|
"Take
Heed" Ministries
|
|
Cecil Andrews, PO BOX 13, Ballynahinch, BT24 8AL, Northern Ireland. Telephone/Fax 028 9756 5511. E-MAIL - takeheed@aol.com WEBSITE - http://www.takeheed.net |
|
Radio
4's 'Daily Service' denies
Christ's 'Substitutionary Atonement' |
Louise Malone
c/o BBC
Manchester
M60 1 SJ
Dear Louise,
Radio 4 Daily Service 3 April 2006
I want to thank you for your sympathetic
hearing given to my phone call today concerning the distress caused by the
content of today’s ‘Daily Service’ that was presented by Michael
Wakelin.
I haven’t had time as yet
to transcribe what Mr Wakelin said but in essence Mr Wakelin basically
advocated the view expressed last year by Steve Chalke
[well-known
presenter in times past of BBC TV’s ‘Songs of Praise’ which Mr Wakelin
produces] that when Christ died on
the cross it was not a ‘substitutionary
atonement’ nor was it what is also known as ‘penal substitution’.
Steve Chalke blasphemously labelled such a
view as ‘cosmic child abuse’.
Mr Wakelin basically traced
this view to John Calvin and to some ‘Protestant Churches’.
The reality is that this is not some novel, sectarian view put forward by John
Calvin but it is a, if not the, central theme of God’s inspired
Word, The Bible.
Recently I had some email exchanges with a ‘fan’ of Steve Chalke in response to articles posted on our ministry website called ‘Don’t take your cue from Steve Chalke’. I am enclosing copies of these exchanges [and articles] as they get to the heart of the distress caused by Mr Wakelin’s unbiblical opinions expressed in today’s ‘Daily Service’. My hope is that in a near future ‘Daily Service’ the truth of the Glorious Gospel of Christ as set out clearly in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 [‘substitutionary atonement’] will be proclaimed.
Your servant for Christ
Cecil Andrews
“Take Heed” Ministries
Tel./Fax
028 9756 5511
E- Mail takeheed@aol.com
Web site www.takeheed.net
|
Subject: |
Steve Chalke |
|
Date: |
|
|
From: |
|
Cecil
I
have just read your article on the internet on Steve Chalke
- 'Don't take your cue from Steve Chalke'.
The
article concerns me somewhat as in so many instances it is not what you
say but the way you say it. It appears to me that because you do not agree
with certain aspects of Steve's thinking your article seeks to
discredit someone who holds different views to yourself on probably what are a
only a small number of issues.
I
am sure all our thinking is developing. No one will ever be able to say
they have the whole package and understand all that the Bible is teaching or
saying.
Your
article concerned me somewhat by its tone and direction. I am sure
similar articles could be written on all of us. You make no mention of
the work that Steve has been committed to or the many ways in which he serves
God.
I
can't imagine Jesus publishing a page like that. Is God pleased with such
writing?????
Who
knows
Dear ?
Thank
you for taking the time to write to me - actually I've just this minute arrived
in from tonight's meeting that is part of the schedule of meetings where my
guest is Pastor Gary Gilley - the full schedule is on our website.
In
his talks Pastor Gilley addresses the published views of a number of men in
today's professing Christendom - 2 of those that he mentions are Brian McLaren [who endorsed Steve Chalke's
book 'The Lost Message of Jesus'] and the other is Steve Chalke
himself.
Both
of these men reject 'penal
substitution' as mentioned in the article that you read on our
website. In short they deny the heart
of the true Gospel and so they are preaching what Paul refers
to as 'another gospel which is no
gospel' [see Galatians 1: 6-9].
Steve
Chalke may do and inspire others to do many
commendable charitable acts 'in the name
of god' but if he does not understand and preach the true
gospel [as appears obvious from his writings] then he is according to Paul 'anathema' and having denuded the
gospel of 'penal substitution' he
and those who believe like him are left hoping that their 'service for god' will count towards
their 'salvation'.
You
say you 'can't imagine Jesus publishing
a page like that' - well I have to confess I can't imagine
myself making a whip to drive heretics from the grounds of a church but the
Lord Jesus Christ did - this is the same Lord Jesus who told some of the false
teachers of His day that they were 'of
their father, the devil'.
Respectfully I
think you should worry less about 'tone
and direction and concentrate more on the truth of God's
Word for it is the entrance of that Word that gives 'light'.
Your
servant for Christ
Cecil
Andrews
'Take
Heed' Ministries
|
Subject: |
Re: Steve Chalke - corrected reply |
|
Date: |
|
|
From: |
|
Thanks
I
am not worried about content and we need to challenge each others thinking but
what concerns me is that this seems personal - the 'write off' of a man
who has come to different conclusions on one aspect of belief than
yourself. If this is your approach then your approach
gives little hope to many in the church who have limited understanding/forming
views or struggling to understand scripture.
Does
Steve preach that works count towards salvation?? We need to be careful
before putting words into other mouths.
Dear
anonymous writer,
I'm
just heading out so this will of necessity be brief. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:16 "Woe is unto me if I preach
not the gospel" and later in the same letter he
wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
"Moreover brethren I declare unto you the gospel...by which also
ye are saved ...that Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the
scriptures". Christ died at Calvary 'according to the scriptures', in
other words as
foreshadowed in the Old Testament scriptures - as a 'vicarious substitute', as we read for instance in Isaiah 53 and of course as was
foreshadowed in the tabernacle and temple sacrificial rituals, and as a 'victorious Saviour' that the grave
could not hold, as was foreshadowed in Psalm
16:10.
At
the heart of 'the gospel' which Paul reminds the Christians in
Steve
Chalke in his book has publicly denied this truth so
he is preaching 'another gospel' which
is under God's curse according to Galatians
1:6-9 and so the 'Christ'
to which you presumably believe many people have come as a result of Steve Chalke's endeavours is not the true Christ of the true
Gospel.
Can I ask you simply - do you believe that at the heart of the gospel by which people are
saved is the truth of 'penal substitution'. If you don't then please tell me what is
your 'gospel'. I don't
deny as you said in your first email that many people have been inspired by
Steve Chalke to get involved in things like 'social
care' etc but the problem is as I said earlier that if you remove 'penal substitution' [Christ's saving
work] from the heart of the gospel
then you are only left with 'social care' etc [personal works of righteousness]
and those will never save anyone according to Ephesians 2:8-9 and Titus 3:5.
One
final thought - was it 'personal' as
you put in when Paul publicly challenged Peter in
I
look forward to your response to my simple question on 'penal substitution'.
Your
servant for Christ
Cecil
Andrews
'Take
Heed' Ministries
|
Subject: |
Re: Steve Chalke - corrected reply |
|
Date: |
|
|
From: |
|
Thanks
I
am not saying that I do not agree with your view point on penal
substitution which incidentally I do not find summed up in the words of Hebrews 9:26 & 28 "But
now once in the end of the ages hath he [Christ] appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself...So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many".
My
point is that you are on dangerous ground to say that someone is following
another gospel because they question the interpretation of the cross as Penal
Substitution.
I
agree with you that 'Salvation is based ALONE on the work of Christ’ but
by saying that he does not see Penal Substitution in the Bible is Steve Chalke denying that salvation is in Christ alone. I
don't think so. The work of the cross is multifaceted - sacrifice,
substitution, redemption etc
Did
Jesus preach penal substitution?
Regards
Barry
Dear
Barry [I do appreciate you identifying yourself]
You
state that you do not find 'penal
substitution' summed up in Hebrews
The
['penal substitution'] animal sacrifices of the Old
Testament, as we read for instance in Leviticus
1:1-4, were
only a temporary measure sanctioned by God and were designed to picture the
ultimate and only effective substitutionary,
permanent sin-remitting sacrifice that would be made by Christ at Calvary.
That's why the Lord took the 2 on the road to Emmaus through
the Old Testament and we read what He said to them "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things ['penal substitution' as pictured in
the Old Testament] and to enter into
his glory. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded unto them,
in all the scriptures the things concerning himself" [Luke
24:26-27].
Going
back to Hebrews, in the following chapter 10 we find a full explanation
of 'penal substitution' as
summed up in chapter 9: 26 & 28.
We read verses like these in chapter 10
verse 4 - "For it is not possible that the blood
of bulls and of goats should take away sins" verse 10 "And
every priest standeth daily ministering and offering
oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins": [These verses refer back
to the Old Testament animal sacrifical system].
Then
in contrast we read of Christ crucified at
verse 12 "But this man, after he had offered one
sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God...verse 14
For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified".
Jesus Christ is God's annointed prohpet, priest and King. Up to the end of John 16 He has fulfilled the role of 'prophet' - bringing God to people
but from John 17 onwards
He moves to His role of 'priest', bringing His people to God
and that of necessity involves a propitiatory sacrifice, but not a sacrifice of
some animal that can never permanently remove sins as we already read above,
but rather the sacrifice of Himself. Peter wrote "Christ also hath once suffered for sins ['penal substitution'] the just for the unjust that he might bring us to
God' [1Peter
According
to God's Word there is no 'gospel' if
there is no 'penal substitution' [see
1 Corinthians 15:1-4]. If
someone denies Christ's 'penal
substitution' then they cannot be believing,
as the Bible teaches, that salvation is by grace alone [not merited on the
grounds of any personal works] through faith alone ['not of works'] in Christ
['penal substitution'] alone.
Steve
Chalke is denying that salvation is found in the substitutionary work of Christ alone - he perceives
that idea as trusting
in 'cosmic child abuse'
whereas to God it is His "glory"
- that's what John 17 is
all about. Barry, I am not standing on 'dangerous
ground' in asserting this - I am standing on 'redemption ground' as many saints
have phrased it.
God's
people likewise "glory" in
the saving substitutionary death of Christ at
Paul
wrote about such a situation in 1
Corinthians
Barry,
in your emails you have referred to 'one
aspect of belief' - in this case the biblical truth of 'penal substitution' - and the truth
is that this 'one aspect of belief' will
determine the eternal destiny of all people - it is no mere side issue! The
Apostle Paul stated in his letter to the Corinthians 'I determined not to know any thing among you except
Jesus Christ [the believers' 'righteousness'] and
him crucified [the believer's 'redemption'].
Commenting
on this verse Pastor John MacArthur wrote 'Though Paul expounded the whole counsel of God to the church
[Acts
Finally
you asked - 'Did Jesus preach penal
substitution'?
God's
Word states -
Matthew 16:21 "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto
his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of
the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again
the third day" Matthew 20:28 "the Son of man came not to be ministered unto,
but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" Matthew 26:28
"this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the
remission of sins" John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd: the
good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep" John
10:14-15 "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of
mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the
Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep".
These
are only a few of the MULTITUDE of verses in the gospels where the Lord
preached salvation through His 'penal
substitution' on behalf of His people - just as the angel told
Joseph in Matthew 1:21 "and thou shalt call
his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins".
Barry,
as you know I'm in the midst of a hectic ministry visit by Pastor Gary Gilley
so perhaps you will take much time to reflect upon these matters and if you
want to come back to me could I ask you to leave it until after Gary's visit
ends on 4th April [DV].
Meantime
I pray that God will speak clearly through His Word to your heart and
understanding.
Your
servant for Christ
Cecil
Andrews
'Take
Heed' Ministries
General
website: www.takeheed.net
Audio
website: www.takeheed.co.uk
Book
details: http://www.twoedgedswordpublications.co.uk/ [Then
click on BOOKS]
The articles on Steve Chalke
that were also enclosed with my letter to Louise Malone can be viewed by going
to these links
http://www.takeheed.net/News_From_The_Front/DECEMBER2004.htm
http://www.takeheed.net/News_From_The_Front/MARCH2005.htm
There are also other related articles found on
http://www.takeheed.net/News_From_The_Front/SEPTEMBER2005.htm
|
BBC Radio 4 LW (198 LW) |
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
Monday to Friday from 09.45 - 10.00 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
Emmanuel Church, Didsbury (0161
445 7863)
Emmanuel Church is four or
so miles south of the city and contains wonderful William Morris stained glass
from 1889. This church also broadcasts the world's oldest continuous
radio programme: Radio 4's Daily Service, five decades old.
Michael Wakelin is a producer of the BBC TV Programme called
‘Songs of Praise’ [often presented in times past by Steve Chalke].
He is also apparently a Methodist lay-preacher[ per
BBC office in