the cross matters

my new blog: http://www.theologan.com

will be posting there monday through friday, check it out.

I’ve been neck-deep in studying the theological method of Tim Keller for my class, but there is one recent controversy I’d like to talk about and think over with you. I don’t spend much time commenting on blogs, but I do spend many hours of the day reading. Usually with some wrestling or star trek in the background. I’m a geek like that. Bazinga.

The Ergun Caner controversy. I just want to say that I feel that I should have blogged about this earlier. The controversy has somewhat abated now that the truth has come out and it has been revealed that Ergun Caner has bamboozled people for years. And this is not like Obama or Biden making a one-time gaffe on how many states are in the United States or how we shouldn’t travel on buses because of the swine flu, but continually lying about your past and your testimony in order to deceive people into thinking you are who you are not.

My own college, Northwestern College, went through a similar controversy also involving our president, Dr. Alan Cureton. I won’t go into details, but the links to the evidence are at the bottom of this post. Northwestern College has removed all their responses from their website. It seems that both sides of the controversy at Northwestern College want to move on. One can only throw shoes at a brick wall so long before you just give up and move on. I’m sure, this is how both sides feel.

Gene Clyatt (better known as Babylonian Squirrel) has put together a helpful timeline of the events of Ergun Caner and the controversy. Essentially it boils down to this. He lied about his testimony (not in the sense of salvation, but he constructed a fictional past in order to pump up his conversion). He lied about his background. He deceived people. Not just once, but countless times. Purposefully, not accidentally. The (now former) President and (now former) Dean of Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He still remains there as a professor through 2010-2011.

Now, let me get personal. I met Ergun Caner. I listened to a message he preached while I was on Cruise for a Cause (an outreach/cruise to the Bahamas). I even complimented him afterward for a fine testimony and presentation. As I think back to that short conversation and handshake, I feel frustrated, sad, and angry.

I am frustrated because I know that for every evangelical poser that is found out, there are countless others who remain in power because of the weak knees of the church congregation, the student population, and the leaders who work for the liar.

I am angry that the Southern Baptists (and frankly it seems that Christian culture in general) were all too happy to look the other way. This is an age of charismatic men who can produce material for the Christian to consume. Character has been replaced by Charisma and real apologists suffer a poor stereotype.

I am sad because these hucksters taint the accomplishments of students at these colleges. It’s a sad reality that the students will be hurt most. Not by my or anyone’s accusations, but by plain and simple deception.

My thoughts are simple. The only way for healing to begin is if Ergun Caner makes a statement similar to what I found by a blogger named Dex Cisco.

“I, Ergun Michael Caner, have sinned. I have lied about my background, my place of birth, my nationality, my coming to America. I lied about the extent of my involvment in Islam, my ability to speak fluent Arabic. I lied in professing my innocence and tried to cover my sin with more lies and with silence. I allowed other men to come to my defense and ruin their reputations to cover my sin. I have sinned against God, the church, the Muslim community, and anyone else who has heard me speak these lies. What I have done is not befitting a Christian and I humbly ask for forgiveness.”

But instead of doing this. Ergun has gone underground. He hasn’t posted anything on his blog since April 9th. He hasn’t tweeted anything since June 25th. Ergun or someone on his behalf (according to Daniel Spratlin’s research) has contacted an Indian company and paid for reputation repair services. I would say that is the strangest thing in all this controversy pizza.

Caner’s defenders have literally stuck their heads in the sand in responding to all the controversy. I don’t have the time to detail their delusional responses, but Daniel Spratlin does aptly in this series of posts. If nothing more it makes for a fascinating case study.

The truth of the matter is that if not for the wise archiving of what he has said and done in response to this, it would appear as though Ergun had never publicly responded when he actually had (here is the full text of his response).

And if not for 1.) careful archiving by Christian bloggers and 2.) careful organizing of these resources, it would be impossible to find out the truth. Scrubbing history has never been easier than in this age. The age of the internet where the delete key is easier than ever to hit.

I quote from James White who wrote this in a post deconstructing the Norman Geisler’s insane ramblings about what had happened with Ergun Caner. James has been through more with dealing with Caner’s staunch defenders than anyone can even possibly imagine. He has fought hard for truth and suffered much for it. (the emphasis in the below quote is mine)

Yes, I’m sick of this entire thing. I want it to go away. I want to be working on uplifting things, preparing for my fall debates, writing, researching…doing the things of ministry. But here I sit preparing to slam many more doors in my face. Why? Simple. Truth is costly. When I have told Christians and non Christians alike over the past twenty five years that I believe the Gospel is true and consistent and vital, I was actually speaking the truth. That’s what I really believe. And I further believe that when you live in a day of compromise and apostasy you may have to invest a whole lot more to be consistent in matters of the truth than those who live in days of relative peace.

The apologetic task facing true believers in Christ in Western Society today is daunting. We are under assault from every angle. There has never been a time when we need to be more consistent, more committed, more heart-felt in our passionate love of the truth. We cannot live inconsistently with our profession. We cannot be hypocrites. If we tell the world we honor the truth, then we need to do so in all of our lives. We cannot pretend that truth is only important in apologetic issues, issues relating to the resurrection or the historicity of the Bible, while turning around and trampling on simple truthfulness in other aspects of our lives. Lovers of truth will love it in all of life, not just in parts.

(go to his post for the full critique)

There is much that has been said, and should be said, about what this situation says about evangelicalism in the United States today. That loud sound you hear as you read this entry is made by the doors slamming in my face for even daring to point out that such a venerable name as Norman Geisler could engage in an activity that can only honestly and accurately be identified as cronyism. But that is what is happening. It is beyond obvious that he has offered no rebuttal to the mountain of documentation that contradicts his position. Instead, he seems to hope to use his name, his “weight” in evangelical circles, to cover for an associate, a friend, who has brought disrepute upon the Christian ministry in general and apologetics in particular by his purposeful deception and myth-making. For many, that will be sufficient not only to allow them to continue to listen to Ergun Caner without calling him to repentance, but (to borrow from Geisler’s own language) throw me under the bus for having dared to point these things out.

I well know that the cost is escalating here, but again, I have no choice. Yes, the world is watching, and I hope they see that some evangelicals are still willing to pay a price for truth and consistency without retreating into pious platitudes. Yes, the Muslim apologetic community is watching, and at least some well know the truth of this situation. And ironically, may I point out that heaven itself is watching, and it is in that Court of Final Arbitration that I place my final appeal and trust. What will history say about all of this? I don’t know, but I cannot stand before any audience and proclaim myself a follower of truth if I can so easily sell my commitment to it for the price of popularity and political ease. May the Lord of truth, the King of righteousness, send forth His Spirit to convict of sin, to bring true confession, and to bring glory to the name of Jesus Christ.

When it comes down to it, maybe you wonder why I even care about this.

Because I believe truth is worth fighting over.

Do you?

Further Recommended Reading on Northwestern College Controversy

• Between Two Worlds coverage part 1
• Between Two Worlds coverage part 2
• Friends of NWC
• NWC Truth
• Christianity Today Article

Further Recommended Reading on the Ergun Caner Controversy

To perfectly honest, I would recommend reading all of the content below, but I’ve highlighted a few of the most engaging posts.

• United States Marines duped by pretend Jihadist, Ergun Caner (must watch)
• Babylonian Squirrel’s Posts on Ergun Caner
• Jason Smather’s Posts on Ergun Caner
• Turretinfan’s Posts on Ergun Caner
• Justin Taylor’s Posts on Ergun Caner
• Babylonian Squirrel’s helpful timeline (must read)
• Ergun Caner’s Secret Biography (extensive and in-depth research by Jason Smathers)
• Christianity Today’s Article on Ergun Caner
• Babylonian Squirrel’s response to CT article
• James White’s response to CT article
• Fred Butler’s response to CT article
• Tom Chantry’s response to CT article
• Index of Responses to Norman Geisler (organized by Babylonian Squirrel)
• List of Ergun Caner media/articles/interviews/etc compiled by Turretinfan
• Phil Johnson on Evangelical Bunko Artists (excellent post)
• Post on the similarity between Benny Hinn and Ergun Caner
• FBC Jax Watchdog on the SBC and Ergun Cane (insightful comments)
• FBC Jax Watchdog on the Ergun Caner Evangelical Crisis (insightful comments)
• Tom Chantry’s Thoughtful Response to the Ergun Caner Controversy (must read)
• Fred Butler’s post on Ergun Caner as the Mike Warnke of this generation
• FBC Jax Watchdog’s post on Ergun Caner back to preaching - September 5th 2010 (frankly unbelievable the lack of repentance for nearly a decade of lies, great tragedy, pray for a greater awakening.)
• Ergun Caner’s tragic response to all the criticism - September 25th 2010
• James White’s response to Ergun Caner

Addendum - A few thoughts after watching the first video of Ergun Caner.

He is remarkably similar in his preaching style to what I remember. I recall him being more laid-back when he was talking to mainly college students. If only he had claimed to be just a cultural observer. If only he had told the truth. Instead the presentation is so mixed with possible facts and obvious fiction that it is impossible to make heads or tails out of what is true. I heard that he went to teach a briefing in Fort Hood. Is it possible that he taught a class in which the Major Hasan, the shooter at Fort Hood was present? This is only speculation and I have no evidence for it, but a scary possibility nonetheless. Ergun has dozens of stories, who knows if they are true or made up? No one. He has modified what the word “debate” should mean in the context of being an Apologist (regardless of worldview). A debate is not a conversation, interview, or informal talk. It is formal, it has a moderator, it is before an audience, and it is usually recorded. His style of debate is downright atrocious. Essentially he believes in yelling over the Muslim he is “debating” because it is culturally the right thing to do. He ends his presentation pitch-perfect with another story. He reminds me of the man Paul Washer always talked about, “He can tell you stories about grandmothers that will make you laugh and puppy dogs that will make you cry.” He is a story-teller. He does preach the gospel for that much I am thankful, just like Paul in Phillipians.

Phillippians 1:15-18

15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

Second Addendum: A few thoughts after watching the second video of Ergun Caner.

It is impossible to come away from this message thinking that this man moved from Sweden to Ohio when he was two and went to an American high-school in Ohio. His presentation only leads to one conclusion. That he was born a Muslim in the Middle East, he grew up Muslim in the Middle East, and immigrated to America when he was a teenager or young adult. This is all a purposeful deception. Not a mistake or an accident. His flow between the hilarious and the serious reminds me of a Paul Washer sermon, “Some men will preach sermons with stories of grandmothers that will make you laugh and puppy dogs that will make you cry, but I am not one of those men.” (paraphrased) Ergun plays these stories like a good gambler plays cards. Constantly, efficiently, intentionally, and wisely.

Third Addendum: I stumbled upon this video of Ergun Caner speaking at a conference in 2006.

It appears at times he has conviction about the bold-faced lies about his past, his testimony, and his experiences. Or it could be good oratory, who is to know except him and God?

Fourth Addendum: Well it’s been a few months since I last edited this draft, but this update is significant.

The level of unrepentance in this article leads me to the same conclusion that Triablogue has come to. Though I can’t say, for sure, I am inclined to believe that the man has had a horrible false conversion in which his beliefs have no relation to what he actually does and says. This is the essence of a false conversion, I know because I’ve had one before God saved me. May God regenerate him if he is a false convert and if he is born again, may the Spirit radically awaken him from his horrible backsliding that has affected so many.

Fifth Addendum

Well, the recovery is finally complete for Ergun Caner, as he is today preaching and giving his testimony at the FBC Jacksonville Pastor’s Conference. This is the same church that outed the FBCjax Watchdog by illicit means will serve as this man’s comeback is beyond belief.

Caner’s Comeback Almost Complete

Clyde Kilby’s Resolutions

Let me conclude now by reading eleven practical steps used by my former teacher Clyde Kilby to stay alive to the beauty of God’s world.

  1.      At least once every day I shall look steadily up at the sky and remember that I, a consciousness with a conscience, am on a planet traveling in space with wonderfully mysterious things above me and about me.

  2.      Instead of the accustomed idea of a mindless and endless evolutionary change to which we can neither add nor subtract, I shall suppose the universe guided by an Intelligence which, as Aristotle said of Greek drama, requires a beginning, a middle and an end. I think this will save me from the cynicism expressed by Bertrand Russell before his death, when he said: “There is darkness without and when I die there will be darkness within. There is no splendour, no vastness anywhere, only triviality for a moment, and then nothing.”

  3.      I shall not fall into the falsehood that this day, or any day, is merely another ambiguous and plodding twenty-four hours, but rather a unique event filled, if I so wish, with worthy potentialities. I shall not be fool enough to suppose that trouble and pain are wholly evil parentheses in my existence but just as likely ladders to be climbed toward moral and spiritual manhood.

  4.      I shall not turn my life into a thin straight line which prefers abstractions to reality. I shall know what I am doing when I abstract, which of course I shall often have to do.

  5.      I shall not demean my own uniqueness by envy of others. I shall stop boring into myself to discover what psychological or social categories I might belong to. Mostly I shall simply forget about myself and do my work.

  6.      I shall open my eyes and ears. Once every day I shall simply stare at a tree, a flower, a cloud, or a person. I shall not then be concerned at all to ask what they are but simply be glad that they are. I shall joyfully allow them the mystery of what Lewis calls their “divine, magical, terrifying and ecstatic” existence.

  7.      I shall sometimes look back at the freshness of vision I had in childhood and try, at least for a little while, to be, in the words of Lewis Carroll, the “child of the pure unclouded brow, and dreaming eyes of wonder.”

  8.      I shall follow Darwin’s advice and turn frequently to imaginative things such as good literature and good music, preferably, as Lewis suggests, an old book and timeless music.

  9.      I shall not allow the devilish onrush of this century to usurp all my energies but will instead, as Charles Williams suggested, “fulfill the moment as the moment.” I shall try to live well just now because the only time that exists is just now.

  10.      If for nothing more than the sake of a change of view, I shall assume my ancestry to be from the heavens rather than from the caves.

  11.      Even if I turn out to be wrong, I shall bet my life in the assumption that this world is not idiotic, neither run by an absentee landlord, but that today, this very day, some stroke is being added to the cosmic canvas that in due course I shall understand with joy as a stroke made by the architect who calls Himself Alpha and Omega.

Full Sermon Here

Piper, J. (2007). Sermons from John Piper (1980-1989). Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God.

The child, in danger of the fire, just clings to the fireman, and trusts to him alone. She raises no question about the strength of his limbs to carry her, or the zeal of his heart to rescue her; but she clings. The heat is terrible, the smoke is blinding, but she clings; and her deliverer quickly bears her to safety. In the same childlike confidence cling to Jesus, who can and will bear you out of danger from the flames of sin.

The nature of the Lord Jesus should inspire us with the fullest confidence. As he is God, he is almighty to save; as he is man, he is filled with all fullness to bless; as he is God and man in one Majestic Person, he meets man in his creatureship and God in his holiness. The ladder is long enough to reach from Jacob prostrate on the earth, to Jehovah reigning in heaven. To bring another ladder would be to suppose that he failed to bridge the distance; and this would be grievously to dishonour him. If even to add to his words is to draw a curse upon ourselves, what must it be to pretend to add to himself? Remember that he, himself, is the Way; and to suppose that we must, in some manner, add to the divine road, is to be arrogant enough to think of adding to him. Away with such a notion! Loathe it as you would blasphemy; for in essence it is the worst of blasphemy against the Lord of love.

To come to Jesus with a price in our hand, would be insufferable pride, even if we had any price that we could bring. What does he need of us? What could we bring if he did need it? Would he sell the priceless blessings of his redemption? That which he wrought out in his heart’s blood, would he barter it with us for our tears, and vows, or for ceremonial observances, and feelings, and works? He is not reduced to make a market of himself: he will give freely, as beseems his royal love; but he that offereth a price to him knows not with whom he is dealing, nor how grievously he vexes his free Spirit. Empty-handed sinners may have what they will. All that they can possibly need is in Jesus, and he gives it for the asking; but we must believe that he is all in all, and we must not dare to breathe a word about completing what he has finished, or fitting ourselves for what he gives to us as undeserving sinners.

The reason why we may hope for forgiveness of sin, and life eternal, by faith in the Lord Jesus, is that God has so appointed. He has pledged himself in the gospel to save all who truly trust in the Lord Jesus, and he will never run back from his promise. He is so well pleased with his only-begotten Son, that he takes pleasure in all who lay hold upon him as their one and only hope. The great God himself has taken hold on him who has taken hold on his Son. He works salvation for all who look for that salvation to the once-slain Redeemer. For the honour of his Son, he will not suffer the man who trusts in him to be ashamed. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life;” for the ever-living God has taken him unto himself, and has given to him to be a partaker of his life. If Jesus only be your trust, you need not fear but what you shall effectually be saved, both now and in the day of his appearing.

When a man confides, there is a point of union between him and God, and that union guarantees blessing. Faith saves us because it makes us cling to Christ Jesus, and he is one with God, and thus brings us into connection with God.

I am told that, years ago, above the Falls of Niagara, a boat was upset, and two men were being carried down by the current, when persons on the shore managed to float a rope out to them, which rope was seized by them both. One of them held fast to it, and was safely drawn to the bank; but the other, seeing a great log come floating by, unwisely let go the rope, and clung to the great piece of timber, for it was the bigger thing of the two, and apparently better to cling to.

Alas! the timber, with the man on it, went right over the vast abyss, because there was no union between the wood and the shore. The size of the log was no benefit to him who grasped it; it needed a connection with the shore to produce safety.

So, when a man trusts to his works, or to his prayers, or almsgivings, or to sacraments, or to anything of that sort, he will not be saved, because there is no junction between him and God through Christ Jesus; but faith, though it may seem to be like a slender cord, is in the hand of the great God on the shore side; infinite power pulls in the connecting line, and thus draws the man from destruction. Oh, the blessedness of faith, because it unites us to God by the Saviour, whom he has appointed, even Jesus Christ! O reader, is there not common-sense in this matter? Think it over, and may there soon be a band of union between you and God, through your faith in Christ Jesus!

Spurgeon, C. H. (2009). Around the Wicket Gate (19–23). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Many Christians are self-satisfied because they compare their “running” with that of other Christians, usually those who are not making much progress. Had Paul compared himself with others, he would have been tempted to be proud and perhaps to let up a bit. After all, there were not too many believers in Paul’s day who had experienced all that he had! But Paul did not compare himself with others; he compared himself with himself and with Jesus Christ! The dual use of the word “perfect” in Philippians 3:12 and 15 explains his thinking. He has not arrived yet at perfection (Phil. 3:12), but he is “perfect” [mature] (Phil. 3:15), and one mark of this maturity is the knowledge that he is not perfect! The mature Christian honestly evaluates himself and strives to do better.

Philippians 3:12–16 (ESV)

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Often in the Bible we are warned against a false estimate of our spiritual condition. The church at Sardis had “a name that thou livest, and art dead” (Rev. 3:1). They had reputation without reality. The church at Laodicea boasted that it was rich, when in God’s sight it was “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Rev. 3:17). In contrast to the Laodicean church, the believers at Smyrna thought they were poor when they were really rich! (Rev. 2:9) Samson thought he still had his old power, but in reality it had departed from him (Jud. 16:20).

Self-evaluation can be a dangerous thing, because we can err in two directions: (1) making ourselves better than we are, or (2) making ourselves worse than we really are. Paul had no illusions about himself; he still had to keep “pressing forward” in order to “lay hold of that for which Christ laid hold” of him. A divine dissatisfaction is essential for spiritual progress. “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God” (Ps. 42:1–2).


Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Php 3:12). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

As our blessed Lord approached the cross the horizon darkened for him more and more. From earliest infancy he had suffered from man; from the beginning of his public ministry he had suffered from Satan; but at the cross he was to suffer at the hand of God. Jehovah himself was to bruise the Saviour, and it was this which overshadowed everything else. In Gethsemane he entered the gloom of the three hours of darkness on the cross. That is why he left the three disciples on the outskirts of the garden, for he must tread the winepress alone. “My soul is exceeding sorrowful,” he cried. This was no shrinking horror in anticipation of a cruel death. It was not the thought of betrayal by his own familiar friend, nor of desertion by his cherished disciples in the hour of crisis, nor was it the expectation of the mockings and revilings, the stripes and the nails, that overwhelmed his soul. No, all of this keenest anguish as it must have been to his sensitive spirit, was as nothing compared with what he had to endure as the Sin Bearer.

“Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while! go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:36–39).

Here he views the black clouds arising, he sees the dreadful storm coming, he premeditated the inexpressible horror of that three hours of darkness and all they held. “My soul is exceeding sorrowful” he cries. The Greek is most emphatic. He was begirt with sorrow. He was plunged over head and ears in the anticipated wrath of God. All the faculties and powers of his soul were wrung with anguish.

St Mark employs another form of expression—“He began to be sore amazed” (14:33). The original signifies the greatest extremity of amazement, such as makes one’s hair, stand on end and their flesh to creep. And, Mark adds, “and to be very heavy,” which denotes there was an utter sinking of spirit; his heart was melted like wax at sight of the terrible cup.

But the evangelist Luke uses the strongest terms of all: “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). The Greek word for “agony” here, means to be engaged in a combat. Before, he had combated the oppositions of men and the oppositions of the devil, but now he faces the cup which God gives him to drink. It was the cup which contained the undiluted wrath of a sin-hating God.

This explains why he said, “If it be possible let this cup pass from me.” The “cup” is the symbol of communion, and there could be no communion in his wrath, but only in his love. Notwithstanding, though it means being cut off from communion he adds, “Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Yet so great was his agony that “his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
We think that there can be little doubt that the Saviour shed actual drops of blood. There would belittle meaning in saying that his sweat resembled blood, but was not really that. It seems to us the emphasis is on the word “blood.” He shed blood—just like great beads of water in ordinary cases. And here we see the fitness of the place chosen to be the scene of this terrible but preliminary suffering. Gethsemane—ah, thy name betrayeth thee! It means the olive-press. It was the place where the life-blood of the olives was pressed out drop by drop! The chosen place was well named then. It was indeed a fit footstool to the cross, a footstool of agony unutterable and unparalleled. On the cross then, Christ drained the cup which was presented to him in Gethsemane.

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Pink, A. W. (2005). The seven sayings of the Saviour on the cross (New pbk. ed.) (91–93). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.