‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. ‘But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’” Matthew 15:8-9 NASB
This morning this passage was very strong in my mind. Yes, at the time, Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees. But if we believe 2 Timothy 3:16-17, " All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in ; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
Then we ought to believe this is for the Church as well.
Churches today, church magazine's that purportedly represent Christian values have been severely influenced by the world. Every single warning about evil sneaking into the Church has happened.
Church leaders have not heeded the warnings. What's worse is the enemies of God know this and even in this use their lapses in judgment to make it even more worldly.
Churches are so bent on their denominations that they fight amongst themselves over issues rather than to work together as a BODY of Christ to win souls for Christ.
The worldliness of the Church has introduced so much of the world's sin into the Church that the statistics show that the problems within are the same as those on the outside.
The Church is to represent the Risen Christ. The power of the Church is in the Holy Spirit. The Word of God is what binds it together. WE have denominations. The early Church was just that "The Church", made up of "Christ-followers" known only as Christians. Scripture shows clearly what happens when the people of God are united in Christ.
People today are taught in Churches that it's ok to live out your fantasies outside of Church as long as you ask forgiveness for it later. People are taught that divorce for any reason is ok because even if it's questionable God will forgive you and move on. People are taught that you shouldn't judge therefore accept everyone the way they are and don't try to change them through teaching what the Bible says. People are taught that you shouldn't interfere with Government. People are taught a great many things IN THE CHURCH. That are absolutely NOT what Jesus or the Holy Spirit intended, let alone God the Father!
No where in Scripture is it implied you can live how you want after coming to Christ.
On the contrary, in Romans Paul speaks very clearly against that.
No where in Scripture does it say to not have anything to do with Government. On the contrary it says BOTH to pray for our leaders. It says PRAY for even our enemies.
No where in Scripture does it even imply it's ok to live how you want because God will forgive you anyway. On the contrary it says we will give an account of every single thought and word and action we have made.
No where does it say that idolatry is acceptable to God. Idols are ANYTHING that taked our love, time, and devotion away from God and attribute it to ANYTHING or ANYONE else. On the contrary it says to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and Spirit.
No where in Scripture does it say of Scripture that there's only 1 version people must adhere to. The integrity of the Bible is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit. Not man. God speaks to billions of people through all versions of the Bible.
We certainly grieve the Spirit when we do what we do outside the Church, but oh the shame of it all to see what has happened to the Church of Christ that the world sees.
The Church should be siding with Christ. Not trying to appease various groups or agendas or agencies.
The Church of Jesus Christ had the power of the resurrected Christ as its head. So why is it acting so weak kneed? Why is it acting so shamefully and is so silent?
Jesus said it would be so powerful that the gates of Hell wouldn't be able to withstand the onslaught of it. THAT IS POWER!
So where are you this fine morning?
Are you part of the problem or part of the Body of Christ?
You can't go off doing your own self-justified thing and still call yourself a Christ follower. If you aren't digging into God's Word, to see what He has to say to you. Then that's part of the problem.
If you aren't praying, honestly, openly and truthfully then you have a problem. If you are living like you have a "Get out of Hell Free" card, living out your fantasies and giving Jesus the leftovers you have a very great problem.
You DO realize this?
Matthew 12:36 "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an account for it in the day of judgement."
People will more easily accept a lie than the truth because lies thrive in the darkness they left to become a Christian.
Look at your life today. Look at where your Church is, if you attend one at all. There's no such thing as a 'lone wolf' Christian. You were meant to be an active part of the body of Christ. A cell in a body doing its own thing apart from the design of the body is called a cancer cell.
Scripture says to beware of wolves in sheep's clothing. They came from AMONG them. They were blindly accepted into the Church and corrupted it.
Question. That's a Biblical response. The Berean Church questioned everything even the Apostles wrote about. Do you blindly accept what you are told to or do you ask God to see if it's true? It is said of a group of people in the New Testament that they have been given the milk of the Word for too long that by a certain point they should be digging into the meat of the word of God. Far too many are getting less than 1% milk rather than even regular milk. Even fewer are even believing the whole Bible. Fewer still have ever read the Bible.
What of you? Yes, what of you.
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