Theocracy means literally ‘the rule of God’ and the term was invented by Josephus (ad 38-c. 100) to describe the ancient Hebrew constitution and the role of Mosaic law. However, if you do not literally believe that the law has been handed down by God on tablets of stone, it may be difficult to accept theocracies on their own terms.

— Lincoln Allison

I make this small post to introduce an idea. Allow me to introduce you to a word which has greatly captivated my imagination of late, THEOCRACY.

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The History of the De-Emphasis Of The New Birth

Section VI -Crucified With Christ (Part 7 second edition)

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Romans 6:3-6

In our previous lesson we looked at the blood of Jesus Christ as the only basis on which we can approach God. God dealt with our sins with the blood. Christ is the propitiation (price required to remove the offense) for our sins.

This leaves us with one more problem. Human beings are like ’sin factories’. Although God may have dealt with our sins that are past by the blood, the nature of a fallen human being is to continue ‘producing’ sins. So, by way of analogy, God had to do something about the ’sin factory’ itself. He could not do this with the blood; He had to do this with the cross. We must have a revelation of the cross if we are ever to live a Christian life as God intended.

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Dave Smethurst

This all started a number of years ago in a Baptist church in Crystal Palace in South London. The Sunday morning service was closing and a man stood up at the back and raised his hand and said: “Excuse me pastor can I share a short testimony?” The pastor looked at his watch and said “You have three minutes.” The man proceeded with his story: “I’ve just moved into this area. I used to live in Sydney Australia. Just a few months back I was visiting some relatives and I was walking down George Street. You know where George Street is in Sydney going from the Business Area out to the colonial area. A strange little white haired man stepped out from a shop doorway, put a pamphlet in my hand and said: ‘Excuse me sir, are you saved, if you die tonight are you going to heaven?’ “I was astounded by these words. No one had ever asked me that. I thanked him courteously and all the way home to London this puzzled me. I called a friend and thank God he was a Christian and he led me to Christ.”

The Baptists love testimonies like that. Everyone applauded and welcomed him into their fellowship.

The Baptist pastor flew to Adelaide, Australia the next week and 10 days later in the middle of a three day series in a Baptist church in Adelaide, a woman came up to him for some counseling. He wanted to establish where she stood with Christ. She said “I used to live in Sydney and just a couple of months back I was visiting some friends in Sydney and doing some last minute shopping down George Street. A strange little white haired man stepped out of a shop doorway and offered me a pamphlet and said ‘Excuse me madam, are you saved, if you die tonight are you going to heaven?’ “I was disturbed by those words. When I got home to Adelaide, I knew this Baptist church was on the next block from me. I sought out the pastor and he led me to Christ. So I am telling you that I am a Christian.”

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Robert Wurtz II

The History of the De-Emphasis Of The New Birth

Section VI – The Preaching of the Cross (Part 1)

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God

I Corinthians 1:18

We learn later in I Corinthians 2 & 3 that the natural man does not receive the things of God, neither can he/she know them because they are spiritually discerned. Paul takes this thought early on to a different level in stating that the preaching of the cross is actually ‘foolishness’ (Gk. stupid) to the unsaved. Paul did not complicate the doctrine when preaching to the Greeks by making it appear as ‘wisdom’ or some ‘new thing’. He did not communicate the message with complex arguments to try to win them over (I Corinthians 2:7, Acts 17:21). He writes, For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect (I Corinthians 1:17). Why would it cause the cross of no effect to make the doctrine appeal to those who think themselves wise? Because the cross slays a man and leaves him ‘dead’ to any form of glorying in himself. To remove that aspect of the cross, it to make it of none effect.

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Robert Wurtz II

The History of the De-Emphasis Of The New Birth

Section V – Rediscovering Evangelism in the First Century

When we rewind the tape and return to the first century we find an entirely different method of ministry when it comes to ‘invitations’ to come to Christ. Even in the days of Wesley, Whitefield, and Finney we do not read of responses like we find in Acts. We read of folk falling from their seats or clinging to the posts of the building (Edwards), but how often have we heard that the folk cried out, “Men, what must we do to be saved?”

Peter on the Day of Pentecost concluded his sermon with these words, ‘Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made that same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ Coming from 40 days of seeking the Lord, it took but a simple message to reach the hearts of this people who were crying crucify several weeks before. Notice their reaction to Peter’s preaching, ‘Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ (Acts 236-37). This response was the result of the working of the Holy Spirit through the word of God alone. Notice their was no music playing or sad songs being sung. That day the apostles witnessed the genuine conversion of three thousand people and when the word of God says they were ‘added’ we can rest assured that the conversions were legit.

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Robert Wurtz II

The History of the De-Emphasis Of The New Birth

Section IV – From “Hopefully Converted” To “Saved” in 39 Years

The First Modern Day Altar Call

Some accounts tell us that as early a s 1740’s, Eleazer Wheelock, a Congregational Minister, had to stop preaching because he was drowned out by the “distress and outcry” of the congregation. “Not being able to finish his sermon, with great apparent serenity and calmness of soul, he called t o the distressed, and desired that they gather themselves together in the body of the seats below” (The front seats). This is perhaps the beginnings of the modern “altar call”. Wheelock is said to have only shared the Gospel and prayed for the penitents. He never presumed to have them repeat a formula “sinner’s prayer.”

Over the next 200+ years the practice of public invitation would evolve into the modern day ‘altar call’ as has been witnessed hundreds of times in modern mass evangelism crusades. Some, in the early days, used the simple mourner’s bench. Anxious meeting were held after the meeting or the next day for those who felt ‘anxious’ about their soul. Some preferred the “inquiry room”, where they have the exercises of prayer for the lost, and the like. Praying for penitents, in itself, was not considered a “new method.” It was common with Whitefield and Wesley. Any who sought prayer, were welcome to see them after the meeting.

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Robert Wurtz II

The History of the De-Emphasis Of The New Birth

Section III – The Seeds of Modern Evangelistic Methods

Numbers Numbers Numbers

In the 1820’s, Charles Finney, considered by many to be the “father of modern evangelism”, used his so-called “new measures” that disturbed many pastors and created much opposition to the revivals. Many of these ‘new measures’ in one form or another are so ‘a part’ of modern evangelical Christendom that it will seem odd to the reader that these measures are in many cases less than 200 years old.

Until Finney popularized the ‘new methods’, conversions were considered a personal affair. Whitefield may have witnessed excited emotional outbursts of folk crying out in repentance during the meeting, but he would never have asked inquirers to sit on an “anxious bench”, or pray publicly any type of repeated prayer as a sign of repentance.

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Robert Wurtz II

The History of the De-Emphasis Of The New Birth

Section II – Ministry Apart From God

The twentieth century witnessed more changes upon the whole of human existence than any other century in human history. The nineteenth century laid the foundation for much of the change that we witnessed in the twentieth. Many inventions in science and industry coupled with the post modernism (secularism) in education came together to change the face of human existence, as it had been known for many thousands of years.These changes permeated like a miasma through the whole fabric of society. Our great, great, great grandparents would not recognize the world in which we live. It would not understand the technology and it certainly would not believe the morality.

We, on the other hand, only know what we have experienced. Things have changed very fast until each generation has experienced a radically different life than the one before.

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Robert Wurtz II

The History of the De-Emphasis Of The New Birth

Introduction

In mid 2005 I had become quite burdened over the condition of modern evangelistic methods and the fading emphasis on the New Birth. I suppose you could say that the burden had come to a head. I had been flooding my study time with materials of Wesley, Finney, Ravenhill, Tozer, Moody, Billy Sunday and many others. I had gone to a course in 2004 by the Billy Graham Evangelistic association and was awarded a ‘counselor’ badge for the 2004 Kansas City crusade. The contrast between the things I learned in the classes and the studies I had made prior was shocking. I was unable to fully reconcile it in my heart. I knew we were on a horrible course of doom and destruction if someone did not do something.

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In June of 2008, I received permission to publish a series by Robert Wurtz II, entitled “The Betrayal of the Ages – The History of the De-Emphasis Of The New Birth”. Robert and I shared a piece of cyberspace, at a pivotal part of my spiritual development, as fellow posters on the Sermonindex.net forums. Robert has had his own journey of discovery, and this contribution is the product of such searchings in his life, expressed at a fixed point in time. He tells me that he has tried to start on a revised version that incorporates some recent developments, and perhaps when he does we can include it here, but we’ll cross that bridge when and if…

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Wayne Jacobson

I know the way I relate to the church is a bit unconventional and some even call it dangerous. Believe me, I understand that concern because I used to think that way myself, and I even taught others to think that way as well.

If you are happy with the status quo of organized religion today, you may not like what you read here. My purpose is not to convince you to see this incredible church the same way I do, but to answer your questions as openly and honestly as I can. Even if we don’t end up agreeing, hopefully you will understand that our differences need not estrange us as fellow members of Christ’s body.

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