A Review of "Another Jesus" Calling by Warren B. Smith
"Person to Person Calling" was a particular kind of telephone call, that I as a telephone operator, performed over and over in the days before unlimited long distance rates. And this "person to person" calling is what Sarah Young purported to have heard in her best selling book Jesus Calling.
The question for us is: "Was Jesus Calling?" Former New Ager, Warren B. Smith, gives us the answer in his provocative little book: "Another Jesus" Calling. And the answer, Smith most decisively proves, is this, "No, Jesus was not calling!" And here's why:
Saturating his thirty concerns with scripture, as to why Jesus did not personally speak with Sarah Young, Smith lays out a precise picture providing us with a book of which you can, with confidence, share with skeptical friends or family that have been deceived into devouring Young's channeled devotional.
Smith first introduces us to Sarah Young, who seems like an unlikely person to have been lured into receiving channeled messages from "another Jesus," having once been a student at Francis Schaeffer's L'Abri, but in spite of this background this was where Sarah became aware of a lovely presence whom she called "Sweet Jesus."
Smith next introduces us to God Calling- the book Sarah embraced before she, too, became a listener with pen in hand. In this section Smith provides numerous scriptures along with each of his ten concerns, as to why God was not calling those two lady listeners; and as to why Sarah was deceived from the get-go when she based her own book on the listener's spiritual dictation.
Each concern is in a separate chapter which is short, but presented in such a clear and compelling manner. Smith's ten concerns from God Calling include these examples: Concern 1: Channeling a book from "Jesus." Scripture: Deuteronomy 18:10-12 warns "a consulter with familiar spirits" is an abomination unto the Lord. Concern 3: Opening the door to Universalism. Scripture:
John 14:6 states there is but one truth. Concern 4: Teaching God is "in" everyone. Scripture:
Includes John 2:24-25 to Ezekiel 28:2 which tell us that God is not in everyone! Concern 6: Replacing God's Word with experience. Scripture: I Timothy 3:16,17 which shows, above all else, scripture supersedes all experience. Concern 7: Jesus is needing us more than we need him. Scripture: Acts 17:25 says that Jesus Christ, creator of the universe, who gives us life, breath, and all things certainly doesn't need us more than we need him. Concern 9: Connecting Psalm 46:10 to entering the silence has to do with God's rebuke to the nations! Concern 10: Equating the New Age with Christianity Scripture: Galatians 5:7-9 describes that the "Jesus" of God Calling asserts that God is "at the centre of every man's being" helping expose the fact that this book is most assuredly New Age-- for this is its core teaching.
Smith, himself, having come out of the New Age, teaches us "new age" terms that we should be looking for, and be alert to that are woven so deceptively into Jesus Calling by Young's "Jesus."
Therefore, make note of these terms and phrases --and yes, use your computer and look them up yourself.
Lastly, Smith introduces us to Jesus Calling- the book from which Sarah takes pen in hand to write down her channeled messages from "another Jesus." Here are some of Smith's twenty concerns from Jesus Calling: Concern 1: Treasuring a channeled book. Scripture: A "treasure verse" from Matthew 6:21. Concern 2: Bringing channeling into the church. Scripture: John 8:31-32 says we are called to be disciples, not channels. Concern 5: Laughing at the Future. Scriptures: Matthew 24, Mark 13, & Luke 21 refute the idea that we are to laugh at the future. Concern 6: Flattering by "Jesus." Scripture: Proverbs 26:28, instead, warns that "a flattering mouth worketh ruin." Concern 7: Resting by the Wayside: Scripture: Luke 8:11-12 shows that the wayside is where the devil waits to snatch away the Word of God. Concern 8: Visualizing Jesus. Scripture: Jeremiah 10:2 warns us not to adopt the ways of the heathen which includes meditation, contemplative prayer, and creative visualization. Concern 9: Imagining the night of Jesus' birth as dark. Scripture: This revisionist idea does not sound like the voice of our Savior; but, as it says in John 10:5, it sounds like the voice of a stranger. Concern 10: Describing Abraham as being guilty of "idolatry," and "son-worship." Scripture: Hebrews 11:17 pictures Abraham as faithful and obedient, rather than a son-worshiper or idolatrous. Concern 11: Connecting contemplative prayer, the New Age, & Psalm 46:10 Scripture: I Peter 1:13 admonishes us "to gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end..." not let our guard down, relax, and be defenseless. Concern 13: Co-creating with God. Scripture: Ephesians 3:9 shows that man is neither one with God, nor God's co-creator. Concern 14: Teaching about the quantum leap and the Quantum-"Christ." Scripture: I Timothy 6:20-21 teaches we are not to trust in science over faith. Concern 17: Teaching Jesus is above all and "in" all. Scripture: John 2:24-25 refutes this by stating that Jesus knew what was in man. Concern 18: Moving toward a New Age/ New Worldview Scripture: Matthew 24:23-25 Jesus warns us that false Christs and false teachings would come in his name, whereas the "Jesus" in Jesus Calling doesn't warn us at all but instead insists, "I am totally trustworthy." Concern 19: Magnifying "Jesus" presence above the Word of God. Scripture: Psalm 138:2 tells us "thou hast magnified thy word above thy name." Concern 20: Spreading the idea "Another Jesus" is calling. Scripture: Mark 13:22 asserts that even the elect can be seduced by false Christs and false prophets with their signs and wonders.
Smith's cover subtitle says: "How False Christs Are Entering the Church Through Contemplative Prayer" which highlights the contemplative connection of hearing new revelation from God from other sources than God's holy scriptures. Of contemplative prayer and the New Age Smith says,
"Countless references to meditating, being quiet, being still, relaxing, resting, letting go, and reciting Psalm 46:10 are found throughout God Calling and Jesus Calling. They all suggested ways of entering the silence in order to experience God's presence. The NEW AGE/Spirituality likewise places great emphasis on these same ways of entering the silence in order to experience God's presence."
Included also at the end are three terrific appendixes which include warnings about deception, the gospel of the true Jesus Christ, and ways to be more discerning. Following these are Warren Smith's well-documented endnotes and index. This book, a little gem, is full to the brim with scripture and material you need to know in order to steer clear of deception!
A suggestion: As you read Smith's book have your Bible handy, and be ready to highlight each scripture reference Smith lays out. If you do this, I guarantee that you'll be so much the wiser, and so much more discerning yourself when you're through.
If only we'd remember that even the best intended people--the very elect the Bible says-- can be deceived. Peter warns us to beware that we're not led away with the error of the wicked and fall from our own steadfastness, but instead we should grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And where does this knowledge come from? It comes from the pure milk of the word. It comes from the holy scriptures--there and only there is where we will hear from the Lord. In conclusion, as Smith so aptly shows, counteract deception with scripture, and hang up immediately on "Another Jesus!"
Learn to Discern Granny Verse: II Corinthians 11:4
"For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him."
