Several years ago (2006), I had my blog set up at WordPress. That one didn't last long. I didn't like their formatting back then and really wanted my own domain so I could do more of what I wanted to do (thank you RapidWeaver and now, Sandvox). I did a post in February, entitled "Where Do They Come From?"It was my query into a quandary set up by a completely unsolicited email.
Disclaimer: Please, please, please do not do any follow-up or Google searching on any of this man's teachings. I have some pretty good biblical basis for urging you to not do this:
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. (2 John 7–8, ESV)
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. (2 John 10–11, ESV)
The unsolicited email began: To the church secretary. Please print off and give (or email) my testimony to your pastor, and also to your youth leader.
Thanks from XXXXXX XXXX
Somewhat effective at getting your attention and reading further, which I did. The poor man was asking that you do anything within your power as the pastor of a church to throw all biblical wisdom to the wind and start teaching universalism. Okay, so it was that blatant. False teachers are never that blatant; oh, that they would be. The church would never have to wonder if they were false teachers or not. Anyone with half-an-ounce of biblical knowledge could spot them a mile away.
It was really quite sad, actually. This miserable creature had suffered so much, even a nervous breakdown, all due to the teaching that those who do not come to God through Jesus Christ will spend an eternity under the wrath of God. I nearly went through an entire box of Kleenexes, my nose suffered chapped skin for a week. I was really quite a pathetic mess.
As they used to say: NOT!
It angered me that this person had gone to all the trouble to send this email to me as the pastor of a church. It angered me that this man would use the manipulative technique I just described. It angered me that this deceiver would take the Word of God and twist it for his own ends and means. Yes, there was a great deal of anger, yet I hope that much of it was a righteous indignation that one would blaspheme the Most High God so vehemently.
You may be wondering, why bring this up now, five-and-a-half years after the fact? Because the emails have begun again. Since the blog still exists (I never thought about deleting it; now I have to remember the passwords in order to ask WordPress to do so). This means the comments section is still open, which means anyone with the ability to use Google search––or anyone who thinks they may still have a listening ear––can still leave comments. And he has been doing so on a daily basis.
Yet again, you're left wondering, "So? Just ignore him." I have and will. It's why I won't mention his name here. You don't need to go out and seek him. You don't need him sending you the dung heap of his sinful imagination. And, I don't want Google picking up his name on this blog. I'll do a couple of posts on this in the days to come, but then I'll move on. His arguments lack any biblical framework. His foundation is the speculative hope of the unregenerate heart: surely God won't punish me or anyone else for all eternity because that's just not how I like to think of God. How touching. (Man, they really need a sarcasm font, don't they?) And yet I want to expose some of his teaching by simply holding it up to the powerful light of the truth of the Word of God. If only it would actually do to it what water did to the Wicked Witch of the West when Dorothy "accidentally" threw the bucket upon her.
I'll be posting just a few excerpts from the email/comments so you can see for yourselves what a bunch of kooks these guys are. Then turn them away from your doorstep and pray that the Lord of Truth will protect your heart and mind.