(The following six-part series of articles on the subject of the Promise Keepers movement was written by Charlie Garner of Jacksonville, Florida.)
Christians, above all others, should be known for keeping their promises. Sears, Roebuck & Co., the mortgage company, G.M.A.C., and others to whom we are apt to make commitments should feel good about us ... for Christians keep their promises! One's mate, one's children, one's brethren, one's friends, one's boss, one's employees, etc., should be able to automatically assume that we are going to be true to our word, after all, Christians keep their promises! Shame on you, Christian, if you make promises and commitments and do not keep them! Basic to one's Christianity is honesty, integrity, sincerity, truthfulness, trustworthiness, and commitment. These are things which lie at the very heart of any relationship the Christian has with his mate and family, with his Lord, with his fellowman, with his boss, with his employees, and with anyone else with whom he crosses paths. You see, the Christian is but a reflection of Christ, our Lord, and He, from all eternity and throughout the annals of time, has lived true to His word.
Something is terribly wrong with the Christian who has to join some man-conceived, man-made organization to guarantee that he (the Christian, mind you) will keep his promises! Something is wrong with the Christian who must rely on the strength of numbers to guarantee that he will keep his promises!
Less than a month ago, an elder from another congregation questioned me about this rather recent phenomenon we know as the "PROMISE KEEPERS". Should Christians be a part of it, he wanted to know. Over a three-year period, I have collected a number of works by those at the heart of the movement or who espouse its purposes and goals. Among the books and writings I have added to my library is, "SEVEN PROMISES OF A PROMISE KEEPER", a 207 page document written by the leading proponents of the movement, such as Bill Bright, Edwin Cole, Dr. James Dobson, Tony Evans, Bill McCartney (the founder of the movement), Luis Palau, Randy Phillips, Gary Smalley, and a number of others. Another of the books is, "APPLYING THE SEVEN PROMISES", by Bob Horner, Ron Ralston, and David Sunde.
Their own teachings are at odds with plain teachings of the New Testament on the vital subject of salvation ... they are false teachers! Too, they are at odds with Biblical teaching on the oneness of the church ... they are false teachers! Against plain New Testament teaching, they advocate, in effect, a clergy/laity concept in the body of Christ ... they are false teachers!
Bleeding to the forefront of all of this is the impression that if one wants to carry his relationship wth his family, the church, and his fellowman to the highest possible level one should be an active, involved member of the "PROMISE KEEPERS" movement. From a study of God's Word, one is taught he carries his life and his relationships to the highest possible level on this earth when he became/becomes a simple New Testament Christian, committed to the spiritual, moral, and ethical principles found in The Book.
No! Christians should not be a part of that movement, for a variety of reasons!
--Charlie T. Garner |