Moody Press: True To Scripture?
“The Name You Can Trust” is the marketing slogan of Moody Press or Moody Publishers. In this way Moody Press suggests to believers that they are a Christian publishing house that is true to scripture and to the gospel of Christ. Multiplied thousands around the globe, however, who trust their eternal souls to the teaching published by “The Name You Can Trust” might be stunned to find out that Moody Press should not be trusted.
For example, in his book How Can You Be Sure That You Will Spend Eternity With God, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1996) Erwin W. Lutzer wrote and Moody Press published:
Even a weak faith saves if it is directed to Christ alone. But a wrong faith leads to destruction even it is held with unwavering confidence (p. 134).
Whether our faith be little or much, it must be directed to Christ alone, for God accepts only those who accept His Son (p. 113).
Such instruction is certainly quite scriptural. I mean, who would argue against the notion that if one is to be saved they must trust Christ alone. Nonetheless, under the banner of extolling Christ, Moody Press and Dr. Lutzer, in actuality, might dethrone Him.
You see, in accordance with Dr. Lutzer’s teaching Christ alone is often rhetorical code meaning that an alleged Christian who rejects the faith or even seeks salvation through some way other than through Christ alone will still tread on streets of gold. That is, “Christ alone” means that no works (in kind or degree) ever affects salvation–even rejecting the gospel and “Christ alone.” What? You might think, we’re only saved by “Christ alone,” but those who reject “Christ alone” are yet saved? Ridiculous I know, but this is Lutzer’s position. Allow me to illustrate, kindly consider Hebrews 6:4-6:
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Now, regarding this passage Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer writes and Moody Press publishes:
We have to [recognize that] the author is talking about true Christians in this passage…Yes, believers can “fall away”… they were starting to doubt whether Christ was fully sufficient… The point is that as long as they were returning to the sacrifices of the Old Testament, they couldn’t be brought back to repentance. Understandably, they could not be brought back to fellowship with God while they were offering lambs on the alter… Yes, believers can fall away, but not to eternal damnation (p. 150).
Unbelieving believers who sacrifice animals on pagan altars will be saved? Is it harmonious to teach on the one hand that “a wrong faith leads to destruction” yet on the other to promise heaven to those who abandon the faith altogether and prove it by sacrificing animals on pagan altars for the forgiveness of sins? We are saved by Christ alone, insists Dr. Lutzer, yet the blatant abomination and no faith of Christ rejectors still leads to paradise? Ridiculous contradiction!
Erwin W. Lutzer’s teaching is a meaningless, contradictory mish-mash of theology and humanistic tradition. Contradictions are the surest sign that a teacher needs to return to studying and stop teaching others. Erwin Lutzer, Moody Press and their editors are in serious error on foundational doctrines. Do not be fooled by “The Name You Can Trust.” Moody Press should not be trusted.