Although the popular teachings of the day are sometimes wrong, one really has to wonder where to draw the lines between utility and futility. This morning I was reading Ray Comfort’s blog, and was pleasantly surprised at the large number of comments he daily gets. On an average, he receives about a hundred comments per post. And he writes prolifically, publishing one or two posts a day.
This naturally got me to thinking of the great disparity between Comfort and men who are currently attacking him. I mean the Hyper-Preterists, of course. Most of these guys can hardly drum up ten or fifteen comments, or keep enough traffic coming to their sites to make their efforts worthwhile. What is driving them is hatred toward orthodox divinity & perhaps a generous craving for the praise of men. But it seems to me they’re going about it in the wrong way. After all, who will listen to a teacher that nobody listens to?
If the heretics didn’t place so much emphasis on their own personalities, I wouldn’t rub their noses in the fact that their movement is dying out. Nobody wants to listen to them anymore. They may say they’re doing well, but others who have access to statistics tell me the case is far otherwise. The Hyper-Preterist movement reminds me of the children’s story, “The Little Engine That Could.” It is desperately trying to reach the crest of the hill before the sun goes down. Will it make it? Unforunately, most of the H.P. leaders still can’t see “Mene, mene, tekel” written all over the wall.
Whenenever I compare the popularity between orthodoxy and heterodoxy, the message I get is this: the gates of hell have not prevailed against Christ’s church. Blessed truth! When I see a man like Ray Comfort remaining steadfast in the face of opposition, it gladdens my heart. I’m sure very few Christians could care about the arguments of Comfort’s heretical opponents. And of course, Comfort himself is probably too busy to waste his time with them. Apparently he doesn’t think they are important.
Then, too, we have to add utility into the equation. Is Hyper-Preterism really adequate to meet the demands of modern life? This query may sting those who preach a post-modern “Gospel.” After all, they are the ones telling us that their message is now needed more than ever. Is it really?
It seems to me the key issue is not whether the world needs a new “Gospel” issue, but whether or not a new “Gospel” will ever do the world a bit of good. Ray Comfort is preaching pure evangelical Christianity, and look at the impact he’s making! The Hyper-Preterists are haggling about space-exploration & other nonsense. But what power (if any) have their teachings to regenerate the lives & hearts of mankind?
Don’t get me wrong. Popularity is no sure index to the truth. However, it’s a good index as to where people are getting fed. The current attack on Ray Comfort only makes sharper the distinction between the big fish & those bottom-feeders who are still looking to “get theirs.” But anyone who has the true Gospel & teaches it will not fail to have ears and hearts receptive to their teachings. The public still prefers comfort food to mashed potatoes!
The Anti-Preterist’s Blog 