Spiritual Smoke & Mirrors

Hello dear readers, Id like to share my thoughts on a book Ive begun reading; An Emerging Spirituality by Ricky Maye.. From the very beginning pages of this book it is maddening in its stupidity. From the endorsements and the forward by a guy named Alex Gamble, you wonder if these people actually read the Bible. The books sub-title is Your Spiritual Revolution without the Smoke and Mirrors. I havent gotten very far into the book but so far it seems that smoke & mirrors is all Im seeing. One of the endorsements is from a woman named Joy Wilson. She is billed as an Outlaw Preacher from Tennessee. Here is what she said about this book: In Ricky Mayes redemptive book, an emerging spirituality is defined as a journey seeking more. While rules and traditions of religion may limit faith, spirituality is following God out of the known into uncomfortable, sometimes painful growth. The benefit is personalized salvation uniquely designed to meet our individual needs. (red flag) Ricky contends that salvations greatest value isnt in getting to heaven, (bright, flapping and waving red flag) but about eternal life right now, where Jesus meets our deepest hearts desires for unconditional love. Let me say that if I were to adequately address everything wrong in just this one paragraph, you would walk away for youd be reading another book. And, I dont want to write another book, so Ill make this as succinct as I can. Lets begin with: rules and traditions of religion may limit faith This is what is called a straw man argument. Wilson makes a presumptive statement about what Christianity is and assumes that other people feel the same. She then proceeds to give the reader a different way. A relationship with God is not about rules & traditions. Even under the Old Covenant it was about faith not works. Paul said as much in Romans 9:31,32 Israel failed to reach the standard set by the law because they followed it by rules and tradition rather than by faith. The result is that they missed their Messiah. Wilson does not understand that Christianity isnt rules & traditions. Implying that it is and then giving you an alternative is called trickery. Its like an Illusionists doing slight- of- hand tricks to fool you. It is making you believe that something false is true, so she can give you something that you think is true but really is false. The benefit is personalized salvation uniquely designed to meet our individual needs Paul said in Romans 10:2-4 that Israel had a zeal for God but not according to knowledge. They did not understand Gods righteousness. Israel did not submit to Gods righteousness because they tried to establish their own. Gods righteousness and the righteousness He wants to impart to us is what He says it is, not what we say it is. let God be true, its all the rest of us who are liars. Romans 3:4. As a result of trying to establish their own righteousness the Jews totally missed understanding that the goal and end result of the law is Christ for righteousness. Psalm 3:8 and Revelation 7:10 says salvation belongs to the Lord. Psalm. 37:39 says salvation comes from the Lord. Titus 2:11 says Gods grace brings salvation. Isaiah 46:10 says God declares (puts into place by His command) the end from the beginning. Salvation is designed by God not us; for His purpose not ours. : Ricky contends that salvations greatest value isnt in getting to heaven, but about eternal life right now, where Jesus meets our deepest hearts desires for unconditional love What?! Jesus took all the sin of all mankind for all time and rose from the dead so we could have our best life now; while we are still in this body of death? (see 2 Cor. 5:21 & Rom. 7:24) Paul says to people like Joy Wilson in 1 Co 15:36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And; verse 50; I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable Eternal life begins when Christ redeems these mortal bodies, Philippians 3:20,21 and we finally live in full realization of our adoption as

sons of God; Romans 8:23 The scripture is full of teaching on eternal life consisting of being out of this tent 2 Cor. 5:2 and in our real dwelling place in Heaven. The entire book of 1 Peter is about how we are to live now while waiting for Christ to come back and take us to our real home. 1 Peter 1:4. And tells us that salvation into Gods real purpose for us is something in our future. Verse 5. Finally, the one passage that negates, refutes and vaporizes everything Wilson says: 1Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.