“If a teacher’s ‘statement of faith’ is orthodox but their sermons and books are heterodox …they are like a thief who drives the speed limit on the way to rob a bank.”
Costi Hinn
There is so much double speech going on in churches today that are leading so many people astray and kept in deception because of this tactic of “tipping their hat” to orthodoxy, but never really implementing what they say they believe or doing quite the opposite.
Also, it is important to be very cautious of churches who refuse to have a written statement of faith. We know of a well-known church leader from the UK who has been quoted saying: “We don’t in fact have a statement of faith, because I wouldn’t want to be defining in a kind of way that can put people in a kind of prison.” 😳 The rest of his statement is even more alarming.
This kind of strategy of not defining terms is dangerous because that means the church or movement can make up whatever definition they want as long as it “sounds” orthodox or Biblical.
Most often, they claim all they want is to be Biblical, but ignore or twist what the Bible (and Church history) even clearly teaches.
Be watchful, friends. Test everything you see and hear against the light of scripture. The enemy is very crafty!