Comparing A Beth Moore & Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teaching On the Same Verse

Another gem from Elizabeth Prata of The End Times. Elizabeth has written volumes on popular Bible study teacher and author Beth Moore in an effort to expose her false teaching (here).  In a recent blog post she compares renowned Welsh Protestant minister, preacher and medical doctor Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ teaching on Ephesians 3:19 with what Mrs. Moore teaches and brings to our attention that “having taught the same single verse [they] came to exactly opposite conclusions. Totally at odds with each other. One says yes, the other no. One says black, the other says white. One says up, the other down.”

There is a correct way and an incorrect way to interpret the scriptures.  A proper interpretation is imperative if we’re to know the author’s intended meaning — and there is only one valid, correct interpretation.  God said what He meant and He meant what He said.  Period.  So the objective in interpreting Scripture must always be discovering the truth. 

With this in mind, the question we must ask ourselves is: does Beth Moore teach her students the truth?

Let’s find out…

Truth - false

I recently did a discernment lesson on the most popular story Beth Moore tells, The Hairbrush Story. Chris Rosebrough has dismantled it sentence by sentence, and I pointed readers to that link, and then offered some of my own insights.

Because writing a discernment lesson about a false teacher takes so much time, which means I have to spend a lot of time wallowing in her muck, it necessitates a spiritual wash afterwards. I got curious about Moore’s teaching on Ephesians 3:19, which The Hairbrush Story was allegedly about. She focused on the part of the verse which promises the full measure of God (NIV), or the fullness of God (ESV).

and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:19)

I love Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ sermons, especially on Ephesians, which I am going through anyway. I decided to listen to his treatment of the verse, the same verse, the one and only verse, and see what I could learn. After hearing Moore, I really did want to know more about the full measure of Christ. It is a majestic topic. The phrase kept rolling around in my head. So I headed over to the Martyn Lloyd-Jones (MLJ) Trust Sermons and listened so my mind could be cleansed from the mud and I could learn about Jesus from a credible preacher. I found the MLJ sermon All the Fullness of God

As I was pondering these things, a tweet came up from my twitter friend Landon Chapman at Entreating Favor website and Fire Away! podcast. Here it is:

This is very, very wise. I take his advice to heart.

I have never immediately compared a false teacher’s lesson on a verse to a credible teacher’s treatment of it. Of course I always compare the false teacher’s lesson to the Bible. Also, it’s not often I can find a false teacher having focused solely on one verse for the point of her lesson and then find a preacher who also preached on that exact sole verse. Comparing would be easy. Not uncomplicated or fast, but easy as in apples to apples. The Moore teaching was still fresh in my mind, as I listened to Jones’. I listened to MLJ’s sermon three times in fact.

I found that Beth Moore and Martyn Lloyd Jones, having taught the same single verse, came to exactly opposite conclusions. Totally at odds with each other. One says yes, the other no. One says black, the other says white. One says up, the other down. By the picture below, you can easily see which Bible teacher’s teaching I found biblical.

Lloyd Jones’ well known nickname; A nickname I dub Moore

Moore taught that the full measure of Christ in us believers is something we do not currently possess.
Jones taught that the fullness of Christ is something we currently do possess.

Moore taught that we could possess it IF we do certain things.
Jones taught that the fullness is something every believer already has as a gift.

Moore taught that the reason we want the full measure of Christ is so we can get blessing and power.
Jones categorically rejects this.

Moore taught that the fullness was a feeling.
Jones taught that the fullness was a doctrine.

Moore taught that we want the full measure of Christ so we can get something, power, love, blessing.
Jones taught that having the fullness of Christ is something we aspire to because Christ is the prize.

They even have a different summation point-

Beth Moore teaching the point of lesson: “I’ve got to know somebody totally loves me.”
Lloyd Jones says the point of the verse is: “It is the highest doctrine of all.”

I won’t go on, you can see it on this chart I made. I included the links from which I delved into each lesson, and the minute at which I heard each teaching so if you care to check it out yourself, you can. Below the chart are the two illustrations each teacher gave. Moore’s was with the measuring cup and Jones’s was about a bottle. They come to opposite conclusions. Moore believes the fullness has a quantity to it and Jones says the full measure is about the quality of it.  Continue Reading

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One Response to Comparing A Beth Moore & Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teaching On the Same Verse

  1. Manny1962 June 16, 2016 at 12:19 pm #

    Beth Moore is drowning in pride. Sad situation. She’s presuming to speak for God, she’s definitely treading on dangerous ground! She needs to know someone loves her? Then she doesn’t know Christ very well……….and what He did for us undeserving, unloving and degenerate sinners.

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