What Led Kristi Burke to RENOUNCE Her Christian Faith?

[TCC]

- YouTube

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30 Minutes

Ex-Christian / Agnostic Atheist Kristi Burke (‪@jezebelvibes‬) runs a popular YouTube channel aimed at empowering those who are questioning or deconstructing their Christian faith. In one of her most popular videos, she reveals the 5 bible verses that caused her to lose her faith. In this thought-provoking video, Pastor Eric shares his HONEST reaction to Kristi's issues with the bible. If you're interested in exploring the complexities of Christianity and the experiences of ex-Christians, this video is a must-watch.

. . . . .

You guys this channel is compelling. There are less than 200 subscribers. But wow is this for today. This guy deconstructed out of Christianity as a youth, then later in his 30s deconstructed out of secularism. He is now a pastor and very loving and kind and considerate. And he shares on some of the hardest passages. This particular video is an excellent resource for evangelism, defense of the faith, bible study, difficult passages, when we feel side stepped in life perhaps and reminded of the gem of heart His spirit is within His word. In general, I am impressed by this channel. In looking at some of its other videos-its only a month old--its seems this channel is primed to target jugular issues of our day but of course we are to use discernment in how enveloping other ideologies some ministries can be about or become.

Like on one video the guy kind of praised Mark Driscol -- who i would understand to be a showman as pastor. This content creator does not agree wholeheartedly with Driscol. But lauds his conviction against cowardice. Which i would agree with (this is on another video as a sample where this kind of wanders). But all in all i would see Driscol as vaudeville or Las Vegas strip pastoring. Like a tv pastor something. I see him not demonstrating the fruits of the spirit and clinching onto the faith as game. So I would entirely rule him out. Not sure if the content creator here is just referencing Driscol because of the audience he intends to reach or help. But yeah it is true Christianity is under a huge wave of cowardice. Which is kind of why i posted the video because like the church i came out of (MacArthur's) sometimes the cowardice edge is fought from the flesh. And i like this content creators wanting to demonstrate firmness and character in love and care. I love that. Well like an example i reckon in general. This pastor does a nice job of heart toward some passages. And demonstrating a care for even those who would mock the same. I find that incredibly lovely of heart. In any case this vidoe is great. Just thought id share. Blessings.

 

[Hol]

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

30 Minutes

Ex-Christian / Agnostic Atheist Kristi Burke (‪@jezebelvibes‬) runs a popular YouTube channel aimed at empowering those who are questioning or deconstructing their Christian faith. In one of her most popular videos, she reveals the 5 bible verses that caused her to lose her faith. In this thought-provoking video, Pastor Eric shares his HONEST reaction to Kristi's issues with the bible. If you're interested in exploring the complexities of Christianity and the experiences of ex-Christians, this video is a must-watch.

. . . . .

You guys this channel is compelling. There are less than 200 subscribers. But wow is this for today. This guy deconstructed out of Christianity as a youth, then later in his 30s deconstructed out of secularism. He is now a pastor and very loving and kind and considerate. And he shares on some of the hardest passages. This particular video is an excellent resource for evangelism, defense of the faith, bible study, difficult passages, when we feel side stepped in life perhaps and reminded of the gem of heart His spirit is within His word. In general, I am impressed by this channel. In looking at some of its other videos-its only a month old--its seems this channel is primed to target jugular issues of our day but of course we are to use discernment in how enveloping other ideologies some ministries can be about or become.

Like on one video the guy kind of praised Mark Driscol -- who i would understand to be a showman as pastor. This content creator does not agree wholeheartedly with Driscol. But lauds his conviction against cowardice. Which i would agree with (this is on another video as a sample where this kind of wanders). But all in all i would see Driscol as vaudeville or Las Vegas strip pastoring. Like a tv pastor something. I see him not demonstrating the fruits of the spirit and clinching onto the faith as game. So I would entirely rule him out. Not sure if the content creator here is just referencing Driscol because of the audience he intends to reach or help. But yeah it is true Christianity is under a huge wave of cowardice. Which is kind of why i posted the video because like the church i came out of (MacArthur's) sometimes the cowardice edge is fought from the flesh. And i like this content creators wanting to demonstrate firmness and character in love and care. I love that. Well like an example i reckon in general. This pastor does a nice job of heart toward some passages. And demonstrating a care for even those who would mock the same. I find that incredibly lovely of heart. In any case this vidoe is great. Just thought id share. Blessings.

Thanks for sharing this. He did a great job on the verses she tried to use.

I feel bad for her. Before I started the vid I had guessed that she was into some version of Calvinism, and it’s really sad that she adopted a works based belief system.

Have you heard of Mike Winger?

 

[Andy C]

Ex-Christian

How can there be such a thing as an Ex Christian? OSAS. Once a believer is saved, and the Holy Spirit takes up residence inside the believer, He will never depart, no matter what happens.

Perhaps this is a case of one who was never one of us.

1 John 2
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to

 

[Tall Timbers]

There are multitudes who consider/considered themselves Christians, usually because they were raised in a family that attended church services from time to time, but they never knew Christ.

 

[LightOfMyLife]

I am thinking of these scriptures Matthew 7:20-26.

 

[TCC]

In the reformed camp I was in, OSAS was synonymous with what is known as the doctrine of perseverance (which in circles outside of the Reformed camp that are OSAS = the doctrine of preservevation). In leaned toward the latter. I did purposely venture to leave Christianity form 2000 to 2004. The way in which the spirit of God would intervene was not limited. Although I have seen some fairly bad use of the doctrine of perserverence, and had seen what seem to be church pressure tactics using such doctrines, it did not seem to overrun the doctrine of preservation out of me. Just last night I started reading 1 Thes again. I like to go through a book several times throughout the week and stay with it. But just on my first reading after having not been in it In bulk for a while, something interesting stood out to me.

In my reformed days, the term: "Excel still more" oftend accompanied a sense of preserverence motif too it. So like the way it seemed to be used is "Be about always making improvements." So in an innocent sense it seemed like fine tuning the faith. Which I believe is actually commendable. But it was always used in sort of, for lack of a better way to describe it way, hair salon style like. Like, "Ok, you are doing good. You are reading the word. Your are doing the right things. You are coming to church. There are no major issues of sin in your life. So...excel still more." Yet 1 Thes uses that term 2 times in 1 chapter. Chapter 4. 4:1 and 4:10, I found that what that was addressing were not hair salon increments of better, more profound, and higher living. Check out what those verses contrast in the behavior it addresses...lol.

I recall some of the seminary student types would refer to 1 Thes as 1 Fleshalonians. And back then, when I would read the calm and tender address found in that book by Paul (unlike the stark different, in your face delivery, way that Paul addressed the Cornithinans), it never really stuck as to why they would say that. I just chalked it up to trendy things seminary peeps are about. But it would seem that the gentle sense of correction in the book along with the hair salon style in which the "excel still more" verses were typically couched like in sermons, I never really got a working definition of 1 Thes to equate to 1 Fleshalonians.

But when I consider the issues addressed in 1 Thes it would seem that the reason I would have this incongruity in my own thought patterns about this book likely ruminated as they had because of the delicate twin balance Macarthur's church would operate in. On one hand they would be famous to be known as saying: There is no such thing as a carnal Christian. While on the other hand affirmed in commentaries that 1 Corinthian saints were saved. In later years I would read Jmac's book: Slave. And see how he would manincure verses to fit the slave motif. And hear sermons in later years express very different nuances from those same passages when those verses are not viewed under the scope of thesis book drive. It was a long time in forming, but what seems to be the condition at large, stemming greatly from such a renowned ministry as Jmacs church has--and its grand influence upon the Christian landscape in general, is that Lordship Salvation is floated in political speak.

What I mean is that in the political world it is common to note that a political candidate will say one thing here and a different thing there. In Bill Clinton's case it was more noticeable. Where he would seem one way to one group and then another way to a different group. Now granted there are modes when like speaking to college kids and speaking to 4th graders and speaking to married and speaking to singles all may have different reasonable modes. And it would be acceptable why different points are stressed and where it might even seem inconsistent in ways. Understandably. But what I noticed over the years is that Lordship Salvation and Free Grace were both taught at different times at Jmacs church. So much so that it was not a matter of a shift over time. Rather they would consistently be demonstrated from scripture within the same time periods. And actually consistently evolve together.

So this had me stractching my head. Because its not like they used to believe one thing and then corrected themselves. But maintained duel positions over decades. So it would seem to me the use of Lordship Salvation at Jmacs church and for audiences aboard is this: Free Grace is true. But we prefer for the sake of being able to also use the word to be more commandeering over your sanctification we find it necessary to shoe-horn in a boutique version of the word that has more to do with a sort of hidden disciplinarian in the background that serves as a vicarious schoolmaster to gently (through doctrinal intent) correct you through the misuse of scripture. Which when you think about it is pretty sophisticated political use of the word of God. I mean on one level I understand why the felt need to do so. You don't want an undisciplined church. But it opened my eyes to the age we are in. And how the level of doctrine in the church has been philsophically manipulated to foster an enforcement power intent along side what we would otherwise believe to be true about the power of the spirit in the word, alone. But its not alone in the reformed perspective that holds to Lordship Savlation (for not all reformed camps do--such as Theocast....who preaches the antithesis to Lordship Salvation, though reformed).

. . . . .

So this caused me to discover that my suspicions about using a proxy doctrine to facilitate leadership enforcement was a thing in the church. It took me years to get my hands around that. And I bring that up in this context for those who may have had or have similar struggles. Free Grace does indeed seem to be hands down the way in which Paul uses doctrine in 1 Thes. Especially in relation to the excel still more passages and what they are dealing with. I almost felt like I wanted to correct Paul for not knowing better. But after I got over that, I was able to appreciation the raw reality of just how standalone the sprit's sanctifying work within the believer is so highlighted in the book of 1 Thes. Amazing discovery last night. Or rather, I guess I should say, confirmation.

The other thing about this is I was struck with awe and interest a few years back when I realized from a sermon series at my current church in 1 John. It seems that book is often used to affirm who is a true believer. But in deeper research it was rather a comfort to those who were believers to understand that they were. Today we use it as a way to see if you are a Christian, often. And to a degree I understand our cultural use of it in this way. But part of exegesis is understanding its context in how those doctrines were formed. 1 John seems to be a prime example of where we have kind of stepped away from the epicenter and just tend to run with its more colloquial import.

For that book was written in the late 1st century. Its timing seemed to be excellent because it contrasted in no uncertain terms against gnosticism. It would seem God would have wanted it written so late as to offset the tendency of liberal historians to say that Christianity became gnosticism and they are one in the same. Which if we did not have 1st John and Jude, that argument could have been made. But since they address late 1st century gnostic issues, 1 John shows a vast difference from gnosticism. For John's church had been ramsacked by them. And his letter to that church was to address those issues. And the gnostics having left were proof they were not interested in other believers growth. Seeing 1 John's context I believe does help best in the arena of affirming the Christian difference from gnosticism and can be a great encouragement to believers who are believers.

What is similar with both Lordship Salvation boitique use and 1 John "are you saved" use, seems to be an ongoing sense of leadership to rely upon disciplinarian sounding aspects of scripture (that actually serve a very different purpose: a porpose of affirming rather than a purpose to cause doubt). And for the most part, this is generally accepted as the way these books and doctrines should be used (as disciplinarian in nature). And although I am not entirely in opposition to that sense upon it in ways, there is somewhat of an irony that what 1 John and Free Grace does is provide the literal unique power of spirit by which sanctification occurs. While the church historically can tend to rely upon a more scolding or intimidational use of said doctrines to hopefully do the same. In some ways it would seem in human fraitly our reliance upon the wagging finger approach as a potential stand in for what the spirit jealously desires to be about in the believer. I think it is just helpful to note that a long the way. Blessings.

 

[LightOfMyLife]

Churches that think you have to earn your salvation are not correct. We are saved by the grace of God our sin debt was paid in full on the cross. Salvation is a gift to be received not earned.