When I saw the book, The Bible Theft, I was very intrigued by its title. For in the past year, I had been confronting the leadership of our former church about the false doctrine of “Christian feminism”, which they had allowed to seep into the congregation. After many months of effort, my wife and I had to make the choice to leave that church because of the unrepentance of the leadership in continuing to allow false doctrine.
To our surprise, their pastor and elders had been aware of the situation for several years! What also surprised us was that they demanded to know how we found out about it. When I told them how, they accused us of partaking in gossip. The members who were promoting false doctrine in our church were best friends of the pastor and his family. These people are still active in the church, and fill leadership positions. Even though the pastor admitted that he didn’t agree with his friends, he refused to call Christian feminism sin, but referred to it as another “Christian worldview”! Who was protecting his flock from error?
So, who’s stealing the Bible…? So, who’s stealing the Bible…? One might say its Christian liberalism or secularism. But it’s also happening in conservative churches across America. As a thief comes in the night under the cover of darkness, the three mentioned are openly anti-Bible in philosophy. Many who are stealing our Bibles now are pastors who have spent thousands of hours and dollars pursuing a degree, and an ordination, from Christian seminaries. They have stolen the Bible by refusing to teach against false doctrine. They steal the Bible when they only teach what they feel is necessary for the congregation to know. “Anything more may cause offense!” They steal the Bible when they choose friendship or denomination over doctrine.
Dr. Peter Sanlon’s book, The Bible Theft, was a sermon series of his that “involved reading and pondering passages in the New Testament specifically relevant to helping us appreciate the seriousness of false teaching in the Church.” Though Dr. Sanlon wrote about the Church of England accepting the homosexual agenda, you can replace that subject for any false doctrine, such as I did with Christian feminism.
This was a profound book for me because of what I have personally experienced. It is a MUST READ for church leadership and laymen alike, who still fear God’s Word. Dr. Sanlon’s book gets better and better with each chapter.
Vicar Peter Sanlon has graciously given me permission to use excerpts from his book highlighting each chapter. Hopefully, Dr. Sanlon’s own words will inspire you to read his book soon!
Loving Clarity to a Confused World – Rom. 1:18-32
“The bible’s teaching is what God uses to make us spiritually healthy: to give us vibrant relationships with God and other people. To grow as Christians the way that God would like us to grow. The focus of our series is a theme which occurs in almost every book of the New Testament – what it will require for God’s people to be faithful to the words that God gives them and what it will mean for them to uphold and guard those teachings. Faithful churches guard the Bible’s teaching because it is the key to people having good relationships with one another and with God.”
Lovingly Addressing Sin in the Church – 1 Cor. 5:1-13
“Of course, the temptation is always to ignore problems in our own lives and in other people’s lives. It seems easier that way. As Adam and Eve hid from God because of their sin, so we all want to hide from God and hide our sin and hide from each other. That’s the temptation. Why should a church not do that also and ignore sin?”
Don’t be Fooled: Change is Possible – 1 Cor. 6:9-20
“Verse 10 warns do not be deceived. ‘Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.’ This is why the Church must uphold the teaching about behaviours that God says are wrong and the genuine changes that Jesus can make in our lives. If we do not, we will prevent people coming into God’s kingdom. It is that serious. If the Church begins to say that these behaviours do not really matter and we can begin to celebrate them or encourage them or bless them, then it will actually be stopping people enjoying the wonderful gift of coming into God’s kingdom and having God change them: ‘Do not be deceived.’”
Contend for the Faith – Jude
“Jude said, I had to write and urge you to contend for that unchangeable, given body of claims and truths revealed by God to his people. Defending the Faith is not a distraction from ministry; it is vitally important. Jude puts it at the top of his agenda because people in the church have begun to say things that contradict, undermine, and push away the real Faith.”
Is Love Really All You Need? – 2 John
“The popular idea that unity and welcoming one another are to be at the top of the church’s agenda is simply not correct. We are not to provide support to or have fellowship with people who run ahead of Jesus’ teachings. Unity with them and welcoming them is not godly – it is rebellious. Ironically those who commend fellowship with false teachers are themselves running ahead of Jesus’ teaching.”
Be Thoroughly Equipped for the Fight – 2 Tim. 3
“In the last days there will be religious leaders in churches full of people who love self, money and pleasure. The leaders will look religious. The ministries will be successful. The messages will be popular. But the leaders will be manipulative and deceptive. Their appearance of godliness will be convincing enough to fool many – but it will lack the spiritual power that God grants all who love Jesus more than self.”
When Toleration must not be Tolerated – Rev. 2:18-29
“The point is that people like Jezebel say things that fit in with what the world wants to say. So, to not tolerate them brings us into conflict with the world that says we should tolerate all views. It is uncomfortable. We want be polite, do we not? Many people have vested interests. In the Church there are leaders whose jobs and houses and pensions depend upon tolerating people’s views. I myself am in that category actually. It makes faithfulness costly and difficult. We fool ourselves that the only thing God really cares about is the positive Bible teaching or ministry that we do. But that is not what the Bible says here, is it? There is no suggestion that all the people in the Church are acting like Jezebel and her followers. It is just that they tolerate her. Toleration of things that Jesus says are wrong is itself a problem. Jesus does not tolerate all toleration.”
Only the Weak can Win – Rev. 3:7-13
“Jesus looks at his churches and he understands that you have been let down by your leaders. He understands they have hurt you. They have failed to do what they should do. It is serious and Jesus feels it to be so. They have lied and have deceived. says Jesus is going to arrange that face to face meeting where reality will be brought to light and apologies will be made. Jesus says, ‘I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.’”
I very important book for our times! Thank you Rev. Sanlon.
Reviewed by Rob Robbins
Author: Dr. Peter Sanlon is a full-time Rector (minister) of Emmanuel Anglican Church, Tunbridge Wells
