Don't Wander in the Wilderness

The Old Testament paints a vivid picture of those who remained in the wilderness when they could have entered the Promised Land.

We have modern "wilderness wanderers" too: people who reject unpopular parts of Scripture so they can explore the wilderness of human understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).  

I want to urge you not to join them. Please stay on the path of Scripture, dear Christians. We will only find safety by dwelling in God's Word (Psalm 37:3).

Wilderness wandering begins with the "judge not" lie, two words taken out of context to rebuke Christians who are appropriately judging things according to scriptural commands.

The longer people remain in this wilderness, the more they redefine Scripture until they create a Jesus who is everybody's fan and nobody's Lord.

Hebrews 3:7-19 warns us about these wilderness wanderings:

“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end…” 

The voices of the wilderness wanderers are growing louder, but God's Word will prevail (1 Corinthians 3:18-20). 

"Ex-vangelical" authors, speakers, and teachers are wilderness wanderers with enormous followings. If you would like to understand 7 major issues that separate "ex-vangelicals" and Bible-believing Christians, I encourage you to read my article Wilderness Wanderers. It addresses beliefs of Jen Hatmaker, Sarah Bessey, the late Rachel Held Evans, Brian Zahnd, Rob Bell, Paul Young (author of The Shack), Pete Enns, and Brian McLaren.

Other helpful resources to understand and respond to wilderness wanderers:

When People Reject Inerrancy of Scripture 

A Serious "Christian Feminist" Error (Sarah Bessey)

Muddled Views of God, Scripture, and Women (Rachel Held Evans)

Brian Zahnd: Denying the Inerrancy of Scripture

Is God a "Cosmic Abuser"? (Paul Young, author of The Shack)

5 Lies About God's Character Promoted in The Shack

When People Abandon Faith (Josh Harris)

Trendy Apostasy: Marty Sampson

Why People "Fall Away"

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