ChrisJD wrote: { thanks chris ]

"Brothertom, I agree with you that Dr. Tozer's references to catholic writers is troubling(at least to me), especially and more so because of being in a public writing meant for a large, and unknown audience.

If it were in the context of a private discussion among associates with whom you could discourse face to face and to qualify and to correct statements on hand it (I think) would be something different.


On the other hand, and I think others have shown this, it doesn't appear to be as simple as demonstrating a connection between him and them to show what is wrong or not."ChrisJD


Thanks Chris for your comment, and your right. The wrong and right of it cannot be demonstrated with the Tozer's connection to the Catholic mystics alone, but if one can prove that the Catholic mystics were indeed heretical in their faith,[ inward , eastern prayer ideology] and especially in their methodology [ guided imagery, mantras, the void of inward gaze...] to attain revelation of God, then it may shine light on Tozer's APPROVAL and Honor of them, as to the veracity of his teaching.


Is this "another gospel?", we are admonished to utterly reject?

Galatian 1: 6-10
6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ."

and.... 2John1:7-10

7. "Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

8. Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.

9. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

10. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him."

11Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work."


It may indeed sound like nit-picking...all of this minutia concerning his relationship to the Mystics, but I'm trying to relate this to broader ground. Today, these very practices have sprung up again like a flood, throughout the "prophetic movement, with the likes of Todd Bentley and the Elijah list and the NAR; The 24 hour prayer movement; WORLDWIDE..[ who are connected to nunneries and monastic arenas ], and the massive "Youth Movement" with huge conferences yearly, with a variety of leaders.


"Soaking" prayer, the "Bridal" Paradigm, and other unbiblical ideas and doctrines practices , that are indeed mysticism and Babylonian rooted, are having a modern revival.


Tozer seems to have survived it quite well, and overall I really like his work, and much of his inspirational writing. It's that other 10%, that gives credence to the Catholic and eastern error, as the gospel, that I take issue with, to reexamine so that others may be able to see that this is indeed that. Error, and a false gospel that cannot deliver the true grace of God.

hi,we know them by their fruit...by how they love one another...etc.jimp

quote]hi,we know them by their fruit...by how they love one another...etc.jimp

_________________
Colin Murray

don't you think NOW is the time to end this sad spectacle:

"Okay lets look at fruit...........

He rarely communicated with his wife about big decisions.

He had a very poor relationship with his children.

He could not stand meeting his congregation in Chicago after a service.

He wrote about the benefits of hospitality but didn’t like visitors to the house.

He actually went out of his way to cut off relations with his in laws."

hey Colin Robert Murray, what if i was an American intelligence operative, that had complete TOTAL access to EVERYTHING, you have done, did, and are doing in EVERY aspect of your life, private, public and/or hidden, and then splayed it out all over the internet for all to see?...and i'm talking about everything that might be on your hard drive, could you stand the scrutiny?

those in stone houses shouldnt throw glass, they might get cut. Shame on you.

now Mod's....cmon, enough of this scat. we have visitors.

We need to always apply the tests of Scripture on the teachers of Scripture.

For me it has been very informative looking into the life of this man some might think it as a "sad spectacle"

But Tozer himself says:

This new doctrine, this new religious habit, this new view of truth, this new spiritual experience how has it affected my attitude toward and my relation to God, Christ, the Holy Scriptures, self, other Christians, the world and sin. By this sevenfold test we may prove everything religious and know beyond a doubt whether it is of God or not. By the fruit of the tree we know the kind of tree it is. So we have but to ask about any doctrine or experience, What is this doing to me? and we know immediately whether it is from above or from below.

This was how this thread started explaing that the man was going to be cross-examined.

Introduction

I am sure I am not the only one here who has been much influenced by Aiden W. Tozer. His devotional writings have been praised by a wide spectrum of appreciative believers within Christendom, myself included. Recently however my praise for this writer has been replaced with a growing awareness of a tendency in his teaching, a major tendency, to turn his readers away from God-appointed means of sanctification.

The Word of God is not only our message of salvation; it is also our method of salvation. Lastly, it is our Man of salvation - He is the Word of God, the God-Man Christ Jesus. In all of these - and in a few other areas, as well - Tozer comes up short, as we shall see.

A.W. Tozer is a revered authority for many, and to attack him almost seems to be an attack on sanctification and holiness itself. But, with him as well as ourselves, we need to always apply the tests of Scripture on the teachers of Scripture. None of us are immune from this necessary cross-examination.

That is what these articles are about. If you find that my lines here spark in you a desire to write back to me, well, great! But if you are all set to defend your man, don't shoot from the hip.

_________________
Colin Murray