An example of this from our own generation would be the way liberal theology explains the notion of resurrection. Liberal theologians insist that dead men don’t rise from the grave; they “know” this because they have adopted as their foundational assumption a scientific and material view of life.

However, though they deny bodily resurrection, they do not reject the idea of resurrection per se. Instead, they translate it into the terms of modern psychology and explain resurrection as an event that occurs within the mind or heart of the person who embraces and experiences it. Resurrection is real; it’s just that it’s merely personal. According to the liberal theologian, there was no historical, objective resurrection of Jesus. The disciples, thrilled and challenged by the example of Jesus, experienced in their own psyches what they described as a “resurrection”, for to them it was as if Jesus really was still alive. On this logic, we, too, are “raised from the dead” when the power of Jesus’ example “comes alive” for us as well.

Syncretism is a danger in every age. All believers are susceptible to it. Whenever we make room in our thinking or living for ideas or practices which have their origins in the traditions and thinking of men or the forges of hell, we are in danger of being taken captive by a false worldview. Even though these may come garbed in Biblical or Christian terms, and be argued with the greatest passion and logic, and even though they may produce measurable “results”, if what we profess or practice does not square with the teaching of Christ as revealed in His Word, then we have been taken captive by the lie.

The process by which syncretistic thinking works its way into our lives is subtle; therefore, we must always be on guard against false ideas, testing every spirit to determine whether what we profess and practice is consistent with the teaching and example of Christ. This will involve us in three ongoing practices.

Rooted in the Word
First, of course, we must make sure that we are daily being rooted and grounded in the teaching of Christ in His Word. There is no excuse for believers, and for church leaders especially, not hungering and thirsting for the Word of God, such that they make it a crucial part of their daily routine to read, meditate, and study in God’s Word. Here the voice of Jesus is clearly heard and the example of Jesus comes through on every page (Jn. 5:39).

Resisting the power of syncretistic thinking begins with contemplating the genuine article (Heb. 2:9; 3:1). It will be difficult for other voices to draw us away from the truth if our minds and hearts are pervaded by the reality of Jesus Christ, speaking to us from His Word, and if we are submissive to His truth in whole and part.

Test the spirits
Second, we need to test every idea or proposition, every position or practice that comes to us according to the plain teaching of Scripture (Acts 17:11). It’s fine to listen to others’ thoughts and ideas, or to consider some aspect of their way of life. But we must only endorse or adopt that which is consistent with the teaching of Scripture.

So, for example, when a believing friend recoils from the idea of absolute truth – as many do today – pleading instead for greater tolerance or a view of truth that is merely personal in nature, we need to look to the Scriptures. There we will find that this idea does not cohere with what the Bible says about the written Word of God, which it consistently describes as “true” or “truth” (cf. Ps. 19:7-11).

Other voices may be persuasive and insistent, but they must not be determinative for our thinking. Only what coheres with the teaching of Christ in Scripture, and only according to the Bible’s explanations, must be allowed to find a settled place in our thinking and practice.

Warn one another
Finally, we must be faithful to warn one another whenever false and syncretistic thinking is in the air or seeking to make incursion to our lives or churches. It may be difficult to confront false thinking when it appears in our churches, but if we fail to do so it will surely capture the minds and hearts of many, leading them into error and depriving them of the power and joy of their salvation.

This is the job, not only of pastors and church leaders, but of all believers, for we are all commanded to “test the spirits” to make sure that only those ideas and practices consistent with Christ and in line with the teaching of the apostles find a home in our churches and our souls (1 Jn. 4:1-6).

Syncretism deprives the Church of the blessing of God, for it seeks to pass off as pure bullion what is only fool’s gold. The promoters of syncretism are busily at work in our day, as they have been in all ages of the Church; thus, we need to be on guard at every turn, lest we fall captive to vain thoughts or unBiblical practices and thus lose the joy of our salvation and fall under the displeasure of God.

For more information on this topic, get the book, Fast Facts on False Teachings, by Ron Carlson and Ed Decker at our online store. Or read the article, “Contend for the Faith: Time for a Little Housekeeping,” by T. M. Moore.