Playing Games with Divine Truths

   A couple of months ago I was directed to a website promoting an anti-Trinitarian book by an apostate. I did not spend much time on it for the simple reason that the apostate is playing games, calling himself “Servetus the Evangelical,” and even running a contest as to who can “guess” his identity before he “comes out” in September of 2011 (what is with 2011 anyway?). I’m sorry, but I have little interest in someone who can play games with divine truths as this man. His material is no more compelling, from what I’ve seen, than what you will find in your standard, run of the mill Watchtoweresque apologists on the net. Of course, he will be snatched up as an ally by the Islamic apologetics community in a heartbeat, but that is a given. For example, have you ever heard this objection before? “There is no New Testament evidence that Jesus ever claimed that He was God.” Indeed, this is the standard Islamic question, “Where did Jesus ever say ‘I am God, worship me!'” as if that formula, and nothing else, could ever communicate the deity of Christ. And another from this new apostate, “The New Testament constantly interchanges the words ‘God’ and ‘the Father.'” Of course it does, just like it constantly interchanges the words “Lord” and “Jesus.” And so on. Surely nothing new in what is found on the website.
   In any case, what truly troubles me is that I have been informed that there are certain Christian scholars, of a kind, who know who this man is, but they are “honoring” his anonymity. Now, I understand why some on the net do not wish to use their real names. Our own “TurretinFan” uses a pseudonym for the obvious reason that he does apologetics “on the side” so to speak, and his “real world” activities could suffer from an association with strong apologetic stands. That is fully understandable. But TurretinFan is not playing games with his identity, running a contest, dropping clues, and otherwise attracting attention to himself through not using his name. Remember, “Servetus the Evangelical” (an oxymoron if there ever was one) is seemingly attempting to do the Bart Ehrman thing: profit from apostasy. Make money off of destroying the faith. So what Christian scholar in his right mind would not sound the warning and reveal such a person’s identity? Where is such a scholar’s priorities? It has been strongly suggested that this “Servetus” is a teaching scholar, possibly a graduate of a well known and conservative school or seminary. Would the delay till September of 2011 be so that his teaching contract would not be canceled due to blatant violation of an institution’s statement of faith? If so, wouldn’t this person be guilty of gross deception even now? If this turns out to be the case, and certain “Christian” scholars have protected his identity for whatever reasons, there should be a just and proper reaction when the facts become known, that is for certain. Of course, on the other hand, their reluctance to reveal this man’s identity may be because he really isn’t what he claims to be, and is simply playing games to gain attention, and they do not want to assist in his self-promotion. It is hard to say.
   In any case, yet another reason to be making your priorities very “faith heavy.” What I mean by that is this: as much as I thank God for the opportunities I have to teach and defend the faith, I am but one man, and the wave of attacks upon the faith calls for all of God’s people to faithfully put on the full armor of God. Let’s put it in simple terms: where in the list of your priorities is your personal spiritual preparation to understand, explain, and defend the faith in our post-Christian society? Look at the items above this on your list. Give it some serious consideration. The apostates are busily cranking out their poison. Who will stand in the gap to defend the honor of the Christian faith?