—Introduction – Part 2 – Conclusion
Part I: New Testament Prophecy, General Synods, and the Rise of the Sects in Scripture
The reformed evangelical faith is the protestant evangelical faith which has been embodied in 16th-17th centuries reformed creeds, confessions, and catechisms. The label reformed as well as Protestant references that the national churches of England, Holland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Helvetica (Switzerland) were formed after secession from the Roman Catholic church in protest over all three marks of a true church, beginning with the protest over the gospel doctrines of the faith (see Belgic Confession, Art. 29; WCF 25:4). In order to know what another gospel is (II Cor. 11:3-4; Gal. 1:6-9), the church officers must first know what the true gospel body of divinity is indeed; and the gospel doctrines must be preached, compared, and contrasted with the sectarian, perverted “gospels” (Eph. 4:11-14; II Tim. 4:1-2). Then the sectarian heretics are to be marked out and exposed, as they are the trouble makers and cause divisions over gospel doctrines (Rom. 16:17-18; Tit. 3:10-11). A reformed evangelical protest should be over the body of divinity gospel doctrines and church ordinances, which is the Apostolic doctrines with related church ordinances (Acts 2:42; II Thess. 1:14-15). After secession, there should be reconstituted church courts beginning as a result of gospel, moral, and church government severe errors in the previous sectarian church. The proper Presbyterian form of government was formed in Switzerland, Holland, Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland (see Synod of Dordt 1618-19; Second Book of Discipline, 1692; Westminster Form of Presbyterian Church Government, 1645). Then there should be synodical decrees in doctrine, worship, and practice with total subscription as made plain in Acts 16:4-5 and I Corinthians 1:10 (see KJB and Geneva Bible). The label Protestant references that the churches were not afraid to protest, but indeed protested and seceded to reconstitute a proper reformed evangelical church and to unite any already existing Protestant evangelical congregations in the highlands of Scotland (see W. M. Hetherington, History of the Church of Scotland: from the introduction of Christianity to the period of the disruption in 1843), the Alps, or the Pyrenees.
The Protestant evangelical church truly dates back to the Roman Empire Church. (Of course, the Old Testament Church of Israel was required to be reformed evangelical as well.) The Greek word, where we get ‘evangelical’, refers to the gospel and is translated gospel, or glad tidings; and it often refers to the gospel body of divinity (e.g., Rom. 1:16; 2:16; 1 Cor. 1:10; II Cor. 11:3-4; Gal. 1:6-9: Phil. 1:27). Therefore, there is no such thing as a “broadly” evangelical church. In contrast, a sectarian church is an assembly that has church leadership promoting another gospel, teaching heresies, and is a ‘sect’, which has perverted the gospel (Acts 15:5; II Pet. 2:1-3); but Presbyterian reformed evangelicals might label some of the members or supporters of a sect to be basic adherents, with a basic profession of faith and basic obedience (see SCQA 95; LCQA 166) in need of gospel teaching. Yet, in accordance with I Corinthians 11:18-19, these basic Christian adherents would not be suitable for the Lord’s Supper until making an accredited profession with fruit bearing in doctrine and morality, after catechetical doctrinal instruction (see SCQA 97; LCQA 173-175, 177). They are not suitable for the Lord’s Supper, because of failure to display marks of a born again Christian; and those who are long term supporters of sectarian churches can be labelled nominal Christians. If they are or had been born again, they would soon depart from a sectarian church and attend a reformed evangelical church, displaying true growth in the gospel body of divinity.
In the Old Testament, there were priest-ministers and elder governors who from time to time promoted sectarian gospel declension, that is, another gospel: for example, justification by faith plus works with much reduced morality; and sometimes the infiltration was significant enough to the point that curses came upon the Church of Israel. By natural course with gospel declension, some of the priest-ministers and some even ruling elders would enter into church office unconverted (see Jud. 2:6-10; Psa. 132:9, 16); but the term ‘sect’ is an English word to translate the Greek word in Acts 15:5, wherein the Greek term references a whole ‘heretical’ party of church officers in the New Testament period. The actual Greek word is a form of the word ‘heresy’. In Acts 15:5, it can be translated literally ‘heretical party’; or using one English word, the translation can certainly read ‘sect’ as in the KJB and the Geneva Bible. Given that the Pharisees were actually a ‘sect’, advancing heretical, false gospel doctrines, they were sectarian and a heretical party in the Church of Israel, before the coming of Christ and the beginning of His ministry as Prophet, Priest, and King. The label sect is particularly pertinent to the New Testament church, without the temple, ceremonial law, and without definite connection to the land of Canaan.
The Rise of Sects in Scripture
It should be noted that a sect of the Pharisee camp did come to profess faith in Christ Jesus, as their Saviour and Lord; but they professed a Jesus of their imagination (see KJB Acts 15:5; II Cor. 11:3-4; 13:5). Since the Greek word refers to this Pharisee camp as a heretical party, the Apostles and other ministers of the Word came together with ruling elders to deal with general synod matters, including the gospel doctrinal dispute with this heretical, sect (Acts 15:4-5). We know that it was a severe gospel doctrinal dispute, which had been in the Roman Empire church and was in the process of being rooted out by preaching of the Word, including the preaching to contrast with doctrinal error (Acts 20:21-29; Eph. 4:11-14; II Tim. 4:1-2; Jude 3-4), confrontation and discipline of proven heretical church officers (Tit. 3:10-11 KJB), and by the New Testament Epistles. The apostles, other ministers, and ruling elders meeting at Jerusalem stated that this sect, heretical party, was subverting souls by their false gospel (Acts 15:24; II Tim. 2:14-16 KJB). Comparing epistle with epistle with related doctrines, we can glean that the doctrines of the gospel which were perverted included the biblical covenant of works, covenant of grace, effectual calling-new birth, justification by grace through faith alone, repentance unto life, the pursuit of holiness with the continuing extensive moral law, assurance of salvation, the abolition of the ceremonial law, and perseverance in the faith. The sectarian false gospel taught and defended among other things circumcision-baptismal regeneration, justification by faith plus works, an unbiblical repentance, a significantly reduced Ten Commandments, the necessity of continuing aspects of the ceremonial law in public worship, and a New Testament Passover meal suited to unbiblical circumcision-baptismal regeneration and justification by faith plus works (see Matt. 5:17-20; Gal. 2:15-21; 3:10; 5:3-4; I Cor. 8:2; 11:17-20, 34; Col. 2:13-23; Tit. 3:8-11); and they were following the same pattern as the Pharisees in the gospel accounts who had severely weakened and twisted the moral law, but added to the ceremonial law (Matt. 15:1-9; Mk. 7:1-13).
The denominational gathering at Jerusalem made decrees, wherein the Greek word is dogma, that is, decreed systematic theology to be included in the body of divinity gospel doctrines and church ordinances. The decrees were to be kept by Presbyteries (or Classis) and congregational sessions (or consistories), thereby, becoming church law (see Acts 16:4; I Tim. 3:15). It was a necessary work of reformation for denominational unity in the gospel doctrines of the true Christian faith (Acts 16:5; I Cor. 1:10; Phil. 1:27). The meeting, later to be called by the Presbyterians, in Switzerland, Holland, England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, a general synod or general assembly, obtained sufficient votes among the gospel ministers and ruling elders to complete the disciplining of the church officers of the sect of the Pharisees, forcing their departure, who nominally professed faith in Christ as Saviour and Lord. Thereby, because of church court disciplining of the ranks, God-fearing communicant members and even basic adherents could be spared of sectarian teaching and spared serious in-fighting over gospel doctrines (Gal. 5:15) and biblical schism (Rom 16:17; I Cor. 1:10; Gal. 5:19-21) for awhile in the Roman Empire Church (Phil. 1:27). There would also be pertinent guidelines for biblical marriage, as well as hospitality for faithful travelling preachers and other church leaders (II John 9-11). This would be the result provided the infected people in the church were teachable and repentant, or forced to depart (see Prov. 22:10; Gal. 3:1-3; 4:14-17; 5:15).
Yet, this Pharisee sect, teaching justification by faith plus works, was prophesied in Scripture (Acts 20:29-32; II Thess. 2:1-9; I Tim. 4:1-5; II Tim. 3:1-7; 4:1-4) to gradually infiltrate back into the church; and by the 4th and 5th centuries A.D., this sect would take over the Roman Empire Church, becoming the Roman Catholic sectarian church. The Protestant evangelical ministers, ruling elders, and the God-fearing members would have to eventually secede, forming new congregations, and even immigrate and homestead in regions such as the highlands of Scotland, the Alps, or the Pyrenees. In the Roman Catholic sectarian church, there would then be parties or factions, later to be seen in the separatist counter-reformation sects; and in the 6th and 7th centuries, a large party of priests would break away from the Roman Catholic sectarian church forming an Arabic speaking assembly in Arabia. This minority, but large party of priests, opposed the creeds which defended the Deity of Christ and wanted to be even more zealous in works righteousness justification, paving the way for Mohammad to rise. The rise and advancement of sects can be deduced from the New Testament Scriptures in the severe gospel debates and specifically in II Thessalonians 2:7-12; II Timothy 3:1-7, 4:1-5, II Peter 2:1-3, and Jude 3-4. Since the sects are prophesied in Scripture, they have demonic coverings and aids, including heretical ministers (Matt. 7:15-20; II Tim. 4:3; II Pet. 3:1-3), incompetent and unconverted elders and deacons, and members, which are not suitable for the biblical Lord’s Supper (I Cor. 11:18-19). The church officers and advocates twist Scripture with their unbiblical and irrational ‘hermeneutics’ (that is, method of interpretation), which is warned of in Scripture (II Pet. 3:16). Their false teachers corrupt the Scriptures, bewitching followers (II Cor. 2:14-17; Gal. 3:1-4). They would eventually argue that true reformed activists cannot display any anger, not even righteous anger, unless their leaders display anger, having the demonic protective covering. Moreover, the sectarians often will say that reformed evangelical advocates cannot judge, when the text in question teaches that only hypocrites cannot judge, such as sectarians (see Matt. 7:1-6 comp. I Cor. 2:15; 5:12-13).
The Lord God in His Sovereign will and plan has foreordained some “Christians” to be nominal Christians and not born again, besides heathen out in the world (see Jn 2:23-25; Eph. 1:11; Jude 3-5). He even sends sectarians a lie to believe (II Thess. 2:11-12). The Lord Jesus Christ gave two similar parable of the sower accounts with four types of hearers of the preaching of the Word to make this plain, wherein only on average around 25% percent of the hearers of the preaching of the Word would become effectually called by Word and Spirit (Matt. 13:18-23; Luke 8:11-15; Col. 1:9-10). Yet, the roughly 50%, having become basic Christian adherents would have opportunity, under faithful reformed evangelical preaching to later get grounded and settled in the true gospel of free grace (Jn 2:23-25; Col. 1: 21-29; 2:6-7). Jesus Christ presented another parable indicating that the church would be plagued to some degree with the tares in the midst of the true God-fearing Christians to the end of the age (Matt. 13:36-43). The prophecies in the Scriptures with the rise and the plague of sects would be used to warn, purify, and purge the true churches from time to time, with making a clear distinction between the righteous and the unrighteous, those serving the Lord and those not serving the Lord, in the profession of the Christian faith (Mal. 3:1-18); and this would further warn them of the natural contention between the regenerate and the unregenerate in the church (Prov. 28:4; Gal. 5:15; II Tim. 3:8; 4:10, 14-15). It is very important to note that the Scriptures mark out three types of ungodly or wicked types of people, and not just one type. The types of ungodly, wicked people, or evil doers are as follows: the ungodly reprobate criminal type (Rom. 2:24-32), the ungodly restrained civilised type (Rom. 2:14-15), and the ungodly nominal Christian, long term basic adherent church attendees with common operations of the Spirit (Heb. 6:4-8).
Four Major Sect Camps in Church History
In accordance with prophecy in Scripture (I Tim. 4:1-5; II Timothy 3:1-7; 4:1-5), including the debates in Scripture and church history, it is helpful to divide sects into four major sect camps in church history: (1) Roman Catholic/Eastern “Orthodox” Pharisee sect(s); (2) the Anabaptist sect(s), with the Quaker and Pentecostal-Charismatics; the (3) neo-reformed professing “evangelical” sect(s); and the (4) Unitarian-Modernist sect(s). All four sects profess to believe in the authority of Scripture; however, in the early and mid-20th century, some Unitarian-Modernist sectarians had been more honest by declaring that the whole Bible is merely advisory and made their false gospel into a social gospel, including “liberation theology”; but most Unitarian-Modernists profess to believe in the authority of Scripture. Herein lies the ongoing problem of these sect camps; the sect camps reject Providential Preservation of the Scriptures (see West. Ch. 1, sec. 8 or WCF 21:8) and the Scriptures as the only rule of faith and obedience (LCQA 3). This makes the advocates of these sect camps basic adherents of the Christian faith at best (Matt. 13:21-22; Luke 8:13-14; Jn. 2: 23-25; I Jn 2:19) and nominal Christians at worse; and their dedicated church officers with false teachers are heretics.
Almost all of the sectarian church leaders began to promote a sectarian Bible version by the middle to late 20th century (e.g., RSV, NIV or ESV); and some beginning in the 19th century through to the mid-20th century had already switched from using the King James Bible to promoting poor translation Bible versions (e.g., RV or British version of ASV, ASV, and the NASV); and some advocate a sectarian KJV perfectionism in the English translation, which is not the same as Providential Preservation of the Scriptures in the Hebrew and Greek text (see WCF 1:8). All the sectarian heretical teachers wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction (II Pet. 3:16) and teach a perverted gospel (Gal. 1:7). The four sect camp heretics teach a weakened form of the new birth. The advocates of these sects deny the definite scriptural power of the reformed evangelical effectual calling/new birth, but do have a contrived sectarian new birth with a ‘form of godliness’ (II Tim. 3:5), living with a natural restraint (Rom. 2:14-15) or some common operations of the Spirit as taught in Hebrews 6:4-6 (see WCF 10:4; LCQA 68). The sectarian church leaders teach a false repentance often merged into unbiblical justifying faith, that is, a mere “turning” to justifying faith plus a faulty interpretation of Romans chapters 6-8 to teach a weak “sanctification” (that is, some kind of hopeful progressive sanctification); but they do not teach a biblical initial sanctification with effectual calling as taught in Romans 6:1-18 (see WCF 13:1); others teach justification by faith plus works. This displays their faulty view of redemption as a whole (Tit. 2:14). The first and fourth sect camp clearly advances justification by faith plus works (Roman Catholic/Eastern “Orthodox” Pharisee sect and the Unitarian-Modernist sect); and the second and third camps have on-going continuing problems with parties that seek to advance justification by faith plus works, claiming reaction to various forms of antinomianism, or weakened morality. Many of the sects stand out quite prominently as being anti-six day creationist, taking Genesis 1 and 2 as either a mere ‘story’ of creation, without details, or take the day age view or some kind of hypothesis, wherein each day may be regarded as a long age fitting in with some form of “theistic” evolution (with fanciful theories). All four sect camp church leaders, whilst being more separatist in the past, have become ecumenical or at least respectful of each sect being in agreement on Bible translations (mid-20th century); and their ‘pride and joy’ was for many to have translating representatives on the team to produce the NIV. Of course, they all despise the true Protestant evangelical faith and many despise the reformed evangelical Bibles (e.g., Geneva Bible, KJB).
Of course, these four sectarian camps would not at all admit to being sectarian and in fact some of the neo-reformed sectarian church leaders made up their own view of the sects which became popular in the 19th and mid-20th centuries. They sought to limit their view of sect, even preferring the term cult to be reserved for deliberate separatist sectarian assemblies, like the Mormons, Russellites (JWs), and the Apostolic Pentecostal church sect. The neo-reformed sectarians even tried to speak of the “evangelical” Mennonites in distinction from the Anabaptist Mennonites, attempting to speak of justification by faith plus works to be a heresy in contrast to a weak form of justification by faith alone; but this neo-reformed sectarian attempt at determining another gospel is not in accordance with the natural interpretation of Galatians 1:6-9, 2:15-19, 5:19-21, and II Peter 2:1-3, nor near sufficient to be practical. This very limited view of sects or cults was doomed to be wholly impractical to determine another gospel. In the mid-20th century, some neo-reformed professing Christians came to deny the immortality of the soul, dabbled in continuing words of prophesy, signs, wonders, miracles, including contrived tongue speaking, and some even adopted justification by faith plus works. So the short list for a body of divinity got further reduced to the doctrine of the Trinity and a basic vicarious atoning sacrifice, not near enough for a gospel body of divinity. Let us truly consider that Galatians 1:6-9 is most plain that sectarian, heretical church leaders pervert the gospel body of divinity and even the salvation message; and the perversion of the gospel was destined to result in the way of truth being evil spoken of by the world (see II Pet. 2:2).
All four sect camps reject and oppose among other doctrines the following: the exact biblical covenant of works and covenant grace; exact biblical effectual calling-new birth (comp. WCF 10:1-3; LCQA 67); biblical initial sanctification (comp. WCF 13:1; LCQA75); biblical repentance unto life (comp. WCF 15:1-2; LCQA 76); the exact biblical justification by grace though faith alone (comp. LCQA 72); the biblical pursuit of holiness, together with the extensive moral law of the Old Testament and the New Testament to be good works; scriptural common operations of the Spirit (comp. WCF 10:4; LCQA 68); exact biblical assurance of grace and salvation, together with the exact perseverance of the faith (comp. WCF 3:8; 181-4; 13:3). Again to refresh the memory, many of the attendees and members of sectarian churches may be called basic adherents of the Christian faith, and some to be openly nominal Christians. Yet, they are not the fruit bearing Christians of the parable of the sower (Matt. 13:23; Luke 8:15); and any other interpretation of effectual calling is scripturally illogical. In order to gain assurance of salvation with peace of conscience, sooner or later, a sectarian attendee must depart from a sectarian congregation to attend a reformed evangelical congregation and come to be grounded and settled in the true doctrines of free grace (Col. 1:23). They must display fruit in gospel doctrinal confession and the practising of righteousness seen in themselves and seen by others (Prov. 3:1-6; 11:5-6; 15:28; 23:24; Mtt. 5:16-20; John 14:15; II John 6), The point is, in order for a sectarian professing Christian to have assurance that when they die they will go to heaven, there must be confession of the true gospel in this life including repentance unto life and walking in the moral law as the rule of right living; or the evidence is that the sectarian professing Christian is gambling with their souls at best or simply preparing to go to hell. The reformed evangelical body of divinity, including effectual calling/new birth, necessitates this logical conclusion (see SCQA 89; LCQA 155-159).
The Roman Catholic/Eastern “Orthodox” Pharisee sect(s)
(1) The Roman Catholic/Eastern “Orthodox” Pharisee sect(s) dates back to the sect defeated at the recorded general synod meeting in Acts 15. Under God’s foreordaining decree, the demonic plan was for this sect to slightly modify its teachings in order to come under the radar of the exact scrutiny recorded in Scripture; but it remained essentially the same sect as before. The priests teach baptismal regeneration, justification by faith plus works, and a significantly reduced 10 commandments, even directly perverting the 2nd commandment to allow images or icons into public worship and at home. Presumptuously misinterpreting Matthew 5:16-20, they have continued with numerous ceremonial law ordinances abolished and changed by Christ and the Apostles (Eph. 2:14-17; Col. 2:16-17; Heb. 7:12). The Papacy claim to continue the exact Old Testament theocracy, with the judicial laws and ceremonial laws, but modifying them as they see fit. The Papacy, ‘the man of sin’, introduced a “new temple” cathedral prophesied in II Thessalonians 2:4, with on-going sacrifices in their brand of an Arminian-Pelagian justification by faith plus works Eucharist/Communion. They have desperately tried to reintroduce contrived signs and miracles, which are “lying wonders” (II Thess. 2:9-10). The papacy forbids marriage for the priesthood and promotes perpetual vows of celibacy as an invented made up “holiness”, together with making all marriages sinful, except for those “blessed” with the Roman Catholic sect “sacrament of marriage” (see I Tim. 4:3). They forbid certain meats at Lent in order to appear sacrificially “holy” (I Tim. 4:3-5). This sect indeed promotes the “doctrines of devils”, enjoying the prophesied covering and protection. The Vatican has sent representatives to Bible translation teams since the mid-19th century. They present their “copyrighted” corrupted manuscripts, which the Unitarian-Modernists and the neo-reformed sectarian Greek “scholars” have appreciated. They want it to appear that the “scholarly” sectarian team are consulting all the “scholars” and sources to come up with the best on-going changing Hebrew-Greek text for translation (note: on-going changing or ever progressive text); and then they give the appearance of producing the latest “best” English translation which in the 20th century has come to be about every 30 years or so. The Vatican has had representatives on every ‘critical text’ translation team from the Revised Version (RV) through to the ESV, except for the New King James Version (NKJV).
The Anabaptist sect(s), with the Quaker and Pentecostal-Charismatics
The (2) 16th and 17th centuries Anabaptist sect(s), with the Quaker and Pentecostal-Charismatic sect(s), have been a separatist and very divisive sect, wherein some have not only had doctrinal issues over the Trinity, but many church leaders have been promoters of justification by faith plus works and others a simple faith false gospel with a weakened justification by faith alone. They are prone to rejecting the reformed evangelical doctrine of the immortality of the soul (see WCF 4:2; LCQA 17). This sect group rejects biblical repentance unto life and has a reduced morality even within the New Testament moral teachings. Many have promoted permanent communal living with a poor hermeneutic, failing to compare Scripture with Scripture. In the late 16th and the 17th centuries, this sect was so divisive and authoritative through the ruling elders that it was eventually divided into further distinct camps: Mennonites, Amish, Hutterites, and then the Quaker-Shakers. This Anabaptist sect was advanced and revitalised in the 18th and 19th centuries, being assisted with adding preacher ministers in the form of the Cambellites, the Seven Day Baptist-Adventists, and the Charismatic-Pentecostals; and then with ruling elders alone, they advanced the British and Irish Brethren as well as the Russelites (JWs). The Campbellites, came out of the peculiarly labeled “Great Awakening”, which was a pressurised movement from the Presbyterian new side ministers (weak Subscriptionists and weak training for the gospel ministers) and many Congregational-Independents. Some Congregational-Independents spawned the Campbellite Church of Christ sect with its ‘honest’ and more consistent Baptismal regeneration position.
In the 19th century, the founders of the Seven Day Baptist-Adventist were quite disappointed with the advancement of the 17th century Antinomian sect in the 19th century by the Baptist Dispensational Antinomians. So they spawned a new separatist group with justification by faith plus works; and they foolishly and divisively promoted a 7th day “Christian” Sabbath, partly by special contrived “prophecy” as well as poor hermeneutics. Proving their rejection of Scripture as the only rule of faith and obedience, this false Sabbath clearly defies the teachings of the Apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42; 20:7) and the express example of Christ (Jn 20:1-19). They also reject the obvious meaning of Geneses 9:1-3 which commands the eating of quality produced grass-fed meat. The 17th century Anabaptist Mormons, with their ruling elders alone, sought to have contrived new words of prophecy together with new books added to the Bible and more radical sectarian teaching, besides some sensible practices from the Book of Proverbs. The Russellites (JWs) are a typical Anabaptist sect, with ruling elders in charge without pastors, promoting that Jesus is not part of the God-head as well as teaching justification by faith plus works, with much reduced morality. This sect originally endorsed the American Standard Version (ASV), being quite satisfied with that Bible version for a number of years; but later, the church leaders made their own translation (namely, the New World Translation).
Unlike the Quaker-Shakers, who only used ruling elders, the Charismatic-Pentecostals brought in minister preachers, including some women, against the express teaching of Scripture (see I Cor. 14:14; I Tim. 2:12-15); and they taught the people that we are now in the last days, in severe error teaching that the last days began in the mid-19th century. In contrast, the reformed evangelical teaching and the natural interpretation of Acts 2:14-21, I Timothy 4:1-5, and II Timothy 3:1-7, 4:1-4 is that the New Testament church has been in the last days since the resurrection, ascension, and mediatorial reign of the God-man. As a result of this false teaching about ‘the last days’, wherein the Vatican is quite satisfied with another schismatic confusion, all the Quaker-Shaker and Charismatic-Pentecostal sects starting prior to the 17th century and revitalised with some “maturity” in the 19th century came to be legitimised; and they thereby can be falsely viewed as part of “evangelical” Christianity that could be reunited some time in the new contrived “last days”, by made up signs, wonders, neo-tongue speaking, and miracles. Instead, the Pentecostal-Charismatic sect is just another heretical divisive sect in the New Testament last days, since the ascension of Christ, under the Mediatorial reign of the God-man (see LCQA 54).
The Neo-Reformed Sect
(3) The neo-reformed sect rose up during the 16th century reformation and sought to perform a counter-reformation in the reformed Church of Germany, the reformed Church of Holland, the reformed Church of England, reformed Church of Northern Ireland, and the reformed Church of Scotland. In Germany, following the death of the reformed evangelical Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon was successful in ousting the reformed evangelicals from the church of Germany (i.e., the Lutheran church); and the reformed evangelicals were forced to withdraw to the Reformed Church of Germany. In Holland, the neo-reformed Remonstrance-Arminian-Pelagian church leaders were defeated by the synodical decrees and creed called the Canons of Dordt (1618-19), with the Rejection of Errors. In England, the neo-reformed sect in the Church of England were first defeated by the reformed evangelicals with the 39 Articles of the Christian Religion together with the “Introduction”, not allowing for any theological exceptions or differences with any doctrines taught in the Confession; but in the 18th century, both in the Presbyterian Church of England and the Church of England, gospel ministers were allowed into the church who had exceptions to the 39 Articles and the Westminster Church Standards, wherein the Remonstrance-Arminian camp and other neo-reformed sectarians were able to come in and gradually take over the Churches; and the Modernist Unitarians would also be granted admission into the pulpits.
With the ordination of John Wesley, the Church of England was never the same again, even though he often had to street-preach in his early years. He was soon a vocal opponent of reformed evangelical ministers in the Church of England. John Wesley brought in Arminian-Pelagianism as well as a form of Perfectionism, which was another form of Antinomianism with much reduced morality; and again, it came in with rejection of biblical repentance unto life. Therefore, Wesleyan neo-reformed ministers and later other neo-reformed infiltrators promoted that only presumptuous sins become sin. Thereby, many neo-reformed sectarians would be encouraged to ‘turn off’ the mind and “close the ears” to reformed evangelical teaching and preaching, as needed, to avoid being taught sound doctrine, including the extensive moral law with greater accountability; and then they could ‘hope against hope’ that Galatians 5:19-21 is not directed at them. They further hoped that they will not be held accountable for their contrived ignorant sins; but in reality many of their sins are indeed serious and scandalous sins, and soon display that they have a nominal Christian profession.
By the mid-19th century, the neo-reformed sectarians infiltrated into the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Christian Reformed Church, Church of Holland, Church of Scotland, Free Church of Scotland, Presbyterian Church of Ireland, Presbyterian Church of Australia, Reformed Church of America, the Presbyterian Church of Canada, the Presbyterian Church of Australia, Presbyterian Church in the United States, and the United Presbyterian Church. Having stayed too long in the previous listed denominations, the “conservative” professing Presbyterian and reformed churches were reconstituted in the 19th and 20th centuries with infection of many neo-reformed sectarian church officers. As a result, many of the continuing Presbyterian and reformed churches started in the 19th and 20th centuries in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and the United States began with immediate controversy, conflict, and strife (see Prov. 28:4; Gal. 5:15; James 4:10-12) between reformed evangelical church officers and neo-reformed church officers. Therefore, the newly constituted general synods were not able to have necessary synodical decrees to make dogma church law in order to ‘weed out’ the neo-reformed church ministers and elders. The one exception in Holland was the Netherlands Reformed Congregations (NRC); and the other exception was the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland, Ireland, and North America (RPC). With several splits in Holland, in the 19th and 20th centuries, the NRC church officers were able to continue with synod decreed catechetical preaching and catechetical instruction to fence the Lord’s Supper with close catechised Communion; and the RPC continued with close catechised Communion until the early 1960s. The RPC sister denominations will be more specifically mentioned in the next section with reference to the change in the early 1960s.
The Unitarian-Modernist Sect
(4) The Unitarian-Modernists are definite promoters of sectarian Bible versions and on-going “theistic” evolutionists. Like the Vatican, the Unitarian-Modernists have been able to work on every Bible version translation from the RV through to the ESV, except for the NKJV; and their crowning glory was the NIV, making it acceptable to every sect at least as an ecumenical study Bible, and many sectarian ministers have used it even as the pulpit Bible. This sect has long taken over and controlled the Church of England, Church of Scotland, Christian Reformed Church, Congregationalists of New England, the Unitarian Church, Presbyterian Church in the United States, the German Lutheran Church, the original Lutheran Church in the United States and Australia, the Episcopal Church in the United States, the original Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ, and the Uniting Church. They are the second most destructive sect in church history, and second only to the Roman Catholic/Eastern “Orthodox” Pharisee sect. These sectarians promote a very weak justification by faith plus works. In the 20th century, this sectarian group championed the notion that they could not be judged, seeking to twist and utilise Matthew 7:1-5. Yet, that passage clearly teaches that hypocrites cannot judge; but God-fearing Christians are to make sound judgments in doctrine and morality, as God the lawgiver has ordained (see and comp. I Cor. 2:15; 5:12-13; Jm. 4:10-12).
A mature and competent reformed evangelical may have the weaker translation NKJV as a study Bible and comparison as well as have a definite sectarian version in one’s personal library for comparison; but those reformed evangelicals using the NKJV should move onto the KJB to use as a regular Bible for secret worship, study, memorisation, and family worship; and every young reformed evangelical minister should be using the KJB in the pulpit. Let it not be thought that the NKJV is a necessary pre-study Bible for new professing Christians. Biblical effectual calling says otherwise, wherein a faithful Bible translation will be used of God from the moment the Holy Spirit performs the work of regeneration in the heart of an elect sinner (Rom. 10:14-17; I Pet. 1:23-25; and furthermore any child ready for reformed evangelical home schooling or reformed evangelical Christian School can be raised on the KJB. Each printing of the NKJV takes away donation money from the Protestant evangelical English Bibles at home and in the foreign mission. What little good is in the NKJV is far better in the KJB or the Geneva Bible. NKJV publishers often print Bibles with textual variants at the bottom; and it promotes two definite significant errors: (1) it promotes the false imminent return of Christ and takes away from the teaching that the papacy is the ‘man of sin’ (see NKJV II Thess. 2:1-2); (2) and it confuses the course of dealing with heresy, having left ‘heresies’ in Galatians 5:20, but then at a crucial point in engagement with the scandalous sin of heresy, it turns to defend the heretic or incompetent church officer, agreeing with the NIV and the ESV translators (comp. Tit. 3:10). In Titus 3:10, the translators changed ‘heretic’ to divisive man. Finally, the NKJV perpetuates the false concept that each new generation, since the mid-20th century is incapable of studying from a classical English educational Bible and needs an update every 30 years. Thereby, the NKJV works against memorising the Bible through perpetual lifetime use of one time-honoured Protestant evangelical English Bible, in public worship, family worship, and secret worship.
‘Heresy’ and the Sectarian Bibles (RSV, NIV, ESV)
Now concerning the earlier critical text translations, in the 20th century, including the American Standard Version (ASV) and the New American Standard Version (NASV), these poor translations retained the label ‘sect’ in Acts 15:5. Both translations relegated the label ‘heresy’ to footnotes, except for II Peter 2:1 where it was retained in the text. With reference to the pastors and elders using these translations, the ASV and NASV, they could teach ‘heresy’ from the footnotes and of course from New Testament Greek Bibles. In contrast, the NIV and ESV translators followed the RSV, deliberately almost eradicating ‘heresy’ and sect from the Bible without even footnotes. They thereby rendered the label ‘sect’ to be useless and almost forgotten; and the label ‘heresy’ or ‘heretic’ came to be forgotten or to refer to those of another religion altogether. The NKJV tried to follow the NASV, but did manage to put the term ‘heresies’ back into the text of Galatians 5:19-21. Nonetheless, the poor translations (ASV, NSV), and then the sectarian Bibles (RSV, NIV, ESV), made it very difficult for Protestant evangelicals to protest, secede, and separate over the first mark of the Church, which is the pure preaching of the Gospel of free grace, namely, the reformed evangelical faith.
Biblical Saving Faith and Assurance of Salvation
Whilst it might now be understood by many readers, that II Peter 2:1-3 as well as Jude 3-4 do refer to three sectarian groups, Roman Catholic Pharisee sect(s), the Anabaptist sect(s), with the Quaker and Pentecostal-Charismatic, and the Unitarian-Modernist sect(s), some readers may not be convinced yet that these verses can fit for the (3) neo-reformed professing “evangelical” camp. In answer to this, Galatians 1:6-9 is quite clear that it is directed at any group of sectarian preachers who definitely pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ. These above verses, II Peter 2:1-3 and Jude 3-4, will also be exegeted in the next section. Furthermore, with a poor sectarian presentation of justification by faith alone or a typical confusing justification by faith plus works, neither view of faith allows for biblical repentance unto life. The end result for those who adopt another gospel is no peace of conscience for the new professing Christian. So the only peace that these sectarians can have is a conscience suppressed by a false Eucharist/Communion, ever-progressive special music in worship, or a seared conscience with an unteachable spirit; and the following quote from the Larger Catechism should make it plain that all the writers and signers of the Westminster Church Standards, all the church officers of the Church of Scotland in the adopting act of 1645-48, and all the church officers in the (Presbyterian) Church of England (1645-62) held to the reformed evangelical repentance unto life:
LC Q. 76. What is repentance unto life?
- A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and word of God, whereby, out of the sight and sense, not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, and upon the apprehension of God’s mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, he so grieves for and hates his sin, as that he turns from them all to God, purposing and endeavouring constantly to walk with him in all the ways of news obedience.
Let us take note of this important fact about the gospel of free grace. If church officers and teachers get ‘saving faith’ wrong, it is a perversion; and there can be no biblical assurance of salvation. Where there is no biblical repentance unto life, there is no biblical pursuit of holiness; and how can there be the necessary receiving of Jesus Christ as Saviour without commitment to justification by grace through faith alone? How can there be confession of sin and following Jesus Christ as Lord, without commitment to the whole moral law of God as the rule of right living? Remember, “by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20b) and “sin is the transgression of the law” (I Jn 3:4b). The Roman-Catholic/Eastern “Orthodox” Pharisee sect, the Unitarian-Modernist sect(s), the Anabaptist sec(s) with some of the Quaker and Pentecostal-Charismatic and some neo-reformed groups teach justification by faith plus works. Justification by faith plus works and waiting for the final judgment and hope of acceptance into the New Heavens and New Earth can grant no peace of conscience in this life. Regarding the simple faith false gospel message, this “gospel” promotes some kind of perceived justifying faith without biblical repentance unto life. It is found among some Anabaptist groups, Pentecostal-Charismatics and neo-reformed groups.
—Introduction – Part 2 – Conclusion