Nothing New in Un-Christ-like Living

Nothing New in Un-Christ-like Living 

by David Brenneman 

"Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things." Philippians 3:17‭-‬19 NASB1995

When people read about the falling of churches, when they read of disgraced so-called Pastors, it's nothing new.  When we see made-up positions in the church, it's nothing new.  In all reality there are only Godly men who are to preach the Word of God.  There are only Elders, Pastors, Teachers, Deacons and Deaconesses.  This is according to the Word of God.  People misleading people in regards to importance and position before Christ.  In the original language, elder/pastor/teacher is a male.  Deacons are male, Deaconesses are women.  Women are permitted only to teach women and children.  That's again, not from me or my opinion, that's from the Word of God.  There's no others in the early Church. 

Paul was writing to the church in Philipi. People were causing heartbreak to those who had helped establish the church there.  

In our world today so-called growing, vibrant, mega-churches are often overrun with hypocrisy and false teachers.  In many cases even small churches have people being mislead by others to believe things that are not true of God's Word. 

As for what this is being written today for...the passage written by Paul to Timothy.  "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 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, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:1-5 NASB. 

In season and out of season. When people want to hear it and when they don't. 

I, a few decades ago, was asked to preach a sermon in the church I grew up in.  I was encouraged to read that very passage in Timothy.  Timothy was the first Pastor receiving instruction on how one was to conduct himself. God, in doing so and in this manner, established yet in another way that men only were to be Pastor's.  

Many today try to push inclusiveness into the Church. It's totally unnecessary. God established His rules for His Church. End of story.  End of discussion.  The Spirit establishes who does what in the body of Christ, the Church.  People do not. I like what Dr. David Jeremiah began this week in calling people like myself as Digital Missionaries.  Missionaries are indeed mentioned in the Bible.  Paul, Peter, John, others, were Missionaries.  Apostles first but became Missionaries.  

We harm people by misleading them about the ways of God.  People easily neglect the lessons surrounding the Last Supper.  Jesus didn't come to be served but rather to serve and to give His life as a ransom for all.  People in made up positions in churches are after their own glory.  They want people to look up to them in their high position.  In doing so they are not pointing people to Jesus.  Health, wealth and prosperity are not a given in the life of a Believer.  They should not be the expectation.  They may happen, they may not.  Truth says that those who desire to live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer.  We can expect that because Truth also says we are at war with the god of this world. 

Deception, misleading people, is what Satan excels at.  Jesus said that he is a liar and the father of lies.  When he speaks he speaks from his own nature.  He was a liar from the beginning.  Get the picture yet?

Add to this misleading people and deceiving others...people will easily prove other passages as truth.  They will think more highly of themselves than they ought to.  They will be lovers of themselves.  Traits of Satan not of God. 

Run, don't walk, my Friend, from any so-called churches that place people in so-called positions with made up titles. 

The letters to the Churches in Revelation. Take a read of those in today.  Re-read Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians.  Read the book of Acts.  See what was written in the tone it was written. Letters to stir them up by way of reminder to stay true to the Lord Jesus Christ. Certainly not to puff themselves up to near celebrity status. 

We have one hope, one calling, in Christ Jesus.  We have something to be doing in the harvest for Jesus.  Jesus bid His Disciples and us as Disciples, to beseech the Lord of the Harvest to send out workers into His Harvest.  Praying for God's will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Praying for those yet unbelieving to be new Disciples in Christ Jesus.  

Paul wasn't joking about weeping for those misleading others.  He was writing to them and sending a warning for future generations.  

We also grieve the Spirit of God when we do things contrary to what the Bible teaches.  Teaching people to think more highly of themselves than they ought grieves the Spirit. Teaching acceptance of people living in sin rather than admonishing them to turn and repent grieves the Spirit.  Teaching that those living in what Paul refers to in Romans as a practiced sin can be church leaders is grieving the Spirit.  Teaching them anything other than the established Word of God grieves the Spirit.  Walking away from your calling in Christ Jesus that He called you to be doing grieves the Spirit. 

It's a sin to grieve the Holy Spirit.  It's also written that he who knows the good he ought to do and does not do it, sins.  

In season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. Doing what it takes so that the light of the Truth of Jesus Christ is what's seen and understood.  So that we would be found walking in the truth.  It's another passage right there. Churches being written to and being told that his joy is made complete in hearing that they are walking in the truth. 

We are accomplices in Satan's schemes when we look the other way when people are being deceived.  

We are accomplices when we see and are provoked by the Spirit and say or do nothing.  

Don't be surprised if you find yourself unpopular by sticking to the truth of God's word.  Again, we are told that people will accumulate for themselves people in accordance with their own desires that tell them what their itching ears want to hear. 

My Dear Reader we are in the last days. Those last days began with Christ returning to where He once was. We have the promise of His returning and the promise that we will give an account for what we have done in the body for Jesus. 

We read from Jesus Himself that many people will claim to have done many things in His name who were in fact enemies of the cross of Jesus Christ.  He will tell them to depart for He never knew them.  Don't associate with such people!

Be sure that you are attending a Bible believing Bible preaching Church that teaches the way of God in truth, with no partiality.  

Be in the Word of God yourself to know how to discern the truth from error. 

Be in a right relationship with Jesus to know His voice and to hear Him.

Oh come quickly Lord Jesus.