever serves self’s giddy get-up this Friday works for the Emerging Church.

That's a far cry from biblical commissions to live out holiness, go into all the world to make disciples of Christ, and be separate from worldliness unto God's impress.

The Emerging Church is touted among some today as The Latest in religious zeal, even at times including the term “evangelical” in its description.

All this is so much untruth in advertising.

This Emerging Church self-based flimflam will dissipate for it has no actual substance. Its little candle will light itself dry. However, while it sputters, it will destroy truth in some quarters and thwart the gospeling of the Earth.

The world is crazy. Yes. And part of that nuthouse stuff is the Emerging Church.

With that, farewell to those who pride themselves on having discovered something new. It’s nothing more than the old hippie bag with a religion of self-preoccupation.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

DID NAZNET CHAPLAIN MODERATOR MUM-ON-GAY-NUPS BARBARA MOULTON QUIT?

2009-11-13T05:27:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Chaplain Barbara Moulton’s name and email address no longer appear on NazNet masthead page 1.

Has she quit?

NazNet Founder and Moderator Dave McClung emailed me that she was pained due to being exposed as cowardly in not publicly stating her refutation of homosexual practice.

God in His Word states clearly his refutation of homosexual practice.

Moulton said to me: “I am not going to crusade against allowing them (homosexual ‘marriages’) to take place in my country.”

How then can she be a Christian chaplain let alone a moderator on a supposed Christian site? Further, this site states repeatedly that it is a friend of the holiness Church of the Nazarene, the latter publicly not endorsing homosexual unions?

McClung said he was seeking to be a peacemaker about this issue when it came to Moulton’s being in pain and the exposure given her regarding her anti-biblical stance.

McClung was being no peacemaker or he would have made peace with God’s position on the matter.

He would also have made peace with the site’s integrity by refuting his chaplain moderator’s position.

McClung in no way sought peace. He sought to squelch the exposure of one of his prime staff members.

Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/

ANOTHER NAZNET STAFF, SCOTT CUNDIFF, SUPPORTS ERROR-PRONE BIBLE

2009-11-13T04:58:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet Manager G. R. ‘Scott’ Cundiff supports the errant position of Dr. C.S. Cowles of Point Loma Nazarene University. Cowles puts forth his thesis here: http://www.naznet.com/inerrant.htm

Cowles’ presentation is entitled: “Scriptural Inerrancy? ‘Behold, I Show You A More Excellent Way’: An Open Letter by C. S. Cowles / Spring, 2009 Point Loma Nazarene University.”

Cundiff joins NazNet Moderator Hans Deventer in wiping out total faith in the Bible as God’s inerrant revelation.

NazNet Founder and Moderator Dave McClung says nothing to refute this. Instead, he continues to play blind. Not only on this issue, but when Moderator Chaplain Barbara Moulton refuses to go into public air to defend God’s abhorrence of homosexual liaisons.

This reveals most boldly that NazNet is no support for the Church of the Nazarene, though claiming to be so time and again throughout the site. Instead, NazNet is at work daily to shatter the holiness denomination so that it no longer will be holiness or evangelical or theologically conservative.

McClung, businessman, is no theologian. He should not be creating on the Internet a seminary-type that sucks in particularly the young. McClung enjoys his pied piper role. He strokes those who post liberal positions, as do Cundiff and Deventer.

Cundiff is old enough to know better. He is no young chap still trying to find his way. Therefore, he and McClung delight in forming a theologically liberal following to submerge the holiness voice of the Church of the Nazarene.

Instead of using NazNet to enhance holiness teaching, elaborating intelligently the wise interpretation of sanctification in Scripture, NazNet does everything but that.

It fills up its site with contention and anti-biblical positions. These include Deventer’s defense of annihilation of the wicked rather than the biblical teaching of eternal torment.

Also, these include Deventer’s admiration of infant baptism over the biblical teaching of adult believers’ baptism only.

Cundiff fosters the questioning of the Word of God. He lends his site position most assertively to direct readers in the suspicion direction.

One who knows the Bible must ask these overseers this basic query: Do you not fear the Judgment Seat of Christ? Do you not take seriously at least that portion of Scripture or have you dismissed that as too horrific to believe?

Read NAZNET MODERATOR’S DAVE MCCLUNG IS LAX, INEPT, A TROUBLE-MAKER at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/2009/11/naznet-moderators-dave-mcclung-is-lax.html

NAZNET MODERATOR HANS DEVENTER NAMES ‘ENEMIES’

2009-11-12T13:14:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Hans Deventer has labeled me one of his “enemies.”

I did not reply to his email to me about that except to accept his conclusion.

I am not an enemy to any person who defends truth as defined by the Bible. I have stood by the scriptural data regarding eternal damnation, adult believers’ baptism, homosexual activity, and the Word of God being inerrant.

Because of that I stand enemy to Moderator Hans Deventer and Chaplain Moderator Barbara Moulton. As a footnote to the aforementioned, NazNet site Founder and Moderator Dave McClung supports these two staff members and thereby disagrees with biblical data, thus disagreeing with me.

Deventer has disagreed with biblical data regarding eternal damnation in stating simply that he believes the unsaved are annihilated. This is not scriptural.

Deventer has disagreed with biblical data regarding adult believers’ baptism in supporting infant baptism. Infant baptism is not scriptural.

Deventere has disagreed with biblical data regarding the Scriptures being inerrant. He believes they are open to error. This is not scriptural.

Deventer’s moderator colleague Barbara Moulton disagrees with the biblical call to defend the biblical ethic in public. She, a chaplain, will not take the biblical opposition to homosexual unions into the open. She is adamant about that. She, a chaplain, will not let the public know that God abhors homosexual activity.

What does she preach as a chaplain? If she preached to listeners to go forth with the gospel, she would have to footnote that sermon by admonishing that gospel witnessing is fine except for publicly defending the divine refutation of homosexual activity. Is not that usurping the divine authority?

Now concerning biblical data, I agree with same for I dare not transgress God’s revelation. God has spoken about hell as being “eternal torment.” Of course, Christ provides more descriptive terminology concerning the state of the damned.

God has no other New Testament information concerning baptism but that individuals who have knowingly accepted Christ as personal Lord give witness to that by being baptized. This is a public testimony that God has washed away the sins of the soul.

New Testament data states nowhere that any infant was baptized. None. That is Roman Catholic liturgy. But it is not what the biblically moored Church of the Nazarene has practiced since its start.

The Church of the Nazarene has the custom of dedicating little ones. That is proper and does not go against any biblical information; however, infant baptism can be found nowhere in the Bible.

As for the Bible being God’s eternal without-error Word, there can be no conclusion thereby reached but that God knows how to communicate perfectly. If God is incorrect in some of His communication, then He is not fit to be God.

Those claiming that the Bible has errors in it cannot explain the difficult passages such as the supposed harsh verses of the Old Testament.

That means that these individuals have not taken the nerve to think through, via the Holy Spirit’s guidance, the explanation satisfactory to accepting these verses as history.

Here, for example, is a thinking through of the difficult passages that leaves the Bible without error: BIBLE HARSH PENALTIES & CHRIST’S ETHIC at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/2009/11/10/bible_harsh_penalties__christ%E2%80%99s_ethic_2.thtml

So for disagreeing with Deventer’s unbiblical conclusions, he has tagged me one of his “enemies.”

For that reason, I am most honored to accept the label. At least I am true to the God of the Bible and therefore have no fear of the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Read NAZNET FOUNDER PLAYS BLIND at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/

NAZNET MODERATOR’S DAVE MCCLUNG IS LAX, INEPT, A TROUBLE-MAKER

2009-11-11T07:26:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Why does supposed Church of the Nazarene-friendly NazNet Founder and Moderator Dave McClung permit a Chaplain Moderator Barbara Moulton to be his site overseer?

She does not take a public stand for the biblical abhorrence of homosexual nuptials. She keeps God’s stance in the closet.

She says: “. . .for the record, I do have objections to gay marriage. I don't perform them and will never perform them. I simply am not going to crusade against allowing them to take place in my country.”

Read more: NAZNET’S CHAPLAIN MODERATOR KEEPS ‘GAY MARRIAGE’ IN THE CLOSET at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/2009/11/10/naznet%E2%80%99s_chaplain_moderator_keeps_%E2%80%98gay_marriage%E2%80%99_in_the_closet.thtml

Also, NAZNET’S CHAPLAIN MODERATOR BARBARA MOULTON DRAWS SPIKED REACTIONS at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/2009/11/10/naznet%E2%80%99s_chaplain_moderator_barbara_moulton_draws_spiked_reactions.thtml

Where is Moderator Dave McClung? Why does he permit this kind of “leadership” on NazNet when it is undermining the Bible and the denomination?

Further, another moderator, Hans Deventer, states that he opposes Christ’s statements concerning hell’s eternal torment. He opts for annihilation.

Read more: NAZNET MODERATOR HANS DEVENTER NIXES ETERNAL HELL. HE’S NAZARENE? at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/2009/11/10/naznet_moderator_hans_deventer_nixes_eternal_hell_he%E2%80%99s_nazarene.thtml

Where is Moderator McClung? Why does he permit Deventer to upstage Christ on clear biblical data? Deventer obviously has the theological clout to cancel out Christ’s warnings for Deventer’s own holy writ.

McClung allows this to continue day after day.

Further, Hans Deventer endorses a Bible fraught with errors. This is in keeping with another overseer, Site Manager and Moderator Scott Cundiff. They both use the site to indoctrinate that God has trouble communicating a perfect revelation; therefore, it is up to each reader to pick and choose what he considers legitimate biblical material.

Read NAZNET SAYS BIBLE NOT 100% NO-ERROR RELIABLE at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/2009/11/10/naznet_says_bible_not_100_no-error_reliable.thtml

It takes some intelligence to reach the conclusion that difficult biblical passages actually support the perfect divine revelation. But evidently NazNet site overseers don’t have that kind of intelligence.

Check this out for balanced reasoning: BIBLE HARSH PENALTIES & CHRIST'S ETHIC at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/2009/11/10/bible_harsh_penalties__christ%E2%80%99s_ethic_2.thtml

The Church of the Nazarene historically has endorsed adult believer’s baptism.

However, Hans Deventer has a more excellent way. It is the Roman Catholic position of infant baptism. Here are Deventer’s own words: “I've changed from one who supported adult baptism to one who now supports infant baptism.”

(This is typical of NazNet. The site seeks to form the Church of the Nazarene into the Catholic/Anglican/Episcopal high church mold. This includes changing the Nazarene reference to the Lord’s Supper as “communion” to Deventer and clique’s high church term “Eucharist.” They adore the term “Eucharist.”)

For more explaining why infant baptism is nowhere to be found in Scripture, click NAZNET MODERATOR HANS DEVENTER SUPPORTS INFANT BAPTISM OVER ADULT BAPTISM at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/2009/11/10/naznet_moderator_hans_deventer_supports_infant_baptism_over_adult_baptism.thtml

McClung turns his head the other way when Barbara Moulton hides in her coward’s closet rather than take the God-side in opposing in the marketplace homosexual “marriage.”

McClung turns his head the other way when Hans Deventer boasts that annihilation takes precedence over Christ’s “everlasting torment” warning for unbelievers.

McClung turns his head the other way when Hans Deventer and Scott Cundiff put NazNet’s top-of-the-list reading errance in Scripture. At the top of the list! It is not merely a hidden read in the site; it is highly recommended for all site viewers.

McClung turns his head the other way when Hans Deventer chants his support for infant rather than the biblical adult baptism.

In addition, when Internet readers found out about Barbara Moulton cowardice, McClung emailed me to ask me to stop such posting for Moulton was in “pain” over it.

Can you imagine that?

She was in pain over being exposed as a coward. She was in pain because truth won out. What about God’s pain in seeing one who claims to be His own child not standing up publicly for Father’s ethic?

Further, McClung emailed me that he was seeking to be a “peacemaker.”

I did not email McClung back; but I wanted to. Now I will ask him so that you may read my questions: Mr. McClung, Founder and Moderator/NazNet, why do you not seek making peace with God and His perfectly communicated divine writ? Why do you permit your colleagues to slice through the biblical record?

Further, if you want to make peace in the eternal, God-blessed sense, why do you use your site to play “denomination-on-site-in-competition-with-the-Church-of-the-Nazarene”?

You act as if you are usurping the General Superintendents by playing General Superintendent, seminary professor, college religion professor and so forth. Your “educational staff” equals site overseers who have in fact created their own bogus seminary training center.

If you are a person of integrity, you will stop your site’s propaganda and support gospeling the world with biblical truth.

I doubt if your ego will permit you to do that.

NAZNET MODERATOR HANS DEVENTER SUPPORTS INFANT BAPTISM OVER ADULT BAPTISM

2009-11-10T20:38:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Deventer states it clearly: “I've changed from one who supported adult baptism to one who now supports infant baptism.”

This is another example on theologically liberal based Naznet of stirring up disagreement and contention within the Church of the Nazarene.

What gospel benefit is Deventer’s input when the primary energy of the church should be preaching salvation while the world slugs it out for hell’s gain?

Hans Deventer delights in planting division on that site. Other site overseers join him daily.

In another venue, Deventer blatantly proclaimed that hell is not eternal torment but annihilation. This is a travesty. This is not Nazarene teaching. This is not Nazarene doctrinal heritage. This is not Bible.

Deventer knows that his heresy is a slam against Jesus’ own teachings concerning everlasting damnation promised the unsaved.

Check it out: NAZNET MODERATOR HANS DEVENTER NIXES ETERNAL HELL. HE’S NAZARENE? at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/2009/11/10/naznet_moderator_hans_deventer_nixes_eternal_hell_he%E2%80%99s_nazarene.thtml

In another site slot, Deventer endorses biblical errancy, that is, the divine revelation being fraught with errors.

Biblical inerrancy has been the foundational grounding of the Church of the Nazarene since its inception. Now the likes of Deventer spook the church with suspicions off the charts. He will answer to the God who revealed the perfect Word when Deventer stands at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Psalm 19:7 states: “The law of the Lord [is] perfect, converting the soul.”

James 1:25 states: “But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

Check it out: NAZNET SAYS BIBLE NOT 100% NO-ERROR RELIABLE at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/2009/11/10/naznet_says_bible_not_100_no-error_reliable.thtml

Now Deventer declares that infant baptism is superior to believers’ adult baptism. It is superior in his view or he would not have changed.

In the Church of the Nazarene there are those clergy who infrequently for various reasons will baptize infants. That has been officiated without contention. However, the primary modes have been sprinkling, pouring and immersion for adults who testify to being saved.

In the denomination there is the customary dedication of infants. This is biblical sense for the parents dedicate their little ones to the Lord, promising to rear their offspring in the ways of a biblical lifestyle.

In Scripture there is absolutely no outright data of infants being baptized though liturgical conclaves read into one verse or another same. Reading into verses is not equal to a verse clearly stating a truth.

Again, there is not one Scripture passage stating that an infant is baptized. All Scripture passages concerning Christian baptism relate to those who profess to accepting Christ as Savior. They, as mature thinking persons, have made a conscious choice to receive divine mercy in salvation.

Now Deventer ups the infant non-biblical position against the adult biblical position. Such hubris. But that is not a surprise when reading Deventer’s iconoclastic proclamations on NazNet.

Yet NazNet states itself to be a companion to the Church of the Nazarene. In reality it is not.

It is a breeding ground for egocentric, theologically opportunistic intellectual-wannabes. These seek to supplant the Nazarene heritage with a liberal stance that eventually will split the denomination into splinters.

Why the church prime leaders from Kansas City headquarters onward through district and regional levels don’t speak out against this divisive intention is beyond reason. It can only by the political network that continues to turn away from truth.

Read other troubling matters related to NazNet:

NAZNET’S CHAPLAIN MODERATOR KEEPS ‘GAY MARRIAGE’ IN THE CLOSET at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/2009/11/10/naznet%E2%80%99s_chaplain_moderator_keeps_%E2%80%98gay_marriage%E2%80%99_in_the_closet.thtml

NAZNET’S CHAPLAIN MODERATOR BARBARA MOULTON DRAWS SPIKED REACTIONS at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/2009/11/10/naznet%E2%80%99s_chaplain_moderator_barbara_moulton_draws_spiked_reactions.thtml

NAZNET WEBSITE UNFAIR at http://www.michnews.com/J_Grant_Swank_Jr/jgs110609.shtml

NAZNET SAYS BIBLE NOT 100% NO-ERROR RELIABLE

2009-11-10T10:31:00.001-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Once again, NazNet sets forth the liberal position.

Yet NazNet claims to be a friend to the evangelical, holiness Church of the Nazarene. Obviously, per numerous posts on its site, it is no friend.

It is popular on NazNet, particularly by site overseers, to support a Bible not fully reliable.

NazNet basically claims the Word of God is errant. That is, it has errors in it.

Therefore, one is left to pick and choose what is error and what is not error. Imagine the hubris of the mortal, especially in deciphering the divine revelation.

NazNet Manager G. R. ‘Scott’ Cundiff supports the errant position of Dr. C.S. Cowles of Point Loma Nazarene University. Cowles puts forth his thesis here: http://www.naznet.com/inerrant.htm

Cowles’ presentation is entitled: “Scriptural Inerrancy? ‘Behold, I Show You A More Excellent Way’: An Open Letter by C. S. Cowles / Spring, 2009 Point Loma Nazarene University.”

NazNet Moderator Hans Deventer echoes Cundiff’s praise for Cowles’ lecture that the Scriptures have errors in them. Hans says regarding Cundiff’s writing: “I have only one comment: WOW! Thank you, Dr. Cowles. This is a keeper.”

There can be no doubt that NazNet fosters biblical errancy. There is no doubt that NazNet encourages theological liberalism.

In addition, for more liberal positions, note: NazNet Chaplain Moderator Barbara Moulton states her preference for not taking into the openthe biblical position on homosexuality.

She states that she will not champion God’s position on the subject by defending God’s position in public. She will permit homosexuals to take over media coverage, for example. But she herself will keep her opinion in the closet.

In other words, it must not be nice or Christian to support in the marketplace the biblical stance regarding homosexual practice.

Read more: NAZNET’S CHAPLAIN MODERATOR KEEPS ‘GAY MARRIAGE’ IN THE CLOSET at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/2009/11/10/naznet%E2%80%99s_chaplain_moderator_keeps_%E2%80%98gay_marriage%E2%80%99_in_the_closet.thtml

In addition, Moderator Hans Deventer states that Jesus was wrong when declaring hell is “eternal torment.” Deventer states the correct view is to proclaim that unbelievers are annihilated upon death.

Read more: NAZNET MODERATOR HANS DEVENTER NIXES ETERNAL HELL. HE’S NAZARENE? at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/

Obviously, when one holds to biblical errancy, one can stray from the biblical ethic and moral base. That moves right into the theological liberal mode of writing your own holy writ, such being done throughout NazNet.

What those of us who hold to inerrancy do is think deeply about biblical research rather than lie down to say Quit. Saying Quit opens up Pandora’s Box for whatever one wants. That leads to theological anarchy.

It is also just what Satan would want for a holiness denomination once aligned solidly behind the Bible as the infallible divine revelation. NazNet fosters canceling out this Nazarene heritage for theological opportunism.

Behind it all is hubris, Eden’s first sin.

If the Church of the Nazarene continues endorsing this position, the denomination will unravel to lose the divine blessing. It will come under the divine curse as the liberal denominations are experiencing today.

Here is an example of thinking deeply through the biblical data.

The following centers on the harsh penalties of the Old Testament in light of the New Testament’s love ethic: BIBLE HARSH PENALTIES & CHRIST’S ETHIC at http://grantswank.blogtownhall.com/2009/11/10/bible_harsh_penalties__christ%E2%80%99s_ethic_2.thtml

Those who, like NazNet, follow Cowles are cowards in that they lie down to whimper Quit.

Genuine biblical researchers don’t do that. The biblical scholars in the past who were loyal to the inerrant divine revelation did not say Quit.

Those biblical researchers today who are loyal to the inerrant divine revelation do not say Quit.

Be forewarned: NazNet is no friend to the Church of the Nazarene. It is theologically liberal based, not holiness-conservative in its primary direction.

NAZNET MODERATOR HANS DEVENTER NIXES ETERNAL HELL. HE’S NAZARENE?

2009-11-09T13:13:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

In his own words: “I believe that hell is annihilation.” Check it out here: http://www.naznet.com/community/showthread.php?t=28935

Clear words. Simple words. Definitions understood without commentary.

Hans Deventer is moderator of a supposed Church of the Nazarene supportive site per the site’s own “advertisement.”

The Church of the Nazarene has never preached that hell is annihilation. I was born into that denomination and have graduated from that church’s seminary, having graduated from that church’s liberal arts college.

I have never heard any professor, preacher or evangelist claim that “hell is annihilation.”

Jesus never stated that hell is annihilation. Instead, he stated just the opposite. Hell is everlasting torment for the damned.

That is why the traditional Church of the Nazarene proclaimed that hell is eternal torment for that denomination sought to underline exactly what the Bible states. That denomination was not known for diverting from the Word, that is, until Hans came along with his theologically liberal colleagues on NazNet.

NazNet, to use Hans as an example, seeks to stir up confusion though the site claims just the opposite as its reason for being. It needs readers. It needs responders. Therefore, it moves into that which is contentious in order to get readers.

It’s the same with Hans’ opinion that infant baptism is his okay-baptism. He states in another venue that he once believed in believers’ adult baptism; however, he’s now an advocate for infant baptism.

Spin the theologically liberal bottle once again, Hans.

Yet you still state that you are supportive of the Church of the Nazarene? Not so. You are supportive of your place on the NazNet site that you hope will supplant the historic Church of the Nazarene teaching by claiming it worn out. The past is “old hat.”

Whether it is annihilation or infant baptism, these two examples are just two of others that seek to plant, particularly in the young readers, questions regarding the denomination’s heretofore biblical proclamations.

NazNet is not then a friend to the traditional history of the Church of the Nazarene. It is a rebel.

Hans and NazNet overseers are out to be popular, not to be theologically biblical or friends of the Church of the Nazarene. Therefore, the Church of the Nazarene leadership should come out in defense of biblical doctrine, exposing NazNet as not a genuine companion.

So, Hans, you join liberals in prostituting Scripture to your own opinions, such as your definition of hell as annihilation. You knew from the start that you were handling a basic biblical teaching that you were subverting. But for your own personal popularity and your site’s increased readership, you took the gamble of toying with the Word.

Of course, you will answer for this from God for He will not tolerate those who twist and turn His revelation in order to suit their own egocentric aims. Opportunistic you, as well as your other site overseers, may think you are the new gurus for the Church of the Nazarene. But you are not.

Using the Bible as evidence, you are not friends to the Church of the Nazarene.

As a troubling postscript, Hans also states this set of confusing words: “The Bible isn't clear about the intermediate state.”

The biblical Protestant does not believe in an “intermediate state.” Biblical believers know that the Word teaches that at death the soul goes to heaven or hell. There is no middle state—the “intermediate state.”

Roman Catholicism and some other liturgical conclaves teach an intermediate state. Catholic teaching has traditionally taught a limbo space for unbaptized infants who die. Catholic teaching also has taught a purgatory, an “intermediate state.”

However, the Church of the Nazarene specifically has never believed in limbo or purgatory or any other “place” called “intermediate state.”

I personally believe that Hans does not know what he is talking about on various points in his post here: http://www.naznet.com/community/showthread.php?t=28935

He truly is not theologically knowledgeable so as to monitor an evangelical holiness site.

Yet he continues on NazNet’s claimed-to-be supportive site for the Church of the Nazarene.

Not sound. Not true.

For further digressions from the Church of the Nazarene’s biblical past, read: NAZNET’S CHAPLAIN MODERATOR BARBARA MOULTON DRAWS SPIKED REACTIONS at http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/4578553

FOOTNOTE: GOD WARNS OF ETERNAL HELL

The Bible teaches that there is a fiery everlasting hell, a place that Jesus warned people about. Note this sampling of Scripture:

“And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the eternal fire,” (Matt. 18:8)

“. . .these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matt. 25:46)

Jesus says: “Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire. . .” (Matthew 25:41)

“22 . . . the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and you art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. (Luke 16:22-28)”

NAZNET’S CHAPLAIN MODERATOR BARBARA MOULTON DRAWS SPIKED REACTIONS

2009-11-09T13:11:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

NazNet chaplain moderator Barbara Moulton stated to me: “. . .for the record, I do have objections to gay marriage. I don't perform them and will never perform them. I simply am not going to crusade against allowing them to take place in my country.”

I responded: “God help us! So there you have it. Simple words that convey just what they say. No doubt as to what she believes. Nothing there to quibble about.”

She’s “not going to crusade against them (‘gay marriages’) allowing them to take place in my country.” There you have it, believing friends.

NazNet has a chaplain moderator who permits the homosexuals to get full coverage day and night while she hides away in the site’s underground. There can be no other conclusion reached than that she is a religious coward overseeing a site that claims to be elitistically alluring.

Not so.

For more, read NAZNET’S CHAPLAIN MODERATOR KEEPS ‘GAY MARRIAGE’ IN THE CLOSET at http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/4574089

Those reading this responded with their own angst:

“Barbara Moulton is following in the steps of those German Lutherans who sang their hymns in their PC insulated churches while the wheels of the box trains carrying Jewish families to their deaths kept to the rhythm of their religious songs.

“Don't crusade against any sin, Barbara! but ‘gain the whole world’ of prestige and position; however, don't forget the second part of that verse!”

And. . .

“Hi Grant,
I have been reading your posts about Naznet with interest and also a sad heart. For those of us who poured our hearts out with loving compassion pastoring our churches and stressing the importance of heart holiness, it is sad to witness decline of any type. As you well know, we are going to be attacked for taking our stands for that which is true and just. God bless! Keep on keeping on.”

And. . .

“. . .chaos and confusion! These people are nuts. . .”

And. . .

“Is she a coward or what????????????? Naznet tries to make itself out to be socially active.

“Obviously one of its moderators is not that when it comes to putting her biblical convictions in the market place. But that is where it finally counts, isn't it? Naznet is made up of elitist think-themselves-intellectuals with giddy this and that throughout, kissups aplenty.

“But when it comes to moving off the site into the open air, obviously one of the chaplain (!) moderators is not willing to be so bold. Such hypocrisy. Secret discipleship does not count at the eternal throne.”

And. . .

“I had a brief email exchange with Barbara Moulton a couple of years ago regarding a cheap shot she took at Hannity. She is Canadian and, like most non-US types on Naznet, she has no objections to ‘gay marriages’ and finds socialism to be entirely compatible with the Scriptures.

“The ‘upholding the traditional Nazarene standards types’ seemingly has left the Naznet forums during the last 2-3 years. Statements from leaders in Kansas City Nazarene headquarters seem to indicate a similar decaying pattern.”

Read NAZNET WEBSITE UNFAIR at http://www.michnews.com/J_Grant_Swank_Jr/jgs110609.shtml

NAZNET’S CHAPLAIN MODERATOR KEEPS ‘GAY MARRIAGE’ IN THE CLOSET

2009-11-09T13:06:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Is this not puzzling to you as a biblical believer?

NazNet’s moderator, who also tags herself as a chaplain, told me that she is against “gay marriage” but would not take the issue out in public.

This is so like NazNet: opportunistic, conveniently in-house and shallow “Christian.”

Are we not to be lights in the world—not hidden under the bushel?

Are we not to be salt to the earth?

Are we not to be in the world, yet not of the world?

Are we not to allow ourselves to be hated for the cause of Christ rather than carve out hideaways for safe cover?

How interesting that the open homosexuals take to the marketplace, boulevards, church pulpits, and anywhere they can find foothold.

But Ms. Barbara Moulton, chaplain moderator on NazNet, would have the biblical believer not go where scriptural convictions air. She’s not going to go in open space to state that God considers “gay marriage” no place in marriage.

Yet NazNet prides itself on being contemporary Christian. It says in so many words, “Come to us to talk out the latest and act out the boldest.”

However, one of its own moderators is so cowardly as to state to me that she does not intend on taking the homosexual issue into the open.

This is a direct contradiction, Ms. Moulton. You are showing your cowardliness so brashly. You are also revealing your lack of theological understanding when it comes to the Christ ethic of the Gospels.

Christ permits His disciples no place to cower, to compromise the mode as well as the message. Instead, He told His own to go into all the world to preach the gospel. Preaching the gospel is “out there.” It’s where the opposition derides.

Christ never sidestepped the opposition. He went after them. Further, when they came after Him, He was ready—with power, with logic, with separating soul from spirit.

If we are to be like Christ, we are to be of like courage.

Homosexuals taking to the malls and government steps are in our face. Yet you sit there in your comfortable Internet site office having coffee.

That is absolutely insulting to the rest of us who are carrying the cause and cross where it counts—where the enemy is, where the friends are, where Christ is overseeing the fray.

I am stunned today. I am shocked to read what you have stated to me. It is beyond abhorrent. Yet it is right there in front of me. No wonder today’s church is so lame. No wonder its impact is derided as drained.

So it is that you are among the site’s leaders who counsel input daily to others? This is unthinkable.

NazNet chaplain moderator Barbara Moulton states to me: “. . .for the record, I do have objections to gay marriage. I don't perform them and will never perform them. I simply am not going to crusade against allowing them to take place in my country.”

God help us!

So there you have it. Simple words that convey just what they say. No doubt as to what she believes. Nothing there to quibble about.

She’s “not going to crusade against them (“gay marriages”) allowing them to take place in my country.”

There you have it, believing friends.

NazNet has a chaplain moderator who permits the homosexuals to get full coverage day and night while she hides away in the site’s underground. There can be no other conclusion reached than that she is a religious coward overseeing a site that claims to be elitistically alluring.

Not so.

NAZNET UNFAIRLY DELETES ROBERT HARTMAN’S INPUT ON SITE

2009-11-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

It is sad that NazNet continues its unfair mode by deleting Robert Hartman’s input on the site. That input delivered a defense of my character and writing style, the latter constantly derided by responders on the site.

Those responders were granted full permission by the site moderator Barbara Moulton to continue their snide remarks; but Mr. Hartman’s courteous statements were consider cause for the moderator to close off discussion.

One cannot now find on the Internet Mr. Hartman’s logical and rightful comments for the site overseers, Hans Deventer in particular, have noted on that discussion slide that those overseers have deliberately deleted Mr. Hartman’s input from the discussion.

These overseers state that Mr. Hartman’s registration on NazNet is suspect. They state that his email address is not legitimate. In fact, his email address is quite legitimate. How they reached that conclusion is suspect and of course bogus.

The obvious is that overseers now conclude that Mr. Hartman’s comments are legitimate. Being so, the overseers don’t want the public to read them, so they have deleted them.

Again, NazNet takes the low road, unethical for certain. Yet NazNet prides itself on being a morally based evangelical Internet site. Not so, evidently.

I ask NazNet to return Mr. Hartman’s input to that site so that readers can read for themselves what he stated. Let the readers decide if Mr. Hartman’s input was cause for closing down discussion.

Note original post below. Note that where the reader is directed to read Mr. Hartman’s own posts that that will not work. Clicking on that link data will not produce that which NazNet has deleted for fear that Mr. Hartman’s logic will hold sway.

CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE: NAZNET WEBSITE UNFAIR

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

There on NazNet website was a discussion regarding my EASTERN NAZARENE COLLLEGE ANTICHRISTIAN PLAY PRESENTED post recently on numerous sites. Read http://www.naznet.com/community/showthread.php?t=28930

The NazNet discussion was particularly mean regarding me and my writing content and style.

I was born into the Church of the Nazarene which is basically unofficially the dialogue base of this website. I pastored in that denomination from 1964-1998.

Now my posts regarding the antiChristian drama presentation at my alma mater becomes, not by my submission by the way, a discussion piece on NazNet.

With that, people who know me and don’t know me plow in. Their remarks are so cheap and slap-stick pocking that it is unbearable to imagine that a Church of the Nazarene-related website would tolerate such tawdry fare, especially when it is so derision-based against a pastor—myself.

Then friend Robert Hartman enters the discussion with a gentlemanly polite defense of Grant Swank, his writings over half a century and his biblical convictions.

That raises the ire of responders all the more. They become even more vicious, nasty and, yes, unChristian in the guise of appearing spiritually excellent.

Now the moderator of that particular discussion point closes down the site. But it is not in the midst of responders’ discourteous slams against me. It is when Robert Hartman logically, courteously defends my character and writings. Read http://www.naznet.com/community/showthread.php?t=28930&page=17

Moderator Barbara Moulton closes down the discussion by disciplining Robert Hartman. It is his comment input that is put down as the necessity for stopping all further remarks.

What?

Nasty, mean-spirited cheap comments can flow like a river without Moulton’s interference. However, when Robert Hartman enters to rightfully defend me and my positions, he is the villain who has brought an end to that discussion thread.

NazNet, if you reflect the Church of the Nazarene in present tense, the denomination is in sad shape. Sad sad shape indeed.

By the way, I checked out other NazNet discussion slides and find that often the same few responders are floating from dissuasion slide to discussion slide. There are not countless individuals involved in the NazNet site.

In addition, I came upon the NazNet discussions regarding the Eucharist. May I ask what “Eucharist” has to do with the Church of the Nazarene? Everyone in religious studies knows that the Church of the Nazarene has never long-term history spoken of communion by the term “Eucharist.” It has always been called “communion” or “the Lord’s supper.”

Does this Eucharist nomenclature simply expose the small grouping of elitist Nazarenes who are pushing for a complete change within the denomination? I have heard that there are those desiring to erase the past heritage of the Nazarene worship style for a mimicking of high church whatever.

By reading the comments on the NazNet discussion slide regarding the Eucharist, I would conclude that these wise-guys are part of the elitist crew who have no idea what they are talking about. They simply go on and on to impress one another as some sort of intellectuals into ritual this-and-that.

All in all, NazNet lacks quality, intellectual excellence and spiritual loyalty to the Scripture, particularly the Bible’s accent on holiness. That is a travesty.

It does not look healthy for the Church of the Nazarene if NazNet reflects that denomination.

Read I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES: GOD PROVISIONS at http://jgrantswankjr.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-believe-in-miracles-god-provisions.html

NAZNET WEBSITE UNFAIR

2009-11-09T13:04:00.000-08:00

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

There on NazNet website was a discussion regarding my EASTERN NAZARENE COLLLEGE ANTICHRISTIAN PLAY PRESENTED post recently on numerous sites. Read http://www.naznet.com/community/showthread.php?t=28930

The NazNet discussion was particularly mean regarding me and my writing content and style.

I was born into the Church of the Nazarene which is basically unofficially the dialogue base of this website. I pastored in that denomination from 1964-1998.

Now my posts regarding the antiChristian drama presentation at my alma mater becomes, not by my submission by the way, a discussion piece on NazNet.

With that, people who know me and don’t know me plow in. Their remarks are so cheap and slap-stick pocking that it is unbearable to imagine that a Church of the Nazarene-related website would tolerate such tawdry fare, especially when it is so derision-based against a pastor—myself.

Then friend Robert Hartman enters the discussion with a gentlemanly polite defense of Grant Swank, his writings over half a century and his biblical convictions.

That raises the ire of responders all the more. They become even more vicious, nasty and, yes, unChristian in the guise of appearing spiritually excellent.

Now the moderator of that particular discussion point closes down the site. But it is not in the midst of responders’ discourteous slams against me. It is when Robert Hartman logically, courteously defends my character and writings. Read http://www.naznet.com/community/showthread.php?t=28930&page=17

Moderator Barbara Moulton closes down the discussion by disciplining Robert Hartman. It is his comment input that is put down as the necessity for stopping all further remarks.

What?

Nasty, mean-spirited cheap comments can flow like a river without Moulton’s interference. However, when Robert Hartman enters to rightfully defend me and my positions, he is the villain who has brought an end to that discussion thread.

NazNet, if you reflect the Church of the Nazarene in present tense, the denomination is in sad shape. Sad sad shape indeed.

By the way, I checked out other NazNet discussion slides and find that often the same few responders are floating from dissuasion slide to discussion slide. There are not countless individuals involved in the NazNet site.

In addition, I came upon the NazNet discussions regarding the Eucharist. May I ask what “Eucharist” has to do with the Church of the Nazarene? Everyone in religious studies knows that the Church of the Nazarene has never long-term history spoken of communion by the term “Eucharist.” It has always been called “communion” or “the Lord’s supper.”

Does this Eucharist nomenclature simply expose the small grouping of elitist Nazarenes who are pushing for a complete change within the denomination? I have heard that there are those desiring to erase the past heritage of the Nazarene worship style for a mimicking of high church whatever.

By reading the comments on the NazNet discussion slide regarding the Eucharist, I would conclude that these wise-guys are part of the elitist crew who have no idea what they are talking about. They simply go on and on to impress one another as some sort of intellectuals into ritual this-and-that.

All in all, NazNet lacks quality, intellectual excellence and spiritual loyalty to the Scripture, particularly the Bible’s accent on holiness. That is a travesty.

It does not look healthy for the Church of the Nazarene if NazNet reflects that denomination.

Read I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES: GOD PROVISIONS at http://jgrantswankjr.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-believe-in-miracles-god-provisions.html