A Critique of Today's Sermon Preached by Rev. George Conger

This morning Christ Episcopal Church of Longwood, Florida had a guest minister, Rev. George Conger, from the Florida Diocese, deliver the sermon. It seemed obvious to me that he thinks he is not bound by God's Holy Scriptures or by the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion. While the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion are not equal in authority to Holy Scripture, they are in fact a confession of faith. Since Scripture is the final and sole authority in matters of faith and practice, there can be nothing equal to them in authority, especially church tradition. That being said, however, the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion are a confession of what we believe the Scriptures do in fact teach and as much as the Articles are an accurate expression of the true teaching of the Holy Scriptures they are in fact binding doctrine. Just as the creeds are binding doctrine insofar as they teach what Scripture teaches, so the Articles are a Protestant document and are binding in matters of faith because they are a "universal" or "catholic" expression of Protestant doctrine.

The first indication of an apostate minister is that he will refuse to preach the Bible and instead preach his own "story" or "experience." What becomes authoritative for faith and doctrine and practice in such a case is not Holy Scripture but the minister's personal experiences and church tradition. Anglo-Catholics and charismatics in fact hate Holy Scripture and will refuse to take it at face value. Somewhere in the sermon they will denigrate the authority of Scripture. In this case the minister threw aside the Bible and uplifted himself in its place. In one of his remarks he said that he would not "beat someone over the head with the Bible" or quote from the Prayer Book on such and such a page. Clearly, this fellow has a problem with God's Word. His view seems to be that anyone who actually believes that the Bible is God's special revelation to man is guilty of bibliolatry or worshipping the Bible. But I ask you, if the Bible is a letter from God Himself to mankind, how can it be idolatry or worship of the Bible if we take God at His Word? If God says it, we ought to believe it. Jesus says this: Matthew 4:4 (ESV) 4 But he answered, "It is written, " ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’" The Scriptures here make it plain that we do not live by every word that comes from the mouth of George Conger or from the mouth of David Knox or even from the mouth of Charlie Ray. The Scriptures declare that we are to live by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Ministers are fallible and God's Word is eternal, infallible, and binding upon each of us.

Over and over again, Jesus points us to the Holy Scriptures. In fact, if we count the apostles Paul, James and Peter along with Jesus Christ Himself, there are over 51 references to the Holy Scriptures in the New Testament. After the resurrection Jesus pointed to the Old Testament Scriptures as proof of who He is and that His ministry was from God:

Luke 24:27 (ESV) And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luke 24:32 (ESV) They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?"

Luke 24:45 (ESV) Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

Brethren, anytime a minister gets up to preach and never once opens the Bible to expound and explain the Word of God, that ought to be a red flag. Any true minister of God will follow the example of Jesus Christ and explain to the disciples more fully the teachings of the Bible about Jesus Christ.

The second point I would like to make is that the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion in fact state that only Scripture gives us any doctrine of salvation and justification that is binding:


Article VI

Of the sufficiency of the Holy Scripture for Salvation

Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.

In the name of Holy Scripture, we do understand those Canonical books of the Old and New testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church. ...

Also, even more to the point, the first eight articles of the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion are called "catholic." That is they are to be universally accepted. And contrary to Rome and Anglo-Catholicism/Tractarianism, the "catholic" faith is Protestant and teaches that the Bible alone is the sufficient rule for faith and practice. We are not obligated to believe man's traditions or the traditions of Rome or the traditions of Anglo-Catholics. We are bound to believe only what can be proved straight from the Bible. Liberalism and the charismatics believe man's experience is equal in authority to God's Word, the Holy Bible. However, the one true and catholic faith teaches that the Bible is the final word in all matters of faith and in matters of salvation. Obviously, our guest speaker today does not believe that. He believes that the Anglo-Catholic view is equal to Holy Scripture.

Another point on which I disagreed with the minister today is that he implied that there is a purgatory by his telling of a joke where the pope, Billy Graham, and Oral Roberts were sent to hell for thirty days before they could be admitted to heaven. However, Article XXII clearly says there is no purgatory. The minister also implied in the joke that the "sacraments have efficacy" to save even the devil. This is complete and utter nonsense. The sacraments are tokens and signs of something beyond the bread and the wine. The signs point to a greater reality which is the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary. Where there is no true faith the signs and tokens do not effectively convey anything at all to the recipients. Thus, the signs cannot have the power to save the devil or anyone else apart from a true faith in Jesus Christ and his atoning death on the cross. It is Christ and Him crucified which saves us. And the signs always point to Jesus Christ and the cross.

Furthermore, the minister, George Conger said that there are seven sacraments. This is in direct contradiction to the "catholic" faith which is expressed in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion:

Article XXV

Of the Sacraments

Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they be certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace and God's good will towards us, by the which He doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm, our faith in Him.

There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.

Those five, commonly called Sacraments, that is to say, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles, partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures; but yet have not the like nature of Sacraments with Baptism and the Lord's Supper, for that they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God.

The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon or to be carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same, have they a wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves damnation, as S. Paul saith.

I might further point out that George Conger said that God is not in control of all that happens. He therefore does not agree with the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion or the Holy Scriptures on that point of doctrine as well. The Bible clearly teaches the sovereignty of God in places like Isaiah 45:7; Ephesians 1:11; Romans 11:33; Hebrews 6:17; Romans 9:15- 18). And the doctrine of predestination is clearly taught both in Scripture (Ephesians 1:4-5, 9, 11; Romans 8:30; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9) and in Article XVII of the Thirty-Nine Articles.

I might also point out that all suffering in this world is the result of the fall of Adam. Not only is this taught in the Bible (Genesis 3:16-19; Romans 5:12-14; Deuteronomy 28:58-61; 29:22-24; Romans 8:18-23) but it is also taught in Article IX:

Of Original or Birth Sin

Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God's wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated, whereby the lust of the flesh, called in Greek phronema sarkos (which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection, some the desire of the flesh), is not subject to the law of God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized, yet the Apostle doth confess that concupiscence and lust hath itself the nature of sin.

The vanity and pride of man is always the source of pelagianism. Man wants to think he is equal with God so man preaches that we can do the things God does. Man wants to be powerful like God so man preaches that "baptism" of the Holy Spirit makes you like God. But the Bible teaches the opposite. Every Christian is baptized with the Holy Spirit at conversion. If you are a Christian you have already been baptized with the Holy Spirit. However, the minister today suggested that baptism with the Holy Spirit is something in addition to regeneration and conversion. The Bible clearly says that all Christians have the Holy Spirit and are baptized with the Holy Spirit:

Matthew 3:11 (ESV) 11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Mark 16:16 (ESV) 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Acts 1:5 (ESV) 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

Acts 2:38 (ESV) 38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:41 (ESV) 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Acts 10:47 (ESV) 47 "Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"

Romans 6:3 (ESV) 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

1 Corinthians 12:13 (ESV) 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

Galatians 3:27 (ESV) 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Titus 3:5-7 (ESV) 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The problem today is that there are many false prophets who wish to steer people away from God's Word. They wish to steer people away from the catholic faith which is confessed in the Protestant views expressed in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion.

I would also say that part of the problem today is the departure of the Episcopal Church USA from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. The 1979 Book of Common Prayer is full of Anglo-Catholic doctrines in the liturgy and out and out pelagianism in the catechism. It is no wonder that the Episcopal Church has gone liberal. But in my opinion, the so-called "conservatives" who are starting the new common cause partnerships and the new province, The Anglican Church in North America, are in fact dissimulators who hide the fact that they do not like the Protestant faith or the low church side of Anglicanism. Anglo-Catholics would like to usurp the authority of the Bible and re-interpret the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion by using Tract 90 as a commentary on the Articles. This is not only dishonest and misleading but it is to present another gospel which is not the Gospel at all. Moreover, the Homily on Justification clearly contradicts Tract 90 when it is read in its entirety. The misquoting of the Homily by John Henry Newman was so obviously out of context that Newman was finally forced to quit the Anglican Church and become a Roman Catholic.

I cannot judge any man's soul. However, I can judge the man's doctrine. It is obvious to me that Rev. George Conger's sympathies lie with the Anglo-Catholics and not with God's Holy Scriptures, which are the final word in all matters of justification, faith, and salvation.

In his writings on the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer once said:

Now let the papists show some authority for their opinion, either of Scripture, or of some ancient author. And let them not constrain all men to follow their fond devices, only because they say it is so, without any other ground or authority but their own bare words. For in such wise credit is to be given to God's Word only, and not to the word of any man. [The Work of Thomas Cranmer. "The Third Book Teacheth the Manner How Christ Is Present in His Supper." The Courtney Library of Reformation Classics. Ed. G.E. Duffield. (Berkshire: Sutton Courtney Press, 1964). Page 144].

Peace!