The Great Falling Away

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron...

1 Timothy 4:1-2 NASB

The Bible is clear, it is a prophetic certainty, that a great falling away from the faith will occur in the last days. This is something that every believer should take to heart. It deserves our utmost attention, yet I fear that the average Christian doesn't spend much time on a topic like this.

Consider the following verse taken from 2 Timothy 3:1-5,

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these. 

When one reads these verses it's hard to imagine that people whose lives are marked by sins such as these would consider themselves Christians at all. However, we read that they hold to a form of godliness, but without the power. It's like Jesus said, "This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me." (Mark 7:6)

But look around you, we are seeing this coming to pass even now. A large segment of the professing church fits this description perfectly.

Again, the very fact that scripture foretells of a great departure from the faith occurring in the last days, should cause us to seriously consider our lives and faith in Jesus Christ. We dare not be careless about this. What if we fall away? It is a possibility that we must be diligent to avoid.

I believe that even now we are witnessing a falling away, that will only progress until it reaches its climax during the time of tribulation that will come upon the world prior to Christ's return.

Paul adresses this issue in his second letter to the Thessalonian Church. It seems that they had heard a report that the day of the Lord had already come. In his correction of this misunderstanding he says this,

Let no one in any way decieve you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called God or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 NASB

And it gets worse. As we read on we find that those who have no regard for truth will be easy prey for deception. In fact we find that God, in an act of His judgement, sends a delusion on those who reject truth.

Then that lawless one, will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

2Thessalonians 2:8-12 NASB

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires.

2 Timothy 4:3 NASB

It matters how we receive truth. Do we accept it, and act upon it, even when it might be hard? Or do we take the easy things, and ignore the rest? 

We hear so much these days of popular Christian figures who are "deconstructing" their faith. What happened to them? Or what about what about "pop star Christianity", you know those famous people who claim to be born again, but their lives are always embroiled in the same sinful turmoil that they have always embraced?

The danger is real. A dumbed down Christianity where grace is proclaimed to the exclusion of commitment, repentance, the crucified life of following Jesus etc. Teachers are gathered to tickle our ears, but sadly provide us with no foundation to weather the storms of life.

It isn't just the popular people in the news who are prone to fall. We are all faced with the real possibility of apostasy. A Christian faces trials and temptations daily. We are constantly in danger of deception. Persecution is guaranteed for one who follows Jesus. All of these things work together to destroy our faith. We must be on guard, and by God's grace confront them diligently if we are to persevere to the end. It was Jesus who said that the love of many would grow cold in the last days. He also warned that endurance to the end is required.

"At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved 

Matthew 24:10-13 NASB

Rejecting Wisdom

The Bible is filled with warnings against deception and the rejection of truth. To be unknowingly decieved is one thing, and can indeed be fatal to our spiritual well being, however, to be "willfully ignorant" is quite another thing. This tragic condition opens us up to a judgement of the severest kind. Sadly, many fall into this category, and the Bible expressly warns us that many more will as this age comes to a close (2Thess 2:7-12).

This principle is set forth in the first chapter of Proverbs.

20. Wisdom shouts in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;

21. At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the gates in the city, she utters her sayings:

22. "How long, O naive ones, will you love simplicity? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing, and fools hate knowledge?

23. "Turn to my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you

24. "Because I called, and you refused; I stretched out my hand, and no one paid attention; 

25. And you neglected all my council, and did not want My reproof;

26. I will even laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes,

27. When your dread comes like a storm, and your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you,

28. "Then they will call on Me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they shall not find Me, 

29. Because the hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD,

30. "They would not accept My council, they spurned all My reproof.

31. "So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be satisfied with their own devices. 

33. "For the waywardness of the naive shall kill them, and the complacency of fools shall destroy them.

34. "But he who listens to me shall live securely, and shall be at ease from the dread of evil."

Proverbs 1:20-33 NASB

When we are given spiritual wisdom, the  demand upon us is great. We are faced with the choice to either recieve and act upon it, or to ignore it, refusing to act upon it, and therefore rejecting it. This is much like Pharaoh, who hardened his heart against the command of God, until God finally hardened his heart for him (See Exodus chapters 7-14).

God will only allow an individual to spurn wisdom so long, before He lets him go his own way, and bear the fruit of his own disobedience. This seems like a hard thing to hear, but God gives us this warning so that we would be careful with the wisdom He gives us.

Jesus likewise warned His disciples to be careful with how they received His teaching through the parables He told them. I will quote Luke 8:18 out of the Amplified Bible as it really clarifies what I'm trying to say here.

     Be careful therefore how you listen. For to him who has [spiritual knowledge] will more be given; and from him who does not have [spiritual knowledge], even what he thinks and guesses and supposes that he has will be taken away.

Again, when confronted with truth, what will we do with it? To act upon it is life, to refuse it leads to a spiritual deafness and ultimately destruction. 

This is much more than not understanding something we come across in the word of God, or not being quite sure of how to proceed in obedience to a particular thing God may be dealing with us about. This is a careless disregard for spiritual truth/ godly wisdom. To continue on with this willfull ignorance will cause a hardening of the heart over time, until the day comes when you find yourself past a point of no return with a heart turned over to every kind of deception.

    

Review of "Jesus Untangled"

I recently read a book entitled "Jesus Untangled", by Keith Giles. I was offered the chance to download this book free of charge if I would review it on my blog, so here goes.

I believe that this book addresses a very real problem in the evangelical Church today. The issue is that of national pride and Christianity merged together, resulting in what we see today. For many American evangelicals, God and country are on equal ground. They view America as God's chosen people, and advancing the kingdom of God is equated with doing whatever makes America great and prosperous. This is why we see so many Christians active in politics, just as concerned with the constitution as they are with the Bible, and pledging allegiance to the flag of an earthly kingdom.

This book really steps on toes as it confronts these issues, but it is something that needs to be "shouted from the roof tops" in my estimation.

There is a radical difference between the Kingdom of God, and any of the world's kingdoms, including America. While some nations may operate on better principles than others, the fact remains that they are still earthly kingdoms. None of them, including America, are founded upon the teachings of Christ. The truth is, they operate on selfish principles. As Christians we are called to separate our selves from this and to unselfishly follow Jesus Christ. His teachings go against the grain of those of this world. While nations strive and struggle for wealth and power, we are called to love, and give, and to turn the other cheek. Sadly the type of Christianity that so many follow today explains away what Jesus commands us to do, and embraces the policies of America instead, in the name of God and country.

The first Christians were not politically active, they were not caught up in the affairs of the state, and rejected national pride, considering themselves instead strangers and pilgrims upon this earth. This changed with Constantine, who declared Christianity the national religion of the Roman empire, and thus began the merger of Church and state, which has been an entanglement that has plagued the Church ever since.

As a result we now have Christians embracing war and military might, something that Jesus never taught, and the early Church rejected. We have resorted to politics and legislation to set the moral tone of our country instead of spreading the gospel and seeing people changed from the inside out. Now our worship is divided between Christ and the flag, and our allegiance is divided as well, between God and the nation. The modern Church has become entangled in the affairs of a secular kingdom, and has forfeited Christ and His kingdom.

Once again, I believe this book is right on target with its message. It will surprise many who read it. It may offend many, and step on some toes, but if it gets your attention and causes you to take a look at how far we have fallen from truly serving Christ, it will be worth the read.

Diligence.

Diligence is a word that somehow seems to be forgotten. It is seldom mentioned from the pulpit, overlooked by the best selling "Christian" authors of the day, and has been replaced with a more passive type of "faith" by modern Bible teachers. It is far more comfortable to be passive, easier to just sit back and "trust" Jesus. After all, the work of the cross is a finished work.

 It is true that the work of Christ is a finished work in the sense that there is nothing we can do or add to it, it is equally true that we must actively participate in our salvation. As Paul states in Philippians 2:12, we are called to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Faith is an active faith, and salvation in its true sense is a life to be lived out in the power of the Holy Spirit (Gal 2:20, Romans 8:13-14).

Diligence means to give wholehearted effort to something. A diligent person is one who takes great care, goes to great length, and perseveres against all odds, to accomplish a purpose. They accomplish what they set out to do, because it is of utmost importance to them.

Contrary to those who claim that this amounts to mere works done in a legalistic spirit, the Bible sets forth plainly that we are to be diligent in our Christianity. There are two passages in 2 Peter that we will look at. 

Grace and peace be multiplied to you, in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or shortsighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. (2 Peter 1:2-11 NASB)

This is working out our salvation with fear and trembling! We are not working for our salvation as if it were something we could earn or accomplish on our own, but working out what God is working in our lives (Phil 2:12-13). We have God given faith, we have God's promises to us as found in His word, and we are made partakers of His divine nature. We now must yield to Him, submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in obedience to His word. We, like Paul the Apostle, are to press on to maturity (Phil 3:7-17). The Christian life is a life of continual growth. It is impossible to remain stationary, and yet be alive as a Christian. We must be diligent in this or we risk drifting away from the hope of our salvation (Hebrews 2:1-3). This passages ends with the exhortation to make our calling and election sure. Again, this is not self effort, not a call to salvation by works, but an admonition to persevere in our life in Christ. If we are not following Jesus, if we are not walking in the Spirit, we are falling away from Christ, and risk our very souls. Salvation is a radical transformation of heart and life. It must be lived out in our daily lives if it is real.

The Apostle peter, in speaking of the return of Christ and the end of the age, has this to say,

But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless. (2 Peter 3:13-14 NASB)

Those who are longing for the return of Christ are to be diligent in their conduct today! John admonishes us to abide in Him so that we will not be ashamed at His coming (1 John 2:28-29). This involves living righteously. Again he writes that those who are looking for the appearance of Christ will purify themselves just as Christ is pure. Once again, this is speaking of the purity of our heart and actions (1 John 3:3-6). We are told that no one who abides in Him sins, as He has come to take away sins. We must be ever so diligent in our daily lives, each and every moment, that we are not led away from Christ through complacency or allowing sin in our lives. This takes effort, diligence. 

Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23 NASB) 

Food for Thought.

     Read Matthew 5:1-7:28. This is what we often refer to as the sermon on the mount. Jesus ends this sermon with this illustration,

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock. And everyone who hears theses words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall."

Matthew 7:24-27 NASB

     We often look at this illustration in a general way. To build upon the rock means to "trust Jesus"; to be saved, etc. We would agree that a wise man would obey Jesus, and anyone who did not would be considered foolish, and is building upon sand. However, we sometimes tend to be abstract with vital scriptural truths.

     Remember, Jesus has been teaching the crowd. We might say He has been preaching a sermon. He has made many points, some of them shocking, even unsettling, and now He is wrapping up His message with the application.

     When He speaks of "hearing these words of mine, and acting upon them," He is referring back to what He has just spoken to this crowd. It is true that Jesus taught many things on other occasions as well, and discipleship demands we obey His words, but lets just look at a few things that Jesus taught in this portion of scripture.

     Look at what we refer to as the beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-10. He speaks of humility and poverty of spirit, gentleness, purity and righteousness. We are to be merciful, and are called to be peacemakers. Persecution is the lot of the faithful follower of Christ, and will come as we let our lights shine in this world.

     But what do we believe about these things? Do we agree with Jesus really, or does our pride betray us? So many act as if these words meant nothing. Where is the mercy, where are the peacemakers, where are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness? Is purity still important to those who name the name of Christ, or has it been set aside lest we offend someone with this high standard?

     One does not have to deliberately seek persecution. You only need to publicly live in such a way that lifts Jesus up for the world to see. Open up your mouth to witness for Him, declare your allegiance to Him, and break with the sins that those around you walk in, and persecution will come naturally. Yet we see so much compromise, and so little conviction, and so much fear of man in much of what we call Christianity today.

     If we go on we come to Jesus teaching on hatred and murder, making things right with an offended brother, adultery, divorce and remarriage, and honesty (Matt 5:21-37). Notice how Jesus condemns the sin in the heart. You may not have committed the outward act of murder or adultery, but cherishing anger in our hearts, looking with lust (even if we do not touch), is still sin. Yet so many believe that what we think to ourselves does not matter if we do not actually do the deed. Jesus tells us to get ruthless with sin, to go to great lengths to avoid it and get it out of our lives. He does not intend for us to justify our actions, and presume upon His grace, while our lives are still filled with immorality. How many people will offer an apology to someone they have offended? We so often let our pride get in the way, excusing our anger and actions, instead of seeking reconciliation.

     Jesus goes on to speak on love and non resistance. Love your enemies, turn the other cheek, do not demand your rights to property, go the extra mile, etc (Matt 5:38-43). Many professed Christians today follow an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. We demand our rights, we fight for our things, we hate our enemies, we refuse to forgive. Jesus makes it clear, but we so often cloud His words because we believe that this can never work in our society. God never meant for us to follow this teaching did He?

     Laying up treasures, living for our basic needs, and serving two masters, are where you will find large numbers of so called disciples. Many like to quote Jesus words about seeking first the Kingdom of God, but are not willing to actually put it into practice. There are pastors and teachers who promote wealth and possessions as a sign of God's blessing. "Name it and claim it," they say. Their theology only caters to our selfish nature. This goes against what Jesus teaches about wealth, and what we are to do with our material things (Matt 6:19-34).

     Jesus tells us that there is a broad way leading to destruction, filled with multitudes. There is also a narrow way, with only a few on it. This however, is the way to life (Matt 7:13-14). We must be discerning. We must be careful to heed these words of our Lord and Savior. Many, many people who call themselves Christians are living in opposition to these basic teachings of the one they claim to follow. A wise builder will listen and obey, no matter how unrealistic it may seem. Humility, and self denial go against the grain of this world. We have been programmed so to speak, to demand our rights, to enjoy pleasure and possessions, to lay up treasures in this life time, to hate our enemies, and so on. Yet to disregard these things is to build on sand, and fall into spiritual ruin.

The Destruction of the Foundations.

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?
Psalm 11:3 NASB








     We see an unprecedented amount of ungodliness in our world today. Just as in the days of Noah, it appears that the thoughts and intents of the heart of man are only evil, all the time (Gen 6:5).
     It seems ironic that as I write this, that we are celebrating independence day, while in reality millions are in bondage to their sunken depravity. It matters not that freedom has been "legislated" for deviant sexual behavior; there is no freedom apart from the radical freedom from sin that comes only through Christ Jesus.
     I want to primarily address those who would call themselves Christians, as judgment first begins in the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). What we are seeing today, not only in our nation, but within the walls of the "professing church," is the result of building upon a faulty foundation. Many have chosen to build their spiritual house upon the sand, rejecting the rock that would ensure the true spiritual prosperity of those holding the faith "once delivered" (Matt 7:24-27; Jude 1:3).
     In what ways have the foundations been destroyed? In what ways have we been found to have been building upon sand? Let's look at some "basic" things in scripture, that have been neglected, and even rejected by generations of professing Christians, leading, I believe, to what we are seeing today.

     1. What happened to the fear of the Lord?
     This is at the entry level. The fear of the Lord is basic to our knowledge of God, and the beginning of wisdom (Prov 2:1-5). With no fear of the Lord, it is impossible to be a true Christian, one who in truth, believes in, and follows the Lord Jesus Christ.
     Proverbs 9:10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. To fear the Lord is to take Him seriously. It is to believe what He reveals to us about Himself; His standards, His justice, righteousness, and holiness. It is to take His words seriously when He speaks of judgment and hell. To fear the Lord means that we take to heart what He tells us of ourselves; our sinfulness and rebellion, our lost condition; of our being dead in sin apart from Him. The fear of the Lord will cause us to depart from evil (Prov 16:6). This fear drives us to seek the Lord, and to live in obedience to Him (Job 1:8). It is a healthy fear, a clean fear, distinguished from a slavish fear that is based upon "performance," always looking for one more good deed to perform; always worried that there is one more thing to do to ensure our salvation. No, the true fear of the Lord causes us to take Him seriously; to believe what He says, and to act upon it. It causes us to repent and surrender; to give up our sin, and to submit our lives to Christ; to follow Him in loving obedience for His sake, not for what we can get out of Him.
     We have lost this fear. We would rather feel good about things; ourselves and our actions, even though they may deviate from scripture. We would rather have a god of our own invention; a god who does not punish sin, who does not convict us when we stray. We would rather have a Jesus who did not speak about hell and coming judgment; and many have twisted His words on these things to explain it all away. We would rather have a Jesus who bore the cross for us, and said nothing of our need to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him (Mark 8:34). We say it is a finished work, and indeed it is. There is nothing we can add to the work of Christ on our behalf. Yet, He calls us to lose all for Him; to deny ourselves, and to follow Him even unto death if we would be His disciples. Why do we reject this today? Those who call Lordship salvation a heresy, are in effect calling Jesus a heretic, as He is the one who preached it first. Where is our fear of the Lord?
     You see, there is very little of the fear of the Lord in existence today. This is why so many of us can sin so easily, and come back with a half hearted confession, or no confession at all. This is why it is so easy to call ourselves Christian in name only, while our lives are filled with the devil. If we do not take the scriptural warnings at face value, and the New Testament alone, is full of them, we won't really care what our lives look like to God. That is why we can see so many "happy" people in Church tolerating any and everything that comes along; they worship God with their lips, while their hearts are far from Him (Mark 7:6-7).

      2. The scriptures have been explained away.
       The Bible tells us that scripture is God breathed. It is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). Jesus states that those who continue in His word are truly His disciples, and they will know the truth that can set them free (John 8:31-32). We have seen in the last several generations, an assault on the word of God, to make it of little or no effect. Men have placed doubt upon the inspiration of the scriptures, others upon the absolute truth of the scriptures. They have explained away the miracles, the commands, warnings and the promises of the word of God, in favor of mere humanistic "wisdom" and effort.
     Many people within "Christianity" believe that the Bible contains the words of God, but is not the word of God. Many others look at it as merely a cultural thing that has no real bearing on today's culture. They believe it is old and antiquated; it was for a different time, and it cannot work for us today to follow the principles found within it. So many of the promises and commands found within it's pages are explained away by the "cultural" argument. Once again, even New Testament principles are rejected by the modern "Church."
     There are those within the realm of "Christianity who reject the reliability of God's word. They say that you cannot believe everything that is in the Bible. These people believe that some things are true, while other things are not. This leads one to question the reliability of anything revealed to us by God, even the gospel. This also leads people to pick and choose what they will believe and follow as Christians; a dangerous concept indeed. Those who teach this are much like Satan when he placed doubt in the mind of Eve (Gen 3:1-5). We are warned: Do not add to, do not take away from God's word (Rev 22:18-19). The word of God is not subject to our own interpretation. We do not have the option to make it say what we want to hear (2 Peter 1:20-21).
      As I stated earlier, my purpose in writing this is to show us the dangerous ground we are on within professing Christianity. This is primarily addressed to those who call themselves Christians, not the world at large. These are common teachings within many of our churches and denominations today. Look it up. There are many polls out there that show the rejection by professing believers, of some of the most basic and orthodox beliefs found in God's holy, inspired word. How can we expect a Church to live according to the precepts and principles found within the pages of the sacred word, when it has been so thoroughly explained away by our modern pastors, teachers, theologians, and professors?

     3. There is very little love of the truth found today.
     The Apostle Paul wrote of a coming time when men would no longer endure sound doctrine. Instead, they would gather to themselves teachers who would teach them what they wanted to hear (2 Tim 4:3). We are living in an age where there is little love of the truth. Mega churches are filled with "seekers" desiring to have their ears tickled with soothing words. Pastors are busy dumbing down spiritual truths, choosing to give "uplifting" messages rather than confront the lost with the claims of Christ and the truth of the gospel. People do not want to hear of hell and judgment; they do not want to hear about sin and repentance. They would rather be soothed; have their ears tickled, and be encouraged to embrace who they are regardless of how wicked it may be in the sight of God. Pastors and modern evangelists have spread a gospel that comforts sinners in their sin. They have encouraged people to "come just as they are" with no sorrow, and no repentance. The modern gospel is more concerned with the happiness of man than the glory of God. Churches are filled with individuals selfishly seeking their best life now, using God for their own personal gain. But this is not how the Bible portrays salvation or true Christianity. The message of the cross is one of death to sin; of self denial and persecution; of trial and tribulation. The mission of Christ was to set men free from sin. The word of God assures us that those who are truly born again are overcomers. Their lives are no longer the same; they do not live how they used to live; they have been transformed (2 Cor 5:17; 1 John 3:5-6, 5:4-5).
     Those who reject the truth do so because they love wickedness. There is a strong warning of God's judgment for those who refuse the truth. God will send them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false (2 Thess 2:10-12). Those who are willfully ignorant, who choose to reject the truth for a lie, will be given over to falsehood, and go lost. This is a serious warning to those who seek out teachers who will tell them what they want to hear. As for those who teach a different gospel than what is revealed in the scriptures, they are under a severe warning as well. Paul says they are accursed; devoted to destruction (Gal 1:8-9). It is no small matter in the eyes of God when we exchange the truth for a lie (Romans 1:18-32).

     These may seem like hard words to many. It is not my desire to offend, but to speak up, to sound a clear warning; something is wrong! We are told that Christ is to come back for a Church without spot or wrinkle. He is looking for a Church that is holy and blameless. When He comes back, it will not be for a country club; a place where everyone can get together and have a great time feeling good about God, and themselves, and all of their sin. He is not returning to take home all of those who have used Him for the advancement of their worldly pursuits. He is not coming for the television hucksters who peddle a gospel get rich quick scheme, or for those who faithfully sowed a "seed" in order to gain material blessings. This is nothing more than the promotion of a god for hire, yet so much of our American Christianity is based upon these and other selfish principles.
     We need to get back to the basics. We need to cry out for wisdom, to seek it as we would seek silver and hidden treasure. We need to discern the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 2:1-5). We need to take Him at His word; to believe that He means what He has said. We need to come to Him in humble repentance, to submit ourselves to Him; to receive His word and obey it. We must love His truth, even when it is hard. And to love His truth means that we let it shape our lives, and we speak up boldly in defense of it no matter the cost. The church is to be the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Tim 3:15). We must pray for strength and wisdom in these perilous days. We must pray for revival to shake us up, to awaken the sleepers, and to prepare us for the days ahead, that we would be found worthy of Christ at His return.
     

You Must Be Born Again!: A Good Person?

You Must Be Born Again!: A Good Person?:      We seem to have the idea that there are "good" people in this world. We look at those around us, and see the good husband who...

A Cry For Revival: False Grace.

A Cry For Revival: False Grace.:      And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), "Let us do evil that good may come?" Their c...

Entering the Kingdom Through Many Tribulations.

     There seems to be this idea in our western evangelical mindset, that once we have come to Christ, everything is somehow supposed to go smooth for the rest of our lives. Thousands of modern day American Christians are comfortably waiting for the day when we will be raptured, and go to glory, with no troubles, no persecution, no dying for our faith.
     This idea however, does not really resemble the way the Christian life is portrayed in the scriptures. Look at the words of Jesus in the sermon on the Mount. He tells us that we are blessed when we are persecuted, slandered, and insulted, because of Christ. Just as the prophets of old were persecuted, we too can expect the hatred of the world (Matt 5:10-12). Jesus tells us that the disciple is not greater than his master. As Jesus was persecuted, so will we be persecuted (John 15:20). Jesus is telling us to expect it; it will happen. As Paul states, "All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim 3:12). Once again, if we truly desire to live out our faith in a radical way, we will be persecuted for it. By radical, I mean to follow the commands of Christ. To be radical is to take scripture serious enough to actually put it into practice. To do this will invite the scorn of the world. This also includes the religious world. Backslidden, as well as nominal Christians are offended by truth, whether lived out in front of them, or spoken.
     In the book of Acts we read that it is through many tribulations that we enter into the kingdom (Acts 14:22). There has been persecution since the days of Cain and Abel. God's children have always suffered at the hands of wicked men. Jesus tells us that brother will betray brother to death, fathers will deliver up their children, and children their parents. We are clearly warned by Christ that the one who endures to the end will be saved (Matt 24:10-13; Mark 13:12-13). This is not the gospel that we hear in so many of our churches today. Thousands of Christians have suffered for their faith down through the centuries, and thousands are suffering even now. We tend to look at it as a geographic issue. We live in a country that tolerates Christianity better than other countries. It is true, we don't face some of the dangers that a Christian might in a more hostile country, but we are wrong to believe that we somehow are blessed enough to avoid persecution. If that was the case, the above mentioned scriptures would be false.
     The fact of the matter is this, the world stands opposed to true righteousness. Anybody who takes a real stand for the truth, who boldly lives by biblical standards, and who fearlessly proclaims the word of God to the lost world around them, will invite the world's hatred. A person who hates God, will hate you, if you take His name in truth.
     Jesus tells us that if we are ashamed of Him and His words in this wicked and sinful generation, He will be ashamed of us (Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26). Sadly, we see a carnal "Church" that is ashamed to stand up for Jesus. They reject His words as being offensive and intolerant. This is a big reason why we see so little persecution here in America. It is difficult to differentiate between the "Church" and the world. Let the true Christians stand up however, and the world will despise them. You will lose friends, people will insult you, slander and malign you, if you but only stand up for Christ.
     You can see the moral climate changing here. It will only get worse for those who love Christ, and are willing to live and speak for Him. Remember, Christ has told us these things beforehand, to keep us from stumbling (John 16:1).

Holding a Form Of Godliness.

     We read in 2 Timothy 3:2-5, of a worldly, selfish professed Church. Paul describes them as lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, no self control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure instead of God. They hold to a FORM of godliness but deny it's power.
     Look around! The "Christian television" is filled with ministries and churches that fit into this category. Professed believers are living the above lifestyles with little or no shame. Ministers are coming into homes (2 Timothy 3:6) via the media further enslaving individuals already captivated by sin. The modern "gospel" seems to be all about us. God lives to make us happy. The absolutes are blurred, in fact they are swiftly passing away. If it feels good, if it works for you, do it! God lives to see you happy! It is your pleasure He desires. 
     This is an abomination! Millions are rushing to hell as smooth preachers encourage them on. Paul says to have nothing to do with such people (2 Timothy 3:5). These ministers are rejected as regarding the faith (2 Timothy 3:8)!
     People may read this and consider it judgmental as many do as others speak out against the worldliness that permeates our culture today. You better call Paul a mean spirited judgmental person as well, as these are his words as inspired by the Holy Spirit! 
     People wake up! God is telling us to flee from such things! He is warning us that this is not the way of truth. A lie is still a lie when it is all over. Eternity is too long of a time to suffer in regret and endless torment as we realize we have been deceived!
     The good news is this. Jesus still saves and sets sinners free! There is a true church, one where the truth is proclaimed and lived. Lives are being transformed by the grace of God. The word of God is still being upheld as the unchangeable truth. This is the church that overcomes, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
     Beware of a gospel that allows you to remain in your sin! Beware of a gospel that promotes self over God. Beware of a gospel with no cross, no self denial. Test all things according to the standard of God's word (Acts 17:11, 1John 4:1).
     A form of godliness is worthless without the power to transform lives!
     
     

Beware of False Prophets.

     Jesus warns us in His sermon on the mount to beware of false Prophets (Matthew 7:15-20). He tells us that they may look like the real thing on the outside, they may look like godly pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc. but on the in side they are not so.
     Paul warns us of a day when people will not desire to hear the truth, but will gather teachers to themselves who will tell them ear tickling things (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
     I want to look at the idea of a prophet. What is a prophet according to the word of God? People think of prophecy and prophets as foreseeing the future, the foretelling of future events, such as disasters, famines, or other future events concerning nations or individuals.
     To be sure, biblical prophets have accurately foretold future events, but that is not all that a prophet was called to do.
     Take the old testament prophets for example. Look at men like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel for example. These individuals were sent by God to confront His backslidden people with there sin and rebellion. They were sent to call the nation of Israel to repentance, to call them to forsake idolatry, and to return to the living God.
     These men spoke as moved by God. They spoke His words, in His power, in His timing. The message they proclaimed offered hope to those who returned to God, but judgment to those who persisted in sin.
     John the Baptist was a prophet who came preaching a message of repentance. He confronted people with their sin, pointed the people to the Savior, but did not have any soothing words for those who would not give up their sin (Matthew 3:1-10, Mark 1:4-8, Luke 3:1-20, John 1:19-35).
     Look what was happening in the days of Jeremiah. Prophets were telling the people that all was well, no harm would befall them, everything was all right, but these people were living in rebellion to God (Jeremiah 23:16-17). God declared that these shepherds were destroying the sheep (Jeremiah 23:1). In fact His anger would not turn back. In other words there are severe consequences for our sinful actions, no matter what anyone else may think or say (Jeremiah 23:20-22). God did not send these men, and God has not sent those who teach similar things in our churches today!
     We hear the message that it doesn't matter how we live after we become Christians, because God covers us, He does not see our sin etc. I believe in grace, I believe in the cleansing blood of Christ, but I also believe the many warnings in scripture that show us that God will not allow us to persist in sinful lifestyles and call ourselves followers of Christ.
     We must pay careful attention to what we are taught, going to the word of God as the standard by which we judge all things pertaining to life and godliness. Jesus said that we will know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:16). Does what they teach line up with the WHOLE council of scripture? I don't mean to take a verse here or there and see if it fits. Is it biblical?
      How about their lives? Do they live Godly lives above reproach? This is a scriptural requirement for a minister of the gospel (1 Timothy 3:1-10, Titus 1:5-9). This is God's standard for anyone who would represent Him in the ministry. We see so many today whose lives are filled with scandal, yet we are told we must not judge them. God says they are not qualified! You will know them by their fruits! How about the individuals that sit under their ministry? Do their lives show the godly change that takes place in a true believer, or do they remain unchanged, but entertain a false hope? We see too much of this I'm afraid.
     Too much is at stake. We must be in the word and see for ourselves what God says, what He requires. Test all things, because one day we will appear before God, and only the truth will stand.
    
    
    

We Need Discernment.

     Many Christians and non Christians as well have been beguiled into blindly accepting the "Heaven is For Real" book and movie.
     I viewed the movie last night, and all I can say is we need discernment! There was nothing in this boy's experience that can be substantiated by scriptural proof, to put it bluntly! The things he saw are fluffy and unbiblical, such as Jesus' rainbow colored horse.
     The Jesus that he saw, and confirmed by the art of a girl who also claims to have seen visions is not the Jesus described in Revelation 1:14-15. I have problems with people's ideas of "What Jesus looks like" (Exodus 20:4). I believe that we do not really know much about what Jesus looks like other than He took on flesh as a man. We worship in Spirit and truth (John 4:24).
     This movie seems to leave one with the new age/universalist feeling that all beliefs will get you to heaven, if you are a good person, you will get there.
     God forgive me if I am wrong about this, but I fear that this movie further propagates the easy feel good gospel that prevails today. Any of the things this boy saw could just as easily been passed to him by "familiar spirits". Satan passes himself off as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).
     I did not see the gospel proclaimed in this movie. What I saw was a false hope that will lead thousands of deceived souls to an eternal separation from God in endless torment.
     WE NEED DISCERNMENT CHURCH!

Pay attention!

For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.
     Hebrews 2:1 NASB

     It is vital that we take God and His word seriously. We live in an age where the truth is compromised. People live as if the Bible is irrevelant, as if what it teaches does not matter in the long run. Pastors and bible teachers present a washed down version of what the Bible really teaches, in an effort to please men instead of God.
     Pay attention to the truth! This means that we hold God in a reverent fear! He means what He says. It is important that we hear, and then go and do what He says! It is not enough to know what God says, we must let it have its way in our lives. It must become part of us. If we truly believe in a cause, we will be moved to act on behalf of that cause. If we believe God's word, then we will take it seriously, and live it out.

Neglecting your salvation.

     Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.
     Hebrews 6:7,8 (NIV).

     Every spring we till a small piece of ground, and plant a garden. We get out there and pull weeds, hoe, water, fertilize, looking forward to the vegetables that we will enjoy in the fall. It was different this year. We were expecting another baby and it was hard for my wife to get out there like she wanted to. We also got serious about burning wood, and I spent most of my spare time cutting and splitting, trying to get a good jump on the winter.
     I still tried to find time to pull a few weeds, hoe a row of potatoes, get the soaker hose out there etc. as the summer went on however, we noticed that the weeds were begining to take over. It does not take long, a few days of neglect and you have a big problem in your garden. By the time it came to dig potatoes, I had to really look to find where my rows were!
     We felt bad, but consoled ourselves with the fact that we had some good reasons for not getting the job done right this year.
     It is the same with our salvation. the writer of Hebrews warns us about neglecting our salvation (2:1-3). This letter is not written to lost people, warning them not to put off getting saved, it is written to born again Christians who were on the verge of falling away from their faith!  Jesus tells us, in the parable of the sower, what the thorns and thistles represent (Matt 13:7,22). The worries of life, and the deceitfulness of riches, like weeds, will choke out and destroy our spiritual life. It may not be a deliberate falling away, something that we do in an instant, but a gradual drifting away, as life's cares and pursuits spring up in the freshly tilled soil of our hearts. A little neglect in the garden leads to failure at harvest time. A little neglect of our spiritual life leads to a failure that will last for an eternity. Life will always throw cares and worries our way, and the world has plenty of things to tempt us with. We need to stand firm in our faith, casting our cares upon Christ. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. This is how we pull up these spiritual weeds, by faith. No one intends to backslide, no one plans to fall away, it gradually happens before we realize what is going on. We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away (Heb 2:1 NIV). How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? vs 3. Do not neglect your salvation!

God's warnings.

     We as parents warn our children. We warn them not to talk to strangers. We warn them to look carefuly before they cross the street. We warn them not to wander off in a busy store. We warn them that there are consequences to their actions. We do this because we love them and are looking out for their well being.
     In the same way God warns us. The Bible is filled with warnings. Warnings to the saved as well as the lost. The book of Hebrews contains several warnings written to Christians, exhorting them to stand firm in their faith, exhorting them to press on to maturity, exhorting them to encourage one another. We neglect these warnings at our own peril!
     Down through the ages people have tried to explain these passages away, tried to soften them, and tried to make them fit into their theological systems. This is what our children often do with the warnings we give them. They want to do their own thing, so they disregard the warning. God did not place these passages of scripture in our Bible to scare us, or to confuse our theology. He loves us! He desires the best for us! He wants us to be safe so He warns us!
     We see countless portions of scripture that encourage us of the saving and keeping power of Christ. One of the ways we are kept, is by being warned. Do not fall into the trap of manipulating scripture to accomodate a theological system,or to feel "safe". Heed the warning, God is protecting you by it!

The fear of the Lord.

     We are told in the scriptures, that the fear of the Lord is the begining of wisdom (Prov 1:7). The concept of fear takes on several meanings in the Bible. It is used to mean reverence, awe, a proper understanding of who we are, who God is, and how we stand in relation to Him. This is the begining of wisdom, to understand that God is God, and we are not! He has created us, His character is upright, He is perfect in every way, without sin of any kind. His justice is perfect, His love is perfect, His mercy is perfect. God is Holy, and demands the same of us, to be separated from sin and self, and to live our lives in devotion to Him. He demands our love, loyalty and obedience. He is perfect and requires that we be perfect as well.
     These demands placed on us by God stagger the mind. A life free from the taint of sin seems out of reach, perfect obedience to the will of God seems impossible. As a Holy and Just God, He cannot allow sin to go unpunished, there are consequences to our actions. All of this should work on us to create a healthy fear, or respect of God. He desires that we revere Him alone, that we stand in complete awe of Him. That we take Him and His word seriously. He means what He says, where He demands obedience, He expects obedience. When He says He will punish, He means He will punish. David, in Psalm 36:1, observed that the actions of the wicked show that they have no fear of God. The Hebrew word for fear in this verse deals with the concept of guilt and punishment. Individuals know right from wrong, know that sin deserves to be punished (Romans 1:32), but do not take God or His word seriously. They deceive themselves into thinking that all is well, and progress deeper into sin. Paul concludes that there is no one righteous, no one who seeks after God, no one who takes Him at His word and fears Him (Romans 3:10-18).
     A true fear of the Lord is evidenced by a life of obedience. Job is an example of this. In the eyes of God he was perfect, upright, feared the Lord, and turned from evil (Job 1:8). Job's life was not driven by a slavish dread of God, or fear of punishment, but by a proper understanding of who God is, and how he needed to relate to Him. Satan desired to prove to God that Job acted out of self interest (vs 9,10). God knew the integrity of Job, and allowed him to be tested. The Bible recognizes those who truly love and serve God as fearing Him.
     The fear of the Lord is not an old testament concept. It was Jesus who warned that we must not fear man, but God (Luke 12:4,5). Often we worry about what others may think of us, or what may happen to us if we stand for Christ. We allow this fear to hold us back. Instead we need to understand that if we are ashamed of Christ in this world, He will be ashamed of us. We need to understand that a lack of the fear of  God carries heavy, eternal consequences.
     The writer of Hebrews desired that we would have the grace to serve God with reverence and awe (godly fear), because God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:28,29). God desires us to walk before him in obedience, and we would do well to understand this in all its implications. Through the offering of Jesus Christ on our behalf, we have been given everything that we need for life and godliness. There is nothing that we lack, in Christ, to live a life that pleases Him. We have been given much, but where much has been given, much is required. We often look at Old Testament passages with the understanding that God was very severe at that time, but now under grace He is more relaxed. Sure we shouldn't sin, but if we do God understands right? It is true that Christ understands our weakness (Heb 4:13), but the context of this verse deals with receiving help in time of temptation. It is also true that when we do sin we have Christ as an advocate. If we confess our sin, He will forgive our sin (1 John 1:8, 2:1). However, these verses do not give licence to live a sinful life. The writer of Hebrews tells us that if God was severe in the days of Moses, we should expect Him to be much more so  now. To sin wilfully is to trample on the Son of God, count His blood as unholy, and to insult the Holy Spirit (Heb 10:26-31). This passage was written as a warning to the Church, people already saved! They were warned of the danger of sin, but also encouraged to press into Christ, where they would find grace for every need. The demands of God placed on man have not changed. The command to love Him with all the heart, soul, mind and strength, is still binding today. We are still bound to love our neighbor as ourselves. The ten commandments were never relaxed by grace, rather Paul declared that faith established the law (Rom 3:31). The old covenant could show man what God required, but left him powerless to fulfill it. Under grace we are now able to live the lives that God requires, empowered by the Holy Spirit. We read in Hebrews 11 of individuals who possessed great faith, overcame great obstacles, and were used in mighty ways by God. There were individuals in the Old Testament days such as Job, Enoch, or Noah, who walked blamelessly before God. Daniel and his friends remained faithful to God, even though they were captives in a foriegn land. How much more today, should we be living an overcoming, victorious life, as we have all the advantages that Christ has procured for us?
     To walk in purity of heart and life is vital to the life of the christian. We want to avoid legalism, but we also need to understand that grace sets us free from the power sin once held on our lives. A healthy fear of the Lord is a necessary element in the life of one who truly desires to know and experience God in all His fulness. It truly is the begining of wisdom.

The narrow road.

     Enter through the narow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matt 7:13,14 (NIV)

     Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdome of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matt 7:22 (NIV)

     The scriptures contain warnings that we do well to heed. Unlike the easy belief, easy Christianity, that so many profess, Jesus makes it very clear that it is a hard road. Many people claim to be Christians, they may have said a prayer, they say they believe in Christ, they believe He died for them, and trust Him to forgive them. Jesus said that many are on the broad road to destruction. There are many who believe that they are on the way to heaven, but in reality they are decieved. Jesus is not speaking about individuals who have no interest in spiritual things, people who just do not care at all about God, or deny His existence; He is speaking about people who actually believe they know Him, people who think they are saved. The broad road is full of individuals who think they are ok, when in reality they are not!
      In the same text Jesus tells us to watch out for false prophets. They look good and sound good, and deceive many with a gospel that is no gospel at all. Many teachers today teach a salvation that requires no repentance, no surrender to the Lordship of Christ, no life of obedience to the word of God. They preach the gospel but deny its power to transform a life from sin to holiness. Universalism runs rampant within Christian teaching. Pastors, Authors, and many within the Christian music industry embrace it, leading many astray with the false hope that no matter how we live today, God is too loving to send anyone to an eternal punishment.
     Like the gnostics of old who denied responsibility for their sin, many today claim that we cannot help being the way we are, God loves us and accepts us just as we are. In reality however, sin is sin! Human nature stands in rebellion to God and His word. The acts of sin that are commited flow out of a heart that is spiritually dead. No amount of counseling, self help, or psychology, can deal with the true issue at hand.
     The road to life is narrow, and few find it. The gate is small. Jesus began to preach the kingdom of God saying "Repent!"  We must give up our sin. It is the convicting work of the Holy Spirit to show us the depth of our sin. to show us the rebellion that lies within our hearts.Saving faith and repentance are linked. You cannot have one without the other. Jesus calls us to forsake all to follow Him. There are no half hearted commitments. We cannot pick and choose the areas of our lives that we give to Him, and then hold something back for ourselves. It is all or nothing.
     The Christian road is a road of trials. Too many people believe that when they come to Christ life becomes easy. The scriptures show us the opposite. Trials will come to shape us, too help us grow in our Christian walk. Persecution will come as we proclaim Christ. Our testimony in word and deed will offend and invite the ridicule of those around us. The Christian faces spiritual battles. Temptation is a very real thing, but instead of giving in time after time, the true Christian is one who overcomes by faith.
     Jesus stated that many will claim Him as Lord. They will claim great spiritual exploits as proof of their Christianity, but what it comes down to is this; they were only living for themselves! He does not know them! He says that the one who has eternal life is the one that does the will of God! The true Christian no longer lives for himself. Christ is who we now love with all our heart. Our lives are spent living for Him, advancing His kingdom. He surpasses everything that we hold dear. Nothing else matters but Him.
     Salvation not only is a gift of God, but it is also a work of God within our hearts. The truly saved will show it by the way they live. A saved soul is a transformed soul. There is no way around it. Do not be decieved!