Dr Mike Murphy
August 19, 2023
I am just not crazy about heights! During my college days, a friend of mine convinced me to overcome this by going hang gliding with him. For several minutes of floating all I could think about was what all could go wrong on the way down. I was never so glad as to see the ground again in my life. Even a hard landing came with a sense of comfort! On that day, I made up my mind that the next time I found myself in the sky, outside of a plane, it would be because the Lord was calling me up. Finding myself alone in the air relying on flimsy materials made by man, there was just too many things that could go wrong in the process that would have me plummeting swiftly in a downward motion!During a recent discussion, I watched as many around me found themselves in the middle of my worst fear. Their beliefs were in free fall. Without even knowing it, their own logic and reason had caused them to jump from the plane without a parachute. Their very souls were on a downward spiral, plummeting them to a certain death.
In the middle of the discussion. I found them arguing against the certainty of God. They claimed that the only certainty we will ever know is change itself. That God is constantly evolving, thus changing His mind with a better understanding of the issues as time develops. As history unfolds, God will adjust His teachings and views as He has greater understanding of man and our environment.
The above philosophy is called Process Theology. Although many reading this may not be familiar with its’ teachings, in our universities and within the halls of several of our seminaries it is being taught as a basis of truth. So just what is Process Theology? Let us take a look at the tenants of this philosophy.
At the heart of this teaching we see an organic worldview, one that teaches that God is only a part of this whole creation, not its’ Creator. Creation did not come from nothing, God and the universe are mutually interdependent. They would tell you that you cannot have one without the other. So where do you find this view put forth in the Bible? The answer is simple, NOWHERE! This teaching completely ignores the first ten words of the Bible itself. Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” God’s own word does not tell us that He just witnessed this, was simply a part of the creation, or was just around when it happened. He tells us that His action created this world, and we are only here because He created it and placed us in it.
As many are first hearing of this teaching, please realize this is far from a new view of God and this world, but one that is as old as man himself. Paul addressed this very issue while in Athens. One of the prevailing views of Greek society was known as Stoicism. At the heart of Stoics was a materialistic, pantheistic view that taught all things are connected, and that this interwoven connection linked everything shared is what we call ‘God’. Paul addressed this matter(Acts 17:24-32), telling the Greeks that God created all things, sustains all things, and put forth a purpose and a plan for all things. That anyone who ignored this was acting out illogically. The same argument that Paul used to bring many in Athens to the Word of God that day, is the same message many within Process Theology need to take to heart today.
Process Theology also teaches that God is not omnipotent, that God’s only power is one of influence or persuasion. God’s role with man is reduced to His attempt to bring as much harmony as His persuasive abilities will allow. As I mentioned before, God is learning as He goes under the teaching of this philosophy. So God attempts to persuade man towards His position based on the knowledge He gains each day. In simple terms, God’s wisdom is reduced to trial and error. Because God is not inerrant, salvation is not something that can come from God under this philosophy. Therefore, Jesus Christ was not who He said He was. Jesus was just a man, not God incarnate, having come to offer a plan of salvation to all mankind.
From the first word of Genesis to the final amen in Revelation, God’s Word is consistent. His message and teachings are unwavering and will never change(Psalm 119:89, Malachi 3:6). God had a purpose and a plan for mankind in the first verse, and it never differentiates(Isaiah 46:10). From the beginning God had a plan to bring man closer to Him, and offered that plan to the world through Jesus Christ(Psalm 33:11, John 1:1). Christ has always been that plan, and because Christ is God, He has not and will not ever change(Hebrews 13:8). God’s Word is inerrant, ever word is given with purpose and truth(Proverbs 30:5, Psalm 12:6, 2 Timothy 3:16).
These are just a few examples of hundreds in the Bible that show the consistency of God and His plan for mankind. For any philosophy to ignore this they would have to leave the Bible closed, as every page is filled with the same message.
So why would Process Theology take this approach, ignoring the very words God gave us? Throughout history, man has looked to his own logic to excuse his behavior when it comes in conflict with God’s Word. We are no different today than man has been throughout history, knowledge wise, but wisdom poor. We see in this philosophy the attempt to justify much of the social behavior of the day that is in conflict with the Word of God. If God is learning more as this world turns, then His view on many of the issues of the day may be changing also. This philosophy would tell you that God’s view on homosexuality, abortion, immorality, and others may change as God has grown to understand the issues better. Under the doctrines of Process Theology, right and wrong are ever changing. What was wrong in God’s eyes a thousand years ago, my now be considered right as the Lord has evolved and His knowledge has increased.
Those who follow Process Theology face two questions they cannot, and will not, ever be able to answer. If right and wrong are ever changing, how do we know the standard by which the Lord would want us to follow? What one may say is the standard today, could be completely different in another’s eyes tomorrow. The result of this is nothing short of complete chaos. Second, if God is eternally processing and changing, then one would presume that there is something greater that is influencing God. What is this ‘something greater’? What is this supposed force that is bringing God greater knowledge and an increase in greatness? You will never get an answer to these questions. To summarize the words of Paul, there is no answer to the illogical!
It is important that we, as Christian, are aware of those things that are being taught in the name of God. The Bible tells us that we should be able to defend our faith at all times(1 Peter 3:15), and we should show the world the truth in those teaching that do not stay true to God’s Word(2 Corinthians 10:5). We live in a day and age where we are called on for this purpose more than ever. Although Process Theology is growing in popularity everyday, it is one the Church should be able to quickly overcome. The ‘god’ of Process Theology is not even worthy of worship, not knowing right from wrong, and having no control over good and evil. And to those that follow Process Theology, I would simply say, “You need to take a hard look at your logic. Because something has gone wrong in the process!”
