Seeds of Wisdom

An examination of the doctrine of inclusion

I can remember years ago hearing about this major Bishop whom had fallen into teaching this false doctrine called inclusion. I had just finished studying universalism and remember thinking of how good it was that leaders were able to come together and with one accord stand against the false teachings of another. Being as the defense of the Gospel openly has not been a popular path to take the last fifty to sixty years, it was refreshing to hear of such a strong united front. I continued to compile my own catalog of study over the years not knowing that one day I’d be sitting among some of the very men whom had stood firm in the face of bad doctrine. I found that many are seasoned, well studied and skilled at articulating the theological and dearly held foundational truths of our faith. I had not, conversely, given much thought to the gentleman whom years before had been openly declared a heretic and excommunicated from fellowship among his peers.

Recently, a movie was released with the same gentleman, Bishop Carlton Pearson, as the subject of the story. No doubt, a chance to tell his side of the matter across a major platform that could reach both they of the church and world alike; he readily agreed to it. While I had no interest in watching the movie itself, the usual overexposure of social media along with a spirited response of clarification by the Arch Bishop of the College from which Mr. Pearson was excommunicated sparked my interest into the meat of what exactly does he believe? Bishop Pearson’s book, “The Gospel of Inclusion”, provides the following description:

“The Gospel of Inclusion explores the exclusionary doctrines in mainstream religion and concludes that according to the evidence of the Bible and irrefutable logic, they cannot be true. Bishop Pearson argues that the controlling dogmas of religion are the source of much of the world’s ills and that we should turn our backs on proselytizing and holy wars and focus on the real good news: that we are all bound for glory, everybody is saved, and if we believe God loves all mankind, then we have no choice but to have the same attitude ourselves.”

It goes on further in concluding the preview by stating:

“The Gospel of Inclusion is the journey of one man’s quest to preach a new truth.”

In further research of Mr. Pearson’s doctrinal stance, I found that the primary points were as follows:

1. That Christianity and the exclusionary position of salvation by grace through faith [in Christ alone] is not the stance of God and indeed not necessary at all
2. That the Bible, though valuable enough for him to quote from, is not inerrant or infallible and therefore not the absolute authority concerning sin, salvation, the nature and reality of hell and the afterlife
3. That Satan is absolved of wrongdoing in that he did not create himself, cannot do but what God allows and indeed does the purposed bidding of God
4. That there is no literal Hell and no one goes to it but rather “goes through it” here on earth
5. That even after death, man can repent and come into the salvation of God

Rather than walking through his entire book as a basis, I reviewed a summation Bishop Pearson offered to “Beliefnet” found here: http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/2003/06/jesus-will-save-you-whether-you-agree-or-not.aspx

My intent is not a response for Bishop Pearson. He was consecrated by someone, is a very intelligent man and fully aware of the consequences of the role of his actions in spreading false teaching. My desire is that unsuspecting Christians and even the lost are made aware of the error of this doctrine to the extent they continue with or turn to the Way, Truth and Life, that is Jesus. Let’s take a walk through the doctrine as surmised by Mr. Pearson and discover why in fact it is the “Delusion of Inclusion”.

1. Concerning salvation of the world:

Pearson: “In effect, the world is already saved, they just don’t know it; and, unfortunately, most Christians don’t believe it“

Here, Bishop Pearson asserts that the world, in its entirety, is already saved. This is the core of his belief system and it’s a doctrine of exclusion in the reverse. Exclusion, not of who can be saved and how but of who says who can be saved and how. We will find this underlying reverse exclusion throughout Mr. Pearson’s teaching. Bishop Pearson, though stating he is not a Christian (in the sense we would normally understand) carries the title of Bishop and quotes from the very Word of God that he feels is not inerrant and infallible when seeking to support his views. With that in mind, what does God’s Word say about how and who are saved? “30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” – Acts 16:30-31 (Mark 16:16, Luke 8:12)

2. Concerning the identity of Christ:

Pearson: “He’s not Jewish or Christian or Hindu or Buddhist; yet, He is all of that if we want or need Him to be, while at the same time, none of it conclusively, because He can’t be and, in fact, is not limited to a person’s or culture’s perception of Him”

In a play on words, Pearson mixes what was only attributed to Jesus’ humanity, his nationality as a Jew, with several of the world religions of today including, by inference, Judaism. In essence; he states that Jesus is nothing at all concerning religion yet at the same time He is any religious belief system one needs or desires Him to be; though only for the purpose of satisfying the need of the individual as He does not confine Himself to any one religion conclusively. Literally, he paints Jesus as a passive pacifist who, rather than offend any with a stance of absolute authority, would rather be subjected to the perception that is most comfortable for each individual, regardless of how contrary that perception is to Christ.

When you examine the belief systems, as example, of the Hindus or Sanātana Dharma, you will find themes contrary to the Word of God yet in unison with the doctrine of Pearson. They believe in reincarnation (the soul is immortal but takes on the form of many bodies until “enlightenment”, their idea of salvation, is achieved). This is contrary to the Word which states, “And as it is appointed unto men (once) to die, but after this the judgment:” – Hebrews 9:27. Hindus worship many gods whom they see as representing one manifest “reality”. This too is contrary to the Word of God, “5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 6 (But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.)” – 1 Corinthians 8:5-6. (Mark 12:32, Romans 3:30, 1 Corinthians 8:4, Ephesians 4:5-7, 1 Timothy 2:5, James 2:19,)

Pearson is willing to exclude these and all other passages contrary to Hinduism because they agree with his theology in that they believe, “anyone in any religion can attain salvation/enlightenment through perseverance, devotion and personal experience in deep prayer or meditation. Instead of closing off to many religions, they have opened themselves up to it.”. However, the very Jesus whom Pearson asserts favors no specific perception of Him in relation to salvation says, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” – John 14:6.

Moreover, Pearson asserts that, “if we need Him to be”, Jesus can be Hindu. This is a rather interesting thought when one considers the teachings of the Hindu. The traditional belief system involves what is called “the cycle of existence” or “the six realms of samsara”. This doctrine declares that we experience six constant and unyielding cycles of rebirth or reincarnation that are determined each time by the level of karma one has exhausted in their previous life. These six cycles are divided into two sets of three: upper realms and lower realms. The three upper realms are: god, demi-god and human. The lower realms are: animal, ghost and “hell”. They are defined as follows:

Upper

• “God realm (Deva):the gods lead long and enjoyable lives full of pleasure and abundance, but they spend their lives pursuing meaningless distractions and never think to practice the dharma. When death comes to them, they are completely unprepared; without realizing it, they have completely exhausted their good karma (which was the cause for being reborn in the god realm) and they suffer through being reborn in the lower realms.
• Demi-god realm (Asura):the demi-gods have pleasure and abundance almost as much as the gods, but they spend their time fighting among themselves or making war on the gods. When they make war on the gods, they always lose, since the gods are much more powerful. The demi-gods suffer from constant fighting and jealousy, and from being killed and wounded in their wars with each other and with the gods.
• Human realm (Manuṣya):humans suffer from hunger, thirst, heat, cold, separation from friends, being attacked by enemies, not getting what they want, and getting what they don’t want. They also suffer from the general sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death. Yet the human realm is considered to be the most suitable realm for practicing the dharma, because humans are not completely distracted by pleasure (like the gods or demi-gods) or by pain and suffering (like the beings in the lower realms).”

Lower

• “Animal realm (Tiryagyoni):wild animals suffer from being attacked and eaten by other animals; they generally lead lives of constant fear. Domestic animals suffer from being exploited by humans; for example, they are slaughtered for food, overworked, and so on.
• Hungry ghost realm (Preta):hungry ghosts suffer from extreme hunger and thirst. They wander constantly in search of food and drink, only to be miserably frustrated any time they come close to actually getting what they want. For example, they see a stream of pure, clear water in the distance, but by the time they get there the stream has dried up. Hungry ghosts have huge bellies and long, thin necks. On the rare occasions that they do manage to find something to eat or drink, the food or water burns their neck as it goes down to their belly, causing them intense agony.
• Hell realm (Naraka):hell beings endure unimaginable suffering for eons of time. There are actually eighteen different types of hells, each inflicting a different kind of torment. In the hot hells, beings suffer from unbearable heat and continual torments of various kinds. In the cold hells, beings suffer from unbearable cold and other torments.”

Ref – Khandro Rinpoche (2003), p. 65-90.| Chögyam Trungpa (1999), p. 25-50.| Dalai Lama (1992), p. 5-8.| Dzongsar Khyentse (2005), p. 2-3.|

Pearson, in stating that Jesus can be Hindu “if we need Him to”, by default of their belief system is stating that Jesus can be perceived as, having been a man, cycled through one of the six realms and yet somehow achieved “nirvana” or release from the endless cycles of existence into a state “in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self and the subject is released from the effects of karma”. According to Pearson’s theology, the over one billion Hindus world wide may “perceive” Jesus, not as and in the truth of the Bible, but through the doctrine and lenses of Hinduism and the passive pacifist Jesus will without regard of contradiction to the truth of Himself/His Word, save them. Again, in order to include all, Pearson uses exclusion of scriptural truth in dismissing Christ’s own words, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”.

Further, without regard to the very contradiction of Hindu belief to a very core belief of Pearson himself, he ignores the fact that they believe in a realm of hell, the sixed realm or cycle of existence. By Pearson’s doctrinal standard, Hindus can ignore and / or reject Jesus and yet be declared having perceived Jesus through their own personal moral relativism; believe in a realm of hell that Pearson himself does not believe in but never have to worry about “cycling” there because salvation is rewarded to them without regard of Christ and their perception of Him… Meanwhile, the Word declares, “And as it is appointed unto men (once) to die, but after this the judgment:”. – Hebrews 9:27.

3. Concerning Christ’s covenant with “everybody”.

Pearson: “He has a covenant with everybody-again, whether they know it or not.”

Pearson declares that Jesus has a covenant with everyone whether they know it or not yet provides no sound theological or scriptural basis for his declaration. One may read through the twenty-four references to covenant in the New Testament to determine if any overtly or explicitly declare an universal, all-inclusive irrespective of knowing covenant with everyone: https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?qs_version=KJV&quicksearch=covenant+&begin=47&end=73

4. Concerning how God sees Himself | In relation to Satan | Absolving Satan of Personal Wrongdoing:

Pearson: “God sees Himself in everybody, in every belief system, in every icon, perhaps even the devil. The devil can’t subsist on his own. He came from God, has a specific assignment, and carries it out well”. “In the totality of [God’s] vastness, there is evil. But the evil of God is not the way we perceive evil. It’s a distortion of good, good in a different form. With God, there is no bad in the sense that our human consciousness understands “bad.” Scripture teaches that everything that is or was made, was made or created by God and that everything God made was good.”

“God sees Himself in everybody, every belief system, in every icon, perhaps even the devil”? One must let such a statement sink in. Pearson expands the very specific creation account of Genesis, “And God said, Let us make (man in our image), after our likeness…” into a twisted metaphor of inclusion. God made “man”, specifically the blueprint of who man is, in His image. This original copy was perfectly innocent (and at its purest in relation to its reflection of God) until the fall at which point every “reproduced” copy became corrupted. This “image taking on the reflection of the last copy” was evident very early in scripture, “And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and (begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image); and called his name Seth:” – Genesis 5:3. The further into the fall the further the image of man got away from the original reflection of God, holiness and righteousness. It is only by conforming to the image of the second Adam, Jesus, that God can “see Himself” in us, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” – Romans 8:29.

Continuing, Pearson declares that God, “sees Himself in every belief system”. While examining the “beliefs systems” of the Hindus and Buddhist has already shown us the error of this theology, I find it very important to look closely at the progression of where Pearson’s teaching takes the open minds of sheep and the lost. “Every belief system” includes, every belief system. From that of the atheist to the wiccan, to neopaganism, theosophy, Satanism and on to that of Anton LaVey, founder of the church of Satan. I pause here to think about certain quotes of Anton LaVey like, “Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as He has kept it in business all these years!”. God sees Himself in this? Moreover, here is a small part of the “belief system” of the church of Satan:

“The rituals for the first year were largely intended as cathartic blasphemies against Christianity. Many of the elements were consistent with the reports of Satanic worship from the famous writings of diabolists, such as the description in Joris-Karl Huysman’s La Bas(translated into English as Down There). A nude female altar was always used, the accompanying music was a series of corruptions of church hymns, the cross was turned upside down, the Lord’s Prayer was recited backwards, mock holy wafers were consecrated by insertion in a naked woman’s vagina, whiskey was used instead of wine for Christ’s blood, holy water was substituted with seminal fluid in milk, and the names of the infernal deities were invoked instead of the Christian God” – https://www.churchofsatan.com/cos-diabolical-endeavors.php

Again, one must ask, “God sees Himself” in this, ignores it and saves Anton LaVey and his “church”?

Pearson goes on to state that God “sees Himself in every icon”. First, lets define the word icon: i·con ˈīˌkän/Submit noun: 1.” a painting of Jesus Christ or another holy figure, typically in a traditional style on wood, venerated and used as an aid to devotion in the Byzantine and other Eastern Churches. synonyms: image, idol, portrait, picture, representation, likeness, symbol, sign; figure, statue”.

Exodus 20:3-5 states: ³ Thou shalt have no other gods before me.⁴ Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” ⁵ Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;”

Suffice that we know how God feels, according to scripture, about images, idols etc. If you do not: take a moment to read the over one hundred forty seven references to the word image in scripture: https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=image&qs_version=KJV

Again, Pearson makes an incredible assertion in implying that God sees Himself, even in idolatry, images and the idol worship that is associated with them. This naturally progresses for Pearson in that he goes on to say that God, perhaps, “sees Himself in the devil”. We cannot ignore the semantics of this statement. When someone says, “they see themselves in you”, they are making reference to similarities in character, mindset, actions, worldview, opinion etc. They are stating that you are like them and them like you. To declare that God sees Himself in the devil is in essence to say that God and the devil are similar, alike, have common traits, character, mindsets and actions. The Word of God describes the devil, among many things, as the “wicked one”, “that old serpent”, “Lucifer”, “the adversary”, “accuser”. God “sees Himself” in the devil? God is blasphemed of Pearson in this declaration in that he likens the perfect, Holy, righteous God to affinity and similitude with the devil. That not being enough, he goes on to absolve Satan of any personal wrong doing on account of God creating him and allowing him to continue to exist. He absolves the devil of wrongdoing by instead blaming God. Pearson, in his inclusion doctrine, says without saying, that Satan was wronged by God and should not have been cast down from heaven. How and why would Satan have been cast out of heaven if he had no fault in or control over his actions? Pearson’s reverse exclusion of the truth of scripture ignores the biblical accounts of the sin of Lucifer and “willing choice” of not only despising God in his heart but also influencing a third of the angels with him, (Isaiah 14:12-20, Ezekiel 28:13-19, Luke 10:18).

Pearson, in deception of heart, attributes evil as originating with God by assigning it within the “totality of His vastness”. He then seeks to sanitize his statement by declaring the “evil of God” a “distortion of good; good in a different form”. The Word declares, “…God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” – 1 John 1:5 and “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” – Isaiah 5:20.

Pearson continues his quote sanitation effort by distorting the Genesis creation account again saying, “Scripture teaches that everything that is or was made, was made or created by God and that everything God made was good.”. But when we read the creation account, we see that God declared, or made difference in, what was good: “3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, (that “it” was good):”- Genesis 1:3-4; (Land and seas Genesis 1:10, grass, trees and seed Genesis 1:12, sun, moon and stars Genesis 1:18, animals of the see and air Genesis 1:21, beasts, cattle, creeping things Genesis 1:25, man Genesis 1:26-31). The Genesis account has nothing to do with Satan in the sense of being created within that six-day period. Each sequence or day identifies what God declares “good”. At no point does God identify or declare anything evil as good, including the devil. Pearson’s misuse of the Genesis account, through subtlety, seeks to absolve Satan and by default, man of any wrong doing of sin by blaming God for creating him.

5. On the necessity of believing on Jesus for salvation:

Pearson: “It’s just like the sun’s rays reach Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, atheists, and backsliders. Do you have to believe in the sun for it to shine on you? How do you receive sunlight? Even on an overcast day, the solar rays reach the planet, and you will see it and feel it and receive it. You have no choice or vote on the matter. The S-o-n of God is as inclusive and non-discriminatory in his light and warmth as the s-u-n is.” “God is greater and bigger than the s-u-n, he created and can override any resistance to him. And by his Grace he does.”

Pearson attempts to conceptualize the way of salvation using the rays of the sun and sunlight as salvation; mixing portions of Calvinism, “Total Depravity”, “Unconditional Election” and “Irresistible Grace” while rejecting or not addressing others, “Limited Atonement”, Perseverance of the Saints”.

The rays of the sun indeed indiscriminately reach all people, regardless of religious belief or status. He asks, “Do you have to believe in the sun for it to shine on you?”. This is a very deceptive question. Here, Pearson seeks to parallel the sun to Jesus and the “benefits only” of Jesus and salvation.

He seeks to place focus on the light of the sun rather than the affects of the sun. There is no need to believe or not believe in the sun for it to shine. The essence of what the sun is, the star at the center of our galaxy, makes it shine. In like manner, whether we believe in Jesus or not does not and cannot change the fact that He shines. The essence of who Jesus is, God, makes Him shine and the love of that “light” glows for all the world to see: “I am the light of the world: (he that followeth me) shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” – John 8:12, (John 9:5).

The rays of sun are more appropriately correlated with the Word of God/Gospel and the sun with Jesus. As sun rays, the Word is freely given to all but as with the rays of sun, not all receive, embrace or respect what proceeds from the sun / Son. Some would seek to block it. Others, to filter it and others to use it for their own purposes. What Pearson leaves out of his analogy is the effect of the sun. The sun exists and shines regardless of who acknowledges it. But they who do not respect the “power” of the sun and the exclusivity it has in the heavenly sky from all the other heavenly bodies will find themselves blind and burned. In like manner, Jesus is who He is and sends forth His Word / Gospel to all the earth whether they acknowledge it or not. However, they who reject the power of Jesus unto salvation will find themselves blind and burned, “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”- 2 Corinthians 4:4 , “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” – Romans 1:16. (John 12:46). To answer his question, according to scripture, yes one must believe unto Jesus for salvation, “30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” – Acts 16:30-31.

Pearson continues his theme of blaming God while contradicting himself at the same time. He adds, “he created and can override any resistance to him” thus declaring that God created the very resistance He must overcome in order to save all of humanity. In this adaptation of irresistible grace, Pearson, by using his error on creation, places the blame squarely on the shoulder of the creator, God. This makes his gospel of inclusion appealing to any who would desire to be released of guilt for sin apart from the burden of repentance and turning to Jesus. What need is there of repentance if you never bore any responsibility for your actions to begin with?

6. On Christ Jesus | Ecumenism | the prophets

Pearson: “Everyone loves Christ. The word “Messiah” simply means “anointed one.” All the religions spiritually overlap and are intertwined. They all have meaning, and all should be respected and valued. I’m discovering that the Prophets are basically saying the same thing; it is the theologians that are confused.”

Again, Pearson backhands the honor of Jesus by attempting to soften and downplay His importance in the grand scheme of salvation. He mixes, with deception, religion and spirituality until they that listen are twirling in a soup of confusion. Stating that “Everyone loves Christ” was not true when He walked the earth and certainly is not true today. What Pearson is saying is not that everyone loves Jesus but that everyone loves the “idea of a messiah”. The problem is everyone does not love a messiah but even if they did, love for “a” messiah is not what scripture points to for salvation. By that logic the Jews would be saved now solely on their desire for a messiah and apart from their rejection of “the” messiah, Christ Jesus. Moreover, stating that “all religions spiritually overlap and are intertwined. They all have meaning, and all should be respected and valued” amounts to dismissing the foundations of our faith at the most basic level. It’s akin to the rise of the ecumenical movement of years ago that sought dialogue and peace among world religions by ignoring doctrinal stances to focus on unity. It birthed scenes of voodoo priests, shamans, Buddhists, the pope and bishops standing on stages “praying” together. While it may be an aesthetically appealing sight to man, it ignores the truth of God in that He is a “jealous God” and will have no other beside Him. Ignoring the truth of the need of salvation through Christ Jesus in order to be friends with another religion is not love but a diabolical form of hate in the highest order. The church of Satan has meaning to they who follow that “church”. Pearson’s respect and value of all religions is at the disrespect and devaluing of the Word of God.

He then makes a veiled attempt at aligning the prophets in agreement with his theology. He does not specify what prophets he is referencing, i.e. they of the Bible or the false prophets of world religions. The Bible is the only prophetic book in history that, with one-hundred percent accuracy, prophesies world events past, present and future. “The prophets” as they are called, prophesied of Christ, of the false prophets to come or false teachers to come, of anti-Christ and the final false prophet. So accurate was Daniel’s prophecy concerning the first appearing of Jesus the Messiah and Him being “cut off” that critics have sought to discredit his authorship. All of the Bible points to Jesus and the prophets agree. Pearson would have those whom he deceives to believe that the prophets were wrong, that the church universal has been wrong for two-thousand years, that all who have labored on sound doctrine and theology are wrong and that he is suddenly enlightened with his “special revelation”. “But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.” – Acts 3:18. This is what the prophets testify: “To him (Jesus) give all the prophets witness, that through his (Jesus) name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” – Acts 10:43

7. On John 14:6 | The door of salvation

Pearson: “When my detractors interpret that passage, they tend to mean, “No one comes to God except through ‘Christianity’ rather than Christ.” They think it means “no one can get to the Father except you (they) get down on their knees, confess Jesus, and jump through all the traditional religious hoops in order to reach God.” But that scripture doesn’t mean that at all.

“For example, the door you entered through to get into your office building. Did you kiss it, acknowledge it, or ask it to let you enter through it? Thousands of people may walk through that door and not pay any attention to it at all; in fact, most don’t. But because the door is unlocked and open, they simply go through to gain access to the inside of the building.”

“Jesus is the open door through which all of humanity accesses God, including Buddha and Muhammad or Gandhi. We all go through the same door to access God and Him us.”

Here Pearson attacks, as a core stance of Christianity, the very word of Jesus Himself, John 14:6. The scripture does not in any way imply “Christianity” but rather, explicitly states from Jesus Himself that He is “the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”. He accuses Christians of interpreting this passage to mean that conversion / salvation comes by jumping through religious hoops to get to God. In reality, Pearson is intentionally deceptive with his assertion solely on the fact that this passage is a direct quote of Jesus Himself. There really is no need to add to or further interpret it. He said and meant what He said and meant. Specifically, Jesus declares Himself:

• “the way”, “hodos” in the Greek, meaning: a way, a course of conduct | the way by which one passes, i. e. with whom all who seek approach to God must enter into closest fellowship
• “the truth”, “alētheia” in the Greek, meaning: what is true in any matter under consideration | what is true in things appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth
• “the life”, “zōē” in the Greek, meaning: the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate | of the absolute fulness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through him both to the hypostatic “logos” and to Christ in whom the “logos” put on human nature

By these He declares, “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”. Jesus makes it abundantly clear that He is the only pathway of truth and life that gives access to the Father, period. Pearson can seek to distract from this truth (Jesus) by pointing to Christianity (those who follow Jesus), but the truth remains; Jesus Himself says so. Let God be true…

Again, Pearson uses a vaguely relatable metaphor to attempt to diminish the importance of Jesus to salvation. He compares Him to any random door one may walk through without regard to the door itself. It is simply a door. He asks, “Did you kiss it, acknowledge it, or ask it to let you enter through it?” Pearson, in his exclusion of scriptural truth, ignores that Jesus uses specificity concerning who “the door” is: “(I am the door): by me (Jesus) if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” – John 10:1-10 context.

God’s Word never asks one to kiss Jesus, the door, (Judas the betrayer kissed Him). It declares we must acknowledge and go-through Jesus. Jesus is not just any random door that can be affixed to any random doctrinal house of error as Pearson asserts. He is one of a kind and access to the Father through Him must be with intent and of the heart. It’s interesting that Pearson calls Jesus the “open door” but then omits the way by which Jesus declares Himself “open”. Jesus makes this clear to the church at Philadelphia: “8 I know thy works: behold, (I have set before thee an open door), and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, (and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name)” – Revelation 3:8. By Pearson’s standard, Buddha, Muhammad, Gandhi and those that follow them can deny His Word and His name and yet still walk through the “open door”. (Matthew 25:10, Luke 13:25).

8. On rejecting Jesus | election | free moral agency (will/choice)

Interviewer: “what if someone does pay attention to the door and says “Hey, this door is Jesus! I’ve read the Bible and I don’t accept Jesus”?

Pearson: “I don’t think that’s possible. You can say, “I don’t accept the door” no more than you can say “I don’t accept the sun.” You can put on sunscreen and wear shades, but the sun still shines on you. God is irresistible. If a person says, “I’m not going to accept this air,” does that mean the air will disappear? How can you not accept air?”

“The gospel agrees with humanity whether humanity agrees with it or not. The good news of the gospels is not so much that you accept Christ, but that Christ accepts you. Jesus said, “You did not choose me, I chose you.” When it comes to eternal matters and life, it’s not as much about our personal decisions and choices, as we had little to nothing to do with coming here in the first place.”

“People talk about free moral agency, but the Bible nowhere actually says or shows that we are free moral agents, that we get to make all the most important choices.” “Within our earthly experience, there are negative consequences to wrong choices. But when it comes to eternity, we can’t make decisions because they were made before we existed.”

Pearson continues to mingle his personal self-awareness of thought with the actuality of salvation. Using a form of Calvinism in “irresistible grace” he decides that it’s not possible for someone like an atheist, Satanist or a Muslim to consciously examine the door, realize it’s Jesus and decide he does not want that doorway. Trying to support his theory he again falls back to the sun stating that sun screen doesn’t keep the sun from shining on someone. As we have already examined, the sun indeed shines on all but what Pearson does not accept and want to personally deal with is the fact that the sun will burn all that do not respect its power. He asks, “How can you not accept air?”. The answer is by not breathing. It is to that end that one rejects the air of the Gospel of Jesus, spiritual death.

From there, Pearson goes on to make several deceptively used statements:

• “The good news of the gospels is not so much that you accept Christ, but that Christ accepts you”,
• “When it comes to eternal matters and life, it’s not as much about our personal decisions and choices, as we had little to nothing to do with coming here in the first place”
• “the Bible nowhere actually says or shows that we are free moral agents, that we get to make all the most important choices.” “But when it comes to eternity, we can’t make decisions because they were made before we existed”

The good news is Jesus. Pearson would have you to believe that the good news is Jesus or Buddha or Mohammed or Satan: whichever fits your “perception” of Him will work for Him. Paul declares to the church at Corinth: “3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” – 2 Corinthians 11:3-4. This gospel of inclusion is another gospel of many other false Jesus’:

^“3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: ⁴ In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” – 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.

Pearson continues to seek to absolve all of creation of any wrongdoing by blaming the creator that created us. By his standard, no one, no matter how horrible the crime, should go to jail as it’s not their fault: their parents should not have had them. They had no choice in committing the crimes they chose to commit. He declares that the Bible does not show us to be free moral agents: It is, again, important to understand the connotation and theme Pearson is presenting over and over in his theology: that God is at fault. How can Adam be blamed for eating of the tree that God clearly told him he should not eat of if he had no control over his choice to disobey God? By Pearson’s theology God was wrong to punish the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their sexual sins. After all, He made them, and they had no free will to make the choices they made. The Word of God becomes without point or purpose in that if salvation is a “by default” actuality of all no matter what, what was the point and purpose of even going through the effort of redemption? Why not just allow all to live and do “that which is right in his own eyes…” and welcome them on into heaven when they’re done?

Even within the biblical doctrine of predestination you find that the specificity and realization thereof is found wholly and with certainty in the person and work of Christ Jesus alone “5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Ephesians 1:1-14 context).

9. On receiving salvation after death | evil energies | Hitler being a victim | God not Hitler being the blame for Hitler’s acts | God being at fault for deviances and the devil

Interviewer: “Let’s take an extreme case: What happens to an unrepentant child molester when he dies?”

Pearson: “The Bible says, “Every knee will ultimately bow and every tongue will confess in heaven and earth and even under the earth” [the Lordship of Christ] (Philippians 2:9-10). Even in the afterlife some will get the revelation of Jesus and be inspired by the Holy Spirit to confess His Lordship”

“The child molester is being controlled at that time by a spirit over which he evidently has no control. Child molesters don’t want to be child molesters-they don’t know how not to be. We try to help them, but we can only do so much. People who murder, commit suicide, abuse drugs, and commit any number of other shameful and deviant acts, are somehow consumed by the evil energies our rebellion releases upon the earth. Without Christ, they are helpless.”

“Even someone as ruthless and despised as Hitler is a victim of evil energy, which rebellion and perversity generate on the planet. As horrendously inexcusable as he was, Hitler couldn’t be Hitler on his own. He had to have permission to do what he did. He is not more powerful than God or good will. A God who can have Himself, in effect, birthed by a virgin can stop a Hitler or have him stillborn. But for whatever reason, He didn’t. He can stop the devil but for whatever reason, He hasn’t.”

“He may not have commissioned Hitler, but he evidently permissioned Hitler, or he would have stopped him. Why did he allow Hitler to do what he did? In my estimation Hitler’s acts are absolutely unforgivable. However, God is responsible for that kind of deviance, and he uses other human beings to counteract and/or prohibit such things. God is ultimately responsible for the devil because He created him. He’s got to fix all such aberrations Himself, and Christ is His ultimate answer to such questions and speculations.”

“I make allowances for God. There’s something about evil that we don’t understand. It seems so horrible to us in this consciousness. But God must have known, and does know why and how it exists so seemingly unimpeded. There must be something beyond what those precious people endured that is greater than their horror.” “Our behavior here affects our planetary experiences. It doesn’t necessarily affect the eternals, because that’s where perfection is.”

How Pearson equates “every knee bowing” to salvation after death is beyond me. The context of the scripture he quoted is: “10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” – Romans 14:10-12 and “8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – (Philippians 2:5-11 context).

Pearson uses a part of text and directs it to his theology but omits that there are three total “judgement scenario’s” that will happen, “The Bema Seat“, the “Sheep and Goat Judgement” and the “Great White Throne Judgement“. The Bema seat is pertaining to the saved in Heaven before Jesus. Romans 14:10-12 deals with the bema seat of Christ: It is the saved, not the lost, that will stand at the bema seat of Christ. Both (Romans 14:10) and (2 Corinthians 5:9) speak of the “judgment seat.” This is a translation of one Greek word, the word “bema”, where each redeemed child of God will receive the measure of reward or loss according to his/her works yet even in loss of rewards, as Paul puts it in; (1 Corinthians 3:15) “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: (but he himself shall be saved); yet so as by fire.“

Chafer writes concerning the Bema, “It cannot be too strongly emphasized that the judgment is unrelated to the problem of sin, that it is more for the bestowing of rewards than the rejection of failure.”

The Sheep and Goat Judgement, (Matthew 25:31-46), as Dr. Chuck Missler puts it, “is on the earth. Three separate parties are involved, and mortals are judged on the basis of their “works.”. The Great White Throne judgement, (Rev:20:11-13), again to quote Dr. Missler, “occurs at the end of the Millennium, deals with the unsaved dead, and ushers in the New Heavens, the New Earth, and the New Jerusalem.”.

Neither of these speak to the lost receiving salvation after death. To make such a declaration in light of what scripture actually shows is pure pretext. Further, by that logic, the demons that believe and confess the truth that there is but one God should also receive forgiveness: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” – James 2:19. Pearson continues his absolving mankind of wrongdoing by using the extreme example of a child molester. He states, in part, that “child molester, murderer drug abuser and even Hitler are victims of evil energy”. Aside from the Buddhist undertones of “energy” Pearson seems to continually not want to acknowledge the very real wickedness of the wicked one, Satan and the evil that perverts and permeates man’s heart: https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=wicked&qs_version=KJV .

In the theme of blaming God, he goes on to say, “A God who can have Himself, in effect, birthed by a virgin can stop a Hitler or have him stillborn. But for whatever reason, He didn’t. He can stop the devil but for whatever reason, He hasn’t.” and “God is ultimately responsible for the devil because He created him. He’s got to fix all such aberrations Himself, and Christ is His ultimate answer to such questions and speculations”. One has to ask, what causes a person to be so unwilling to take on personal responsibility for his actions and to be unwilling to allow for blame to be given to the decisions made of others. Pearson in one breath paints Jesus as a passive pacifist who is unconcerned with the “how” of salvation (Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist) and yet in another breath blames God for the need for salvation in the first place.

Judas was born and it’s by his betrayal, being indwelled of the devil, that Jesus was taken and led to the cross. God could have stopped Judas from being born and He could have stopped the actions of the crucifiers and Satan at any point as Jesus Himself declared, “53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” – Matthew 26:53-54, (John 19:11). Judas, Hitler and Satan all took willing part in their wickedness, but the common denominator is Satan. The allowance of their existence and action is in accordance to God’s plan to rid that wickedness from existence for all eternity. They who would seek to compress the wisdom and righteousness of God into the finite, weak understanding of man would do well to remember: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:9.

He, Pearson, asserts that our actions here only affect our experiences here but not what happens in the eternal. This is in direct contrast with the Word of God and in accordance to his exclusion of biblical truth: (Matthew 25:45-46, Mark 3:29, Romans 6:23, 1 John 3:15, Jude 1:7).

10. On God being Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Baha’I | No need of believing in Jesus | likening being Christlike to only the benefits of Christ

Pearson: “[God is] so inclusive, it’s hard to believe. He put the versions of Himself back together in Christ. There’s a version of God that’s Hindu. There’s a version of God that’s Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Baha’i. It’s so beautiful. Christians are hung up on “You need to believe in Jesus.” Christians forget that it’s not about somebody believing in Christianity, it’s about Christ believing in humanity. He created humanity and understands the diversity of humanity. He accepts us as we are. There’s a difference between being Christlike and simply liking Christ. Everyone likes a Messiah. Everyone wants one. Everyone thinks in one way they have one, whether it’s Buddha or Muhammad or Jesus. But to be Christlike, the likeness of Christ, His spirit, His goodness-that’s what we’ve gotten away from.

It is unfortunate that Mr. Pearson, in his deception, continues here to defame and present the one true living God as a bowl of deity soup. God had(s) so need of putting Himself back together as He has never been any other version of Him but Him. “Before Abraham was, I AM“. No matter what world religion or book, like the Qur’an, may have attributed its roots or beginnings in the Torah, there is but one true and living God and but one begotten of the Father, Christ Jesus. And herein is the deception of his quote, the Bible declares: “5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” – 1 Corinthians 8:5-6. Jesus is without confusion of who He is. He is, indeed, the way, truth and life allowing no man to come to the Father but by Him. The Lord God the Father is not confused or divided as to who He is and therefore has no need to put versions of Himself back together: “I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.” – Isaiah 43:11, (Isaiah 44:6-8, Isaiah 45:5-6, Isaiah 45:21, Hosea 13:4).

Pearson goes on to assert that it does not matter that one believes in Christ but rather that Christ believes in us. This strange version of humanism would make sense if there were some efficacious qualities about us that that somehow motivated Jesus to save us. The fact is, “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us“, Romans 5:8. Jesus need not believe in what He created and what He has already determined to be in utter dire straights concerning saving ourselves. He came for that very purpose. It is our need to believe on the only name, (not Buddha, not Muhammad, not Satan) but that of Jesus: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”- Acts 4:12.

Pearson declares that Jesus “accepts us as we are”. This is “sounds good” doctrine, not sound doctrine. Jesus does, indeed, receive us as we are or in whatever state we are in at that time, but He does, however, require conversion to take place: (Matthew 18:3, Luke 22:32, Acts 3:19, Acts 28:27). He requires one to be “born again”, (John 3:3, John 3:7, 1 Peter 1:23). Jesus, begins and performs the work on the inside of us: Philippians 1:6. He expects us to be dead to sin, Romans 6:2. And He washes, sanctifies and justifies us from who we were when we come to Him, (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

11. On proselytizing | evangelism | the punishment of God

Pearson: My objective is not to convert but to convince. If you convince people they’re absolutely and unconditionally loved, that will alter their behaviors. Christians have tried to convert people based on “If you don’t convert, there is a customized torture chamber called hell that this God of love will send you to.” That I’d like to correct. You can’t tell me God says to love my enemies and love those who hate me–but the same God says he’ll smite people who offend or don’t love Him.

Here, Pearson cannot contain and hide his personal dispute with God. This dispute has become evident and is the root of the false doctrine that has infiltrated his theology. That root is of the seed of reconciling the God of love with the God of consequences. Pearson states that “his objective is not to convert but convince”. Again, it’s “sounds good” doctrine but not sound doctrine. Jesus Himself said, “…Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” – Matthew 18:3, (Matthew 13:15, Mark 4:12, Luke 22:32, John 12:40). Conversion is the required result of salvation. “Convincing”, biblically, is unto the gospel of Jesus and unto rebuke of error: As seen with Apollos “28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.”- (Acts 18:28) and as shown by Jude: “To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”. – Jude 1:15.

Pearson begins here to expose the truth and delusion of his inclusion as he progresses toward his true gripe with God, “hell”. He states, “You can’t tell me God says to love my enemies and love those who hate me–but the same God says he’ll smite people who offend or don’t love Him.”. As he shakes his fist at God and tries to subject the character and Word of God to his personal feelings and inner struggles he falls into the deep well of doctrinal error. It does not matter what a man can tell him, the Word declares: “…I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;” – Exodus 20:5.

Revelation 19:14-16 “14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.”

12. On the existence of hell

Interviewer: So is anyone going to hell?

Pearson: Hell is a place you go through, not to. We all go through hell. There are people that are so tormented right now-a hell that we created for them or that they created for themselves and they can’t imagine a worse experience.

We’ve created this monster called the devil that lords it over this eternal torture chamber. None of that is scriptural, if you really study the Bible thoroughly. If Jesus was wounded for our transgressions, then hell is irrelevant as a punitive thing. It can only be a corrective thing. The punishment for sin has been paid by Jesus. We’ve been exonerated.

Here becomes evident the true basis of Pearson’s turn from sound doctrine. His disdain toward God at the thought of hell. Pearson is correct in that the concept of a devil who gets to lord in and over hell is not scriptural. Nowhere in the bible does scripture present Satan having a nice snug kingdom in hell where he gets to chastise and punish humanity. If such were the case, hell would not be punishment at all for Satan. In fact, no where in scripture is Satan placed in hell right now. I can remember some years ago attending a service and the minister at the time referencing a book he had read whose author claimed to have gone to hell and come back to tell the story. During his sermon, the minister referenced the author’s description of hell as a multi-layered prison run by Satan. The devil, being the warden of sorts, employed his demons as the underworld spiritual guards tasked with exacting eternal punishment on the hapless souls condemned therein. He further described the demons as being of different sizes and ranks and having levels of authority to torture. This author, was supposedly shown this vision by God and brought back from hell with the charge to warn others via “book sales.”

Sarcasm aside, I’ve always marveled at the varying views, traditions and fables passed down concerning hell, what it really is according to scripture and who is and will be in it. I once asked in a social forum the question, “Where in hell exactly is Satan”? When you consider that this is where the vast majority of people tend to believe he resides one would have expected a multitude of answers. However, very few had any answer when pressed scripturally. Therefore, it’s important that we look at the nature of hell from a biblical basis so that we can properly understand what it truly is.

First, let’s take a moment to define the term “hell” so that we can unpack the truths around it. The word “hell” appears fifty-four times in the Bible. Its Hebrew term is shĕ’owl (Strong’s H7585), pronounced sheh·ōle’, meaning: “underworld, grave, hell, pit, place of no return, without praise of God, wicked sent there for punishment, righteous not abandoned to it, of the place of exile (fig), of extreme degradation in sin”.

This word is further applied in reference to the “grave” thirty-one times, as “hell” thirty-one times and as “pit” eight times. Hell is also referenced specifically with fire three times (Mat 5:22, 18:9, Mar 9:47). It is translated figuratively “geenna” in the NT (Strong’s G1067) meaning: “… the place of the future punishment called “Gehenna” or “Gehenna of fire”. This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned; a fit symbol of the wicked and their future destruction.”.

The word hell, holds several meanings as it pertains to the grave, holding place for judgement and future place or torment. It is in the context of that future place of torment that Pearson struggles with and some, in error, place Satan in right now. This future place of torment is literal but is not the final sentence of judgment from God to Satan, the false prophet, antichrist, demons and all mankind who are sentenced there. Here is how we understand it biblically:

• Jesus/God is the one with the key and power to cast any into hell: Luke 12:5 “But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroyboth soul and body in hell. Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
• Jesus, in His parable of Lazarus, shows that hell, for the wicked, is a place of torment that was originally for the devil and his angels but opened to wicked man who rebels against God unto death: Luke 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Mark 9:43-45 43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:(43-48 context) 2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
• Finally, and perhaps most importantly, hell, in the sense we understand it, is not the final state of eternal torment and judgement. The Lake of Fire is. This is where hell, death, antichrist (the beast), the false prophet, the demons and all mankind whose names are not found in the book of life will spend eternity in torment:

Revelation 20:13-15 ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. ¹⁴ And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵ And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Revelation 20:10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

This is the reality of eternal judgement. That of a just and righteous God. It is His Word. It is true. Contrary to the delusion of inclusion, you cannot simply live your truth and subject God’s truth to it in expectation of salvation. He, Jesus, is the way, the truth and the life. No man comes unto the Father But by Him.

Eugene J. Bell…