The following was written by Miles J. Stanford in the early 1970's in an effort to explain a weakness regarding the doctrine of sanctification [instant spirituality], the source being Dr. L. S. Chafer and Dallas Theological Seminary. Many years have passed and modifications in teaching emphasis have been made. Consequently, the points in this series of critiques may or may not still hold true. We will make an attempt to update their status when subsequent information is available.
Links
Chafer, Ryrie, Pentecost, Thieme,
Hodges, Bright, Hession,
Grubb, Torrey,
Gordon, Simpson,
Tozer, Moody,
Murray
DR. WILLIAM ("Bill") R. BRIGHT
Miles J. Stanford
INTRODUCTION -- Dr. Bill Bright is founder and director of Campus Crusade for Christ, International. He has authored a number of tracts composed of spiritual "laws" for both justification and sanctification. They are designed for Campus Crusade workers to use in word-for-word witnessing-- by rote.
CHRISTIAN LIFE TEACHING -- While Dr. Bright's formulas contain a modicum of the identification truths, his ministry to believers is built upon Dr. Chafer's "by faith" filling with the Spirit. His method, identical to that of Dr. R.A. Torrey, might be described as a misappropriation of truth.
TEACHING EMPHASIS -- Dr. Bright uses certain exhortations and promises from the Word in an effort to bring believers to an immediate fulness of the Spirit with power for service.
SPIRITUAL CONDITIONS -- Dr. Chafer's conditions for the filling with the Spirit are duplicated by Dr. Bright. He exhorts the believer to realize his need, thirst for the fulness of the Holy Spirit, completely surrender to all the will of God, confess all known sin, appropriate and expect the filling with the Spirit, thank Him, then go forth by faith and act upon it.
CONCLUSION -- The ministry of Dr. Bright is directed mainly to college students, both saved and unsaved. The CCC formulas force the individual into commitments and appropriations, not on the basis of their condition and preparation, but because there are certain promises and exhortations in the Word that must be obeyed and entered into, now! For the most part, it is a matter of faith out of focus.
This premature precipitation causes a great deal of frustration and disillusionment, especially on the part of CCC staff and constituency. Most of these young people are maneuvered into claiming by faith a fulness of the Holy Spirit with power for service that they are not ready for, and the inevitable outcome is anything but spiritual.
Even so, the Lord often uses the shock and despair of failure to bring these young Christians to the true scriptural perspective, and the beginning of healthy growth and fruitful service. Their first step to freedom is the realization that confession of sins has to do with fellowship, and it is the Cross that provides deliverance from the domination of sin.
They begin to understand from the Word that the source of sins, their old nature, was identified with Christ in His death unto sin, and that they are now new creations in Him risen and ascended. It is in that position of identification that they learn to abide above. Resting in Him, they are able to count upon the Spirit to apply the death of the Cross to the old nature, and to manifest the life of the Lord Jesus in and through their new nature.
The practical progress of this Romans 6:11 reckoning is depicted in 2 Cor. 4:11,12. "For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you (others)." A far cry from the continual confessing and sinning syndrome!
On the other hand, there are those whose disillusionment has driven them into error. For example, we think of several leaders who are no longer with Campus Crusade, namely, Jon Braun, Peter Gillquist and Hal Lindsey. True to CCC principles, these highly talented young men were dependent upon confession of sins for the filling with the Spirit and the expected spirituality. Lack of results resulted in total disillusionment.
Their understandable reaction caused them to go to the opposite extreme, to do away with confession of sins. They reasoned that since their sins were already forgiven, why confess them? Instead, just thank God and continue on. Mainly due to this teaching as set forth in Gillquist's book Love Is Now, many have been turned aside from the privilege and responsibility of confessing their sins, thus seriously damaging their fellowship with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3).
In order to establish a scriptural basis and reason for this so-called freedom, these leaders "discovered" that the first chapter of 1 John is mainly directed to the unsaved, not the believer. On that erroneous assumption they could slip out from under 1 John 1:9 and leave that truth for the unsaved. "If we (unsaved) confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (salvation). The fallacy of this view is the fact that salvation is not by means of confessing sins, but by faith in and acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour!
"It is true that we need not ask for forgiveness when we sin; rather, we are free to thank Him for that forgiveness provided at Calvary and received in Christ. But it is necessary to honestly confess our sins, thus siding with Him against our old nature, else how can we enjoy true fellowship with the One who is holy and hates sin perfectly?
"Yes, frank and immediate confession of sin is vital. Think for a moment of someone who observes a loved one sinning against him. Wounded, but ever loving, he forgives and says nothing, Meanwhile the loved one, although knowing there is forgiveness, does not confess his sin. Forgiveness is there, love is waiting. But now where is the fellowship and integrity of this relationship?" (The Ground of Growth, p. 56.)
The doctrinal errors of Bill Bright and Campus Crusade for Christ have not changed over the past forty-or-so years. The inclusivism, ecumenical bent, and humanistic theology of this holiness-by-faith group have locked them into an intersecting course with the one world religion, Babylon of Revelation 17. DRS
Also see, The Filling of the Holy Spirit ~ Is It the Biblical Basis for Christian Maturity? and CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST, INT'L