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by: DanielLaLondJr.
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Unknown to his supporters, the respected pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer, annuls key biblical texts with strange, unorthodox interpretations. By doing so, this modern evangelical icon promises paradise to the unrepentant and flatly opposes Moody founder Dwight Lyman Moody on the ABC's of salvation.

Thousands of faithful believers who appreciate much of Dr. Lutzer's inspirational teaching do not know that their beloved pastor and leader (as well as his publisher Moody Press) has strayed from the basic, salvation doctrines of their founders. When these Christians accept Erwin Lutzer's teaching they think they are in line with scripture as well as D. L. Moody, but is this assumption true? Consider Paul's warning to the Galatians:

The deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21).

Though this scripture seems plain enough, I must ask: How do you interpret this sober warning addressed to those who practice the deeds of the flesh such as immorality, sensuality, sorcery and drunkenness? What do the words shall not inherit mean? "For if ye live after the flesh," says Paul, "ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." In keeping with millenia of Christian history Paul is clearly warning the unrepentant about being barred from entering the eternal kingdom of God.

Commenting on these seemingly unmistakable passages Dr. Lutzer, the learned teacher of hundreds of thousands insists, "Paul speaks of those who will forfeit certain kingdom privileges because of their sinful lifestyles....Those who practice such sins will not be barred from entering the kingdom, but will be barred from inheriting it" ( Lutzer, Your Eternal Reward, p. 70). As shocking as such might be, Erwin W. Lutzer promises paradise to those who practice and are even characterized by immorality, impurity, idolatry, sorcery or drunkenness!

"If one or more of these sins characterizes their Christian lives, and they refuse to judge the evil, they will forfeit the honor of kingdom rule" (Lutzer, Your Eternal Reward, p. 70).

Refuses to judge the evil? Characterizes? To characterize, according to Webster's dictionary is to be the "distinguishing feature." Can drunkenness be the distinguishing feature of a believer ultimately headed for heaven? May the drunk stumbling from the local bar night after night yet be bound for paradise? The man under whose name Dr. Lutzer's fancies are published, D. L. Moody, did not think so! Mr. Moody wrote:

I pity any professed Christians who rent their property for drinking saloons; If you ever expect to inherit the kingdom of God, give it up. This idea that all is going well, and that all are going into the kingdom of God, whether they repent or not, is not taught anywhere in the Scripture (D. L. Moody, Sermon: Heaven, Its Inhabitants).

In harmony with Paul and historic Christianity, D. L. Moody believed and taught that if we do not inherit the kingdom we certainly do not enter it or even see it. Not only has Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer's strange interpretation of Galatians 5:19-21 comforted the unrepentant, it has wandered far from the views of the founder of his own movement, a founder who labeled views such as Dr. Lutzer espouses not according to scripture. In our dialogue Dr. Lutzer did not address the fact of his contradicting D. L. Moody on foundational issues.

About the Author

Daniel LaLond's book, The Lying Promise, speaks in detail to many fallacies in the doctrine of Erwin W. Lutzer. Check out Defending The Gospel for details on The Lying Promise.