I believe we can respond with a loud YES! Christ started the church, but it is still made up of people. And people like receiving recognition. Think back to the Pharisees, what was their problem with Christ and His teachings? Christ was causing a draught on their recognition as holy men of God. What about Paul, the silver smiths wanted him destroyed for ruining their idol making business. These and others in the early church had impacts on their society. Today we dress as the world dresses, we travel as the world travels, we talk at least partially as the world talks. What is our entertainment, the same as the world? Murder movies and soap operas with depictions of life being one big free for all just to name a couple of examples. And then we visit a church once a week and tell everyone we are Christians. Where is the proof? There is a Bible verse that caused me some deep thought when I first read it,
James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.
Have you ever seen a movie where Jesus is in the Synagogues? Notice how there is nothing in the room except a podium to lay the scrolls of scripture on.
Today we in the church are competing against each other for the biggest most immaculate church buildings. The best sounding "Choir/Band" both in an attempt to lure the passers by in. Does society have effects on the churches of today? Look around at the churches, if you took away the markings, the cross, the sign, would people know Christians are in there? Are do we need these signs for them and us? I have heard it said that the statues of saints we have in some churches were at first statues of gods outside the gathering hall. These statues were moved inside to coax the people into the building.
Christ said GO, GO into all the world and preach the Gospel! We stay in our comfort zones and watch our watches to make sure we get home in time for that sport match.
Lets take a second and compare two things, the non-Christian works 5,6, or even 7 days a week and uses his time off for recuperation and self gratification,
a Christian on the other hand works, 5,6 or even 7 days a week and in his off time gives God 1 to 2 hours time and spends the rest on recuperation and self gratification.
A true Christian irregardless of his or her job gives God 24/7 of their time. The early Christians did as God told Moses to tell them to do;
Deuteronomy 6:5-9 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
And what is the government doing with the 10 commandments in courthouses?
It seems like the old saying, "Don't rock the boat" has infiltrated the church to the point that the devil has nothing at all to fear from us.
Sins that we know are SINS, are more tolerated within our churches now because the world says they are normal, not abnormal. Can any of us honestly look at our churches today and say, "God considers this place holy"?
I apologize for getting long winded, but when I consider the actions of our church leaders who in turn lead the church members to act in the same way, I wonder if God sees any difference between us and the heathen world.
I DO NOT BELIEVE IN ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED
What do we do with the sin against the Holy Spirit if once is always?
An African friend of mine tells a story about a man who is walking past a church full of people singing and praising God. This man sees satan sleeping on the fence, and he says, hey satan you better wake up, don’t you hear those people in there. Satan smiles and says, when they wake up then I’ll wake up.
THINK ABOUT IT
God bless us with a wake up call
Brother Jerry -The Berlin Bear