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People of The Living God |
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July 2023
WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS
STRAYING FROM GOD’S ORDER
Alfred King
“In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the earth …” (Gen. 1:1). These first words recorded in scripture set forth an often undetected, forgotten, dismissed, and even rejected truth. God exists in the realm of eternity, far beyond anything human minds can conceive and certainly beyond anything in His creation to which His heavenly existence can be likened. This God is so infinite, holy, pure, and omnipotent and possesses a glory so stupendous that for a human to behold would drain his very life from him. This omniscient God, the very personification of wisdom and knowledge and infused with all the attributes which make Him God, is above all other heavenly beings and exalted above all any could imagine a God to be. There is no God like this God who created the heavens and the earth in a mere six days.
The last verse of this same chapter in Genesis gives us a glimpse of God’s satisfaction with the world He had just created: “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day” (Gen. 1:31). These words coming from the very mouth of the One who created it all reveal the perfection and excellency of God’s handiwork before the fall. What God is actually proclaiming in these two short verses are some very important and precious truths. Considering thoughtfully all that God created takes us beyond His establishing the earth, the seasons, and the animals, sea creatures or even man, who was created in the image of God; it takes us into the very mind and character of God. It reveals that, along with His wonderful universe, He set in motion laws that are critical to the proper function of His creation. There are laws which govern the galaxies, the planets, the sun and moon, days and nights and seasons, and those divine laws have kept His created universe working in harmony since the day of creation. God masterfully designed and created this world to be a place where His divine will would be accomplished. God did not create all these things on an impulse or because He was bored and needed something to do. No! He created it all for a purpose. It is called in scripture, God’s “eternal purpose” (Eph. 3:11).
With the laws which govern the harmony and balance of heavenly bodies, there are also laws which are divinely ordained in order that men can live in peaceful harmony one with another and achieve the best existence possible. Those divine laws established for the governing of men, societies, governments and nations are found in God’s word. When men follow those God-inspired laws, laws that emanate from the very character and heart of God, they can obtain the best life possible in this world, and the world would be a place of peace, joy, prosperity, love and justice. I guess it could be said, “It would truly be a utopia.”
Sadly, with the fall, Satan has been allowed to work in opposition to God’s ultimate design. This is not to say that the fall caught God by surprise. In fact, the fall, strange as it may seem, was necessary to accomplish all that God’s eternal purpose required. However, Satan’s evil and deceitful influence entered into God’s creation and has worked now for over six thousand years bringing forth evil in every generation since that time. The divine laws established at the time of creation for man’s good have been cast aside and man, being deceived, has set himself up as the one who decides right and wrong and what is acceptable and what is not. Man has made himself god and he determines the best path for his life. The more we see God’s word and laws rejected, the more we see chaos, confusion, and discord. There have been wars since the beginning of time and millions have died in useless battles, none of which would have existed had men followed God’s laws and walked in the path He set before them and designed when He created the world.
Let’s take a few moments to examine how this works in men’s hearts: It is baffling to many of us when we think of the reasoning of men and women in today’s world, especially in the case of some of our modern politicians. God’s order in the day He created man and woman was for them to be joined together in marriage in order to replenish the earth. It was in this divinely ordained union that children were to be brought forth and they be reared and taught the precepts of the Lord. They were to be instructed how to be productive in society and to love and respect all those with whom they came in contact and to live above reproach. This was a divine principle which Jesus emphasized in Matthew 22:39b, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” It was a part of the law of God which accompanied creation.
It is astonishing that in our world today, this obvious and logical order is ignored and men have determined in their ignorance that same sex marriage is okay. So far have men strayed from God’s order that they have cast aside all evidence of truth and embraced blatant falsehood. Now there are so many different letters to include all the perverted sex terms that we have gone from LGBT to LGBTQIA+. It won’t be long before we will have to use every letter in our alphabet to cover all the different titles these people want (demand) to be called.
What is more grievous in this delusion is that many in our churches are embracing those who practice the trans-lifestyle. The reason many ministers are accepting trans people into their congregations is that they have met so many nice homosexuals that they feel they should be included in their church, not only as members but as elders and deacons and even ministers. What happened to the foundational principle trumpeted by the Reformers, “Sola Scriptura”? It was scripture upon which all church functions and doctrines should rest. The further society turns from God’s order and the church sets aside clear the teaching of scripture and gives over to feelings, the more America and the world will slide down the slippery broad way that leads to destruction.
Take careful thought about some of the reasons why sin is being accepted, such as that above where ministers meet nice gay people. Is that a reason to condone their lifestyle or to make it acceptable in our churches? What about “Sola Scriptura”? Does it no longer matter what scripture teaches? Does it no longer matter what God’s order was at creation? Has He changed the order He originally established? The clergy today are doing much the same as the Catholic Church has done. Their Pope has the power to speak for God. As the Pope (supposedly) has the power to usurp the word of God so church leaders change the law of God. They are arrogantly assuming the authority of God and attempting to change the order which God established in the beginning. Today, two men or two women can be married in direct contradiction to God’s original design. Man has become his own god. Scripture sets forth God’s order of the sexes and sets the standard for men, and any who oppose His order oppose God.
The Reasoning Of Men
I have read several statements recently about surgeons, psychiatrists, and psychologists who are promoting gender changes in young people, some as young as ten or twelve. Their reasons: so the child will not commit suicide or so they will have a better quality of life. Hmmmm! What they don’t tell or even seem to consider is the number of those who, after being mutilated, have committed suicide and others who claim their lives have been destroyed all because they were lied to and deceived into thinking something was wrong with them when it was just a stage many young people go through. It is interesting that for centuries humans have existed without the help of the modern-day psychiatrists and somehow survived. Listen, God’s ways and God’s order are always the right way. He created us and He knows what is best for us.
Seriously consider how man’s carnal reasoning goes contrary to scripture and is often fueled by sympathy and compassion that is blind to actual truth and is not in keeping with God’s design. Take the homelessness in some of America's largest cities. In some of our major cities, politicians are considering giving the homeless money every month. This is irrational compassion, short sighted and certainly not reasonable. Do these people need help? Certainly. Do they want help? Some do. Scripture tells us to help the poor, and John tells us that we who have this world’s goods should not shut up our bowels of compassion from the poor (I John 3:17). However, biblical love is not just giving financial support, it is helping the homeless find Christ, get on their feet and provide for their needs. Scripture, especially the book of Proverbs, teaches that men are created to labor with their hands and provide for themselves and their families. This is also confirmed in the New Testament. (See 1 Tim. 5:8; Prov. 6:6,9, 13:4, 20:4, 26:16)
The hypocrisy of many of those who are promoting these things is astounding but not surprising. When immigrants are sent into the neighborhoods of the politicians and the rich who are most able to provide for them since they are wealthy, they have them moved out. How can one live with such hypocrisy? How blind can a man become? How can one promoting these issues be so inconsistent? Paul said that when men reject God’s law, God shall send them strong delusion that they would believe a lie and be damned because they did not love truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness (II Thess. 2:10-12).
Many homeless people are there by no fault of their own, but most are there because they are either on drugs, lazy, or have some mental or emotional problems. Do they need help? Most obviously, but genuine love doesn’t just throw money at the problem. They get involved. If politicians would follow the teaching of scripture, they would find answers to the dilemma that faces many of our major cities. But they would rather use their own fallible wisdom than the wisdom of God.
This same scenario is seen in the immigration influx and the problems which America is facing. Men have felt compassion (at least this is what they say) and want to help people in other countries who are suffering. Bringing them all to America is not the answer but instead will bring about a crisis from which America may never recover. Jesus gave the answer to this problem when He told His disciples to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He said to teach them to observe everything He had commanded them (Matt. 28:19-20). He never told them to bring everyone to Jerusalem and give them a better life. The better life is found in Jesus Christ and His teachings. If the poor of this world find Christ, He will show them how to make their societies a better place. Until this is re-discovered, men will continue to make things worse for themselves and for the world.
Rejection Of Truth
In Isaiah, God warned of a time when “truth is fallen in the street” (Isa 59:14). In light of this scripture, consider how men are redefining words today or using certain words to say things that the word doesn’t actually say. For instance: We hear a lot today about equity and equality. They are used very often as though they mean the same thing. However, they don’t. Equality means that every person is given equal opportunity to what this country offers. We all start out on the same plane. It does not mean that we all have the same background, but we have the opportunity to improve our situation if we so chose. Equity is that every person ends up with the same standard of living, because this is “fair.” So, if one person works hard to become a doctor or lawyer or CEO of a large company and another who is slothful and goofs off his whole life partying and being a general nuisance, he should have the same lifestyle of the doctor. Man has deliberately changed the meaning of words to accommodate their prejudices and they are attempting to impose them on the rest of humanity. So determined to undermine God’s word are they that they can no longer define what a woman is. (Actually, they can but they refuse to do so.) Their agenda is to defile everything of God’s order.
God has an order for His church and we must find it and live by it even if it means we have to stand against the society around us. It does not mean that we are to be contentious or combative. We must show love, but it must be the love of God that inspires and influences us and be the motivating force behind all our actions and not emotions devoid of reason, common sense, and contrary to God’s word.
The Great Commission is as important today as ever and if there ever was a time when darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people (Isa. 60:2) it is today. More and more churches are caving to the demands of the world’s standards. We have excused provocative dress, been silent as our church members dress immodestly, refuse to speak against premarital sex and divorce and are silent on a host of other biblical standards. There is no longer a holy reverence for the house of God. People used to wear what they called their “Sunday best;” today they come unashamedly in clothing that was too suggestive to wear in public anywhere fifty years ago. All these are signs that God’s judgment is soon to come and it will not be good for America or for her churches. It is time for those who see the handwriting on the wall to seek God, for God said, “Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger” (Zeph. 2:3). Let us who are thus minded return to God’s order.
TRUTH AT RISK
Curtis Dickinson
“What is truth?” asked Pilate at the end of an interview with Jesus (John 18:38). His question was not meant to evoke an answer. Rather it was meant for a statement: “Don’t tell us that you know the truth. There is no such thing.”
Today this same cynical attitude is found in public schools, in universities and even in churches. For decades children in public schools have been told, “You must not be judgmental; what is wrong for you may be right for someone else; what is true for you may not be true for another. After all, truth is relative.”
Why should anyone be shocked to hear that such teaching has produced people
with no moral foundation, no ethical standards and no conscience? We hear the perpetual whining, “Why are children so involved in drugs? Why are they killing each other? Where did we go wrong?” Where have these bleeding hearts been while truth, the very foundation of our culture, has been under attack in education, in the arts, and in religion?
With the loss of truth, our nation has lost its ideology. The mainframe upon
which a moral society is structured has been systematically removed from all the institutions of communication: the schools, the arts, the media, the family and the government. People now are saying, “What difference does it make if the President lies, so long as the economy is good?” Which translates: as long as we can prosper and be entertained, forget about truth.
The church is not far behind in this philosophy. It says, “Don’t give us a prophet in the pulpit. Give us a smiling face, someone to help us feel good and love everybody. Don’t bother us with truth.”
There was a time in days gone by when denominations lambasted and debated one another and churches divided over trivial differences. We were glad to see those fighting days end, but the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction. The cult of tolerance dominates the religious scene and truth is denigrated.
Examples are everywhere. Billy Graham has said, “I respect other paths to God,” and Leighton Ford said, “Preach the gospel, but don’t be so negative as to refuse to endorse or work with those who belong to a group that proclaims a different gospel than his;” then like Pilate, we ask, “What is truth?”
This dogma of tolerance springs from the wrong concept of love, the idea that if we but love enough, nothing else matters. But love, to be authentic, must be grounded in truth; in fact truth is so vital that Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:7). It is the love of God that matters most, and that love feeds on His truth. Where love is not united with truth it simply becomes a sentimental emotion.
It is truth that enables us to think God’s thoughts after Him. The truth God has revealed is to be embraced by the mind and enthroned in the heart, with each facet of truth in its proper place. This requires a certain amount of concentration, a focusing of thought on each segment in order that the whole can be made to fit together in a harmonious and logical way.
Such concentration is discouraged in all of our society. In the elementary public school room one may find posters and pictures plastering the walls, and a variety of ideas portrayed in symbols or written on the chalkboard. The thought process is interrupted every few minutes by a different exercise or activity, so that a child has no chance to concentrate on any complex thought, and may grow up to have little regard for objective truth, since he is trained to allow images to convey ideas without ever having to think through the logic of truth.
Modern churches have scuttled the old hymns with their deep historical and spiritual meaning, which required some mental activity as well as the energy to read, and in their places the people sing short and shallow choruses, repeated over and over. Focusing the mind to contemplate on the rich and challenging truth God has revealed is too much for the modern congregation. Expository sermons are seldom heard, and the busy schedule of entertainment for all ages allots precious little time to Bible study.
Concepts known as the New Age Religion are now embraced by many Christians who seek a “feeling” or an “experience” rather than seeking to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” as Peter exhorts (2-Peter 3:18). Others are victims of traditions which were not born of God’s commands or teachings, traditions which have grown to be entangling vines of steel that choke out the light of truth and freedom.
Our Lord once said, “Everyone that does evil hates the light” (John 3:30). To the Thessalonians Paul spoke of men who “received not the love of the truth” and who “believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:10-12). It is clear the truth is unwelcome to evil, and where truth is neglected, evil of all kinds will thrive.
Jesus connected evil with the rejection of truth when he said to the Jews: “You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and stands not in the truth, because there is no truth in him…But because I say the truth you believe me not. Which of you convicts me of sin? If I say truth, why do you not believe me? He that is of God hears the words of God: for this cause you hear them not, because you are not of God” (John 8:44-47).
All truth has its roots in God, for God spoke the world into existence through His word, which is truth (Heb.11:3). Truth contains God’s entire plan and purpose, and without it man is without purpose or hope. In God’s truth there is perfect harmony, and without it there is discord.
We are told not only to love truth, but to hate evil. “You that love Jehovah, hate evil!” (Psalm 97:10) One who loves God and righteousness loves truth; one who loves evil despises the truth. Like Eve in the garden he chooses to reject God’s word: “In the day you eat thereof, you shall surely die,” and, instead, believes Satan’s lie, even if only a whisper: “You will not surely die” (Gen. 3:3,4.). This lie has always been the foundation of pagan religion, but today it is embraced by the majority of Christian leaders as well.
That which is known as Christendom today is in chaos. Every possible pagan thought can be found somewhere taught by a so-called pastor or evangelist. In a Christian book store you can find a book to support any false religious theory or practice. It is strikingly strange that the “church” should expect to make believers of all nations when the truth to be believed is either absent or consciously ignored.
Yet, nothing could be more gloriously satisfying than to hold these truths: Jesus, God’s Son, born of a virgin, died to meet the penalty of sin for all who are obedient to the gospel. He arose from the dead, assuring us that we also will be resurrected, to be made immortal, like Him.
At judgment all wrongs will be righted and the enemies of God will be destroyed forever, that God’s people may live always, in a new creation where all is righteousness. Knowing these things should fill every believer with abounding joy and make him or her a courageous and aggressive messenger to those yet in the darkness of ignorance and superstition.
It is not enough to hear and know truth. It must be acted upon. According to Paul, truth is to be obeyed (Rom. 2:6-10).
Today, we are in the same warfare which the apostle Paul described, in which it is our task to cast down the strongholds of Satan and all the theories and philosophies which are exalted against God, and to turn men’s thoughts to truth, to the point of obedience to Jesus, God’s anointed Son (2-Cor. 10:3-5).
GOOD NEWS
James Sanderson
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings (Gr. good news) of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10). We all like good news. Much of the news that today's media publishes is far from good – violence, corruption in government, crime, wars, natural disasters. “I bring … good tidings” is just one word in Greek, the verb form of the noun gospel. Vine states that the word gospel means good news (Vine's, page 507).
What was this good news proclaimed to those lowly shepherds in the Judean countryside many centuries ago? “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). It is quite noteworthy that God, in His infinite wisdom, observed the disturbing plight of humanity and concluded that man's most pressing need was a Savior.
Why a Savior? “Thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 2:21). The Jewish nation longed for a savior, a messiah, who would relieve them of the oppressive yoke of the Roman Empire; however, God had more important priorities. The commissioning of Jesus underscored His more urgent concern for the oppressive yoke of sin and its eternal consequences than the onerous rule of the Romans. God understood the devastating and far-reaching impact that sin had on man's existence. Neither plague nor any other calamity could ever rival the deadly consequences that man had sustained due to the ravages of sin. The Fall, a direct result of willful disobedience, produced an upheaval of catastrophic proportions in every department of man's life: (1) suffering and death (Gen. 3:16-19; James 1:15); (2) bondage and servitude (John 8:34; Acts 8:23); (3) defilement with evil (Rom. 5:12; Luke 18:19); (4) loss of fellowship with God (Is. 59:2; Eph. 2:1).
Sin, like cancer, has metastasized, thus afflicting every man, woman, and child that has ever inhabited this planet. When I was a boy, I used to enjoy tossing pebbles into the pond at the school that I attended in the mountains of North Carolina. What was interesting to me was the rippling effect of the concentric circles created by the pebbles. Those ripples spread out until they disturbed every corner of the pond. The larger the stone the greater the impact. Sin behaves in a somewhat similar manner. It affects not only the sinner but also many others around him. The Word of God uses leaven to illustrate the pervasive power of sin. “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (Gal. 5:9). See I Cor. 5:6; Matt.16:6.
Furthermore, one must understand that sin is not merely an act, but also a condition of the heart. The Word of God teaches that sin has had a corrupting influence on the very heart of man. Jesus stated, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man” (Mark 7:21-23). The prophet Jeremiah, also, declared, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jer. 17:9-10).
God hates sin and cannot be defiled by it. Sin is the very antithesis of His divine nature. God's holiness prevents Him from being contaminated with sin and evil. “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens (Heb. 7:26). This Holy God has also enjoined man to be as holy as He is holy (I Peter 1:16). As long as sin rules in the heart of man there can be no fellowship with the Most High God. Here lies the reason that man was driven from the Garden of Eden. Note that God did not merely send him out; He drove him out (Gen. 3:24). The world loves sin and even revels in it. It is quite unfortunate that some Christians treat sin lightly and make excuses for it. If man had the same disdain for sin that God has, the world would be a far better place in which to live.
The most wonderful news this side of heaven is that God has made provision for sin! God realized that man needed a Savior Who would decisively deal with sin. Without such a Savior, man would continue in his lost and helpless state, alienated from a life in God. Without such a Savior, there would be no hope of deliverance from the bondage of sin. The good news that brought “great joy” to those Judean shepherds is that God has provided a Savior, not just any savior, but Jesus Christ, God incarnate, the Lord of Glory. The Bible refers to Him as “God our Savior” (I Tim. 2:3). The Apostle Paul wrote, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (I Tim. 1:15). The Apostle John stated, “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (I John 4:14). The Apostle Peter declared before the high priest and other rulers in Jerusalem, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The Samaritans testified, “Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world” (John 4:42). John the Baptist, seeing Jesus coming unto him “saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Jesus Himself stated, “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
The final words uttered by Jesus from the Cross of Calvary, “It is finished,” (John 19:30) were His proclamation that sin had been defeated and salvation, full and complete, was now available to “whosoever will” (Rev. 22:17). The letter to the Hebrews declares, “Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him” (Heb. 7:25). Uttermost means that He saves completely, or unto completeness (Thayer's, pg. 476).Nothing can be added nor anything removed from His divine plan of salvation. No more do priests have to continue a system of daily animal sacrifices for the remission of sins. “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Heb. 9:12). “Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:26). The Apostle Paul wrote, “For he hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Cor. 5:10).
The good news of the gospel is that man, through Jesus Christ, can live above the destructive influence of sin. No longer does anyone have to continue to be a slave to sin. “For sin shall not have dominion over you” (Rom. 6:14). Jesus Himself declared, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).
SPIRITUAL OR RELIGIOUS?
Randall Walton
Is there really a difference between being spiritual and being religious? Can one be spiritual without being religious, or religious without being spiritual?
Every person on earth is religious! Whether he subscribes to any particular set of creeds or codes of belief, he does hold to some form of devotion to an object of his own desire, whether it is an inanimate god or goddess, a career, a way of life, pleasures, or self, and that devotion constitutes religiosity.
The mere fact of one’s being religious does not presuppose that he is godly or knows the living God. Buddhists, for example, are ultra-religious, but they do not know God; atheists are very religious in their detesting of all other religionists. While they claim to disbelieve in the Creator, they have their own individual, personal beliefs about life and physical existence: that is their religion.
The Pharisees of long ago were one of the best examples of vain religion with a show of ostentatious piety. They loved to parade their religion before the eyes of the public. They employed musicians to announce their “sacred” missions to pay their tithes; they wore their religious emblems in a showy manner so as to attract the attention of others. Yet they didn’t hesitate to murder the Lamb of God. Very religious!
In much the same way, many Christians regularly attend religious services and even carry a Bible in their hand (or under their arm) as if to prove their religiosity. Of course, they seldom open the Book, and certainly do not consider its contents in a serious manner. There is no intention on their part of practicing the tenets of the faith which are portrayed therein. The “old-time religion” they say, “is good enough for me.” (To which old-time religion do they refer?)
To be sure, a person who truly knows God will be spiritual; that is, his thoughts and actions will be focused upon spiritual matters, or as Paul so aptly describes in Romans 8:4-6: “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh: but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
This, then, spells the difference between a merely religious person and one who is spiritual. A spiritual person will be religious, that is, very serious and sincere about his relationship with his God, but he will refrain from trying to impress people with his devotion to the Almighty. He doesn’t advertise!
Too much of the modern worship service is nothing other than religious entertainment for the purpose of impressing and/or exciting a perceptible audience. Jesus stated that “true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). Both of those elements are missing in the average religious gathering today. Ministers have resorted to all kinds of gimmicks and theatrics in order to attract and hold their membership.
These attractions have taken the place of the holy presence of the living God. Contemporary “Christian rock” (or oxymoron) has replaced the Holy Spirit anointed hymns and choruses of yesteryear. People confuse the thrill of the jungle beat of an enthusiastic drummer with the moving of the Holy Ghost in conviction of sin and the cleansing of an impure heart through the precious blood of Jesus. They can’t hear God’s still voice because of the cacophony of the racket called religious music which sends the angels away in disgust. True worship is scarce.
Spiritually Minded
This is a divine quality which every true believer receives as an anointing at the moment of the new birth (Acts 2:38; I John 2:20,27). It must be maintained and nurtured by the individual as he “walks after the Spirit.” The truth is that few people seem to cherish this glorious gift enough to maintain it – by obedience to the Holy Spirit, by following the Spirit in the Word, by allowing the Spirit to teach him truth (John 16:13). He still wants the effervescence and ecstasy which accompany the presence of the Spirit, but without any conditions or encumbrances. This attitude has led to counterfeiting the genuine gifts and manifestation of the Spirit of God.
The result is that many people are being energized by the flesh through mass – hysteria, hypnotics, and the power of suggestion. Their falling on the floor, screaming, barking, laughing and passing out are not indications of spirituality, but of religious antics done in the name of Jesus. Supposed prophecy pours freely from the mouths of the “foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing.” (Ezek.13:3)! Prophets were/are seers: they saw God’s message in dream or vision (Numbers 12:6).
These modern “see nothing” prophets are false prophets who love to be seen and heard. It is a religious act of prestige to be considered God’s voice: “I say unto thee,” etc. But God says they are foolish and they follow their own spirit. How dangerous this religious practice is. Not only do they mislead others, they deceive themselves. And “because they received not the love of the TRUTH, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth. …” (II Thess.2:10-12)
To be spiritually minded is to be in tune with the Holy Spirit. Paul expressed this condition as: “Set your affection on things ABOVE, not on things on the earth” (Col.3:2). Such an attitude as this is diametrically opposed to the lifestyle of the average professing Christian, who has little time or thought for “things above.” He works, eats and sleeps with and for the things on the earth.
The word “affections” as used here, involves the mind or the thoughts. To set one’s mind or thoughts upon things above requires deliberate determination and action. A person must desire to be living in a spiritual realm or state of being in order to set his mind upon heavenly values rather than the contrivances of this earth.
Many Distractions
Life in the late 20th century does not lend itself to spirituality – there are too many earthly distractions. For example, churchgoers are mesmerized by a modern gadget known as television (someone said hellavision). They become addicts to this machine which holds them captive for hours at a time. It is most obvious that a TV addict does not set his affection on things above. He has no time to devote to thinking about things which are intangible, things he can’t see, feel or touch.
Think of the multitudes who are in bondage to sports. They know the names of all the stars and superstars and other supernumeraries; but they know little about heavenly things and the word of God. Still, they are “religious.”
Others can quote the rise and fall of the Dow-Jones and give an accurate accounting of the current stock market and the trading scores, but they can’t quote much, if any, Scripture. Still, they carry a Bible to a religious gathering each Sunday.
Spirituality has to do with a person’s relationship with God. Faithful church attendance is not a measure of spirituality. Neither are charitable acts, nor giving of monies for a worthy cause. These are worthwhile activities and are commanded to be done, but they are not evidence that a person has set his affection on things above and is spiritually minded.
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Col.3:1). It’s time for all who love God to break the chains of carnality and earthliness and seek those heavenly values. Habits are not easily overcome; one who has practiced years of television viewing will find it difficult to yank himself away from the tube and seek instead heavenly (invisible) realities. But the Lord holds out hope for those who will deliberately “draw nigh to God,” for “he will draw nigh unto them” (James 4:8).
Do it now – next year may be too late!
LET GOD BE GOD
Mary Woodard
Introduction
I was reading a church newsletter recently in which a pastor said that God does not speak to us anymore except through His Word. I also heard a speaker say that people do not receive deliverance from God until after they are saved.
I find that people tend to limit God to their own experience. If they haven't experienced it, it just doesn't happen. This is a false premise. God is not limited to my experience or yours. With God, nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37), and He can do anything He wishes to do in any way He wishes to do it. He can speak to us in any manner He chooses. We only stunt our own spiritual growth when we limit Him. I, personally, have heard from God in many different ways, and I am sure there are many more I have yet to experience. “God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by his son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds” (Heb. 1:1,2). Jesus has many and varied ways to speak to us.
The Word Of God
(The Holy Bible)
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Tim. 3:16). The Word is our “daily bread” by which we live spiritually: “Man does not live by bread alone (physical bread), but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4; Deut. 8:3).
The Holy Spirit
The Prophet Joel prophesied that God would pour out His Spirit (Joel 2:28), and this prophecy came true on the Day of Pentecost (Acts, Chapter 2). This Promise is still being fulfilled today in those who will believe and receive Him by faith. This Gift is for the Church, but it is also for the individual believer, and millions down through the ages have received Him. Why do we need this Person of the Holy Spirit? “But you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me…” (Acts 1:8).
Why do so many refuse, or ignore, this beautiful Gift when the Word clearly tells us it is for the born-again children of God today? “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:39).
Have you been called? Then this Promise is for you!
Many individuals, churches, and even whole denominations may acknowledge that there is a Holy Spirit; in fact, they may even believe He is one of the Persons of the Trinity. Yet they refuse to allow Him to do His work in them or in the Church. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing” (John 6:63). THE SPIRIT GIVES LIFE! Without the Spirit of God anointing our words and our actions, we are operating in the flesh, which profits nothing!
The Holy Spirit is also our Comforter, our Teacher, our Guide (John, chapter 16). He keeps us in the Truth. Who wouldn't want Him dwelling within?
The Gifts Of The Spirit
“But earnestly desire the best gifts…” (I Cor. 12:31). “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy” (I Cor. 14:1).
The gifts, when used within the framework of the 13th chapter of I Corinthians on love, provide edification, insight, and affirmation to the Church. Should we not heed the advice of the Word and earnestly desire them?
Dreams, Visions, And Heavenly Visitors
In the interest of space, I will only quote a portion of Joel's prophecy as recorded in Acts 2: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God…Your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.”
Dreams, visions, and angelic visitations were very much a part of the New Testament Body of Believers. While such occurrences are rarely heard of today, they have not ceased, and we believe in the last days God will increase His use of them to lead His people as He did then. In 1958 my husband was visited by Jesus, resulting in his immediate conversion to Christ. Praise God!
Sanctification
“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (I Cor. 1:30).
Sanctification is a big word, but what it means is “to set apart as holy or for holy purposes.” The Apostle Paul prayed that his converts might be “wholly sanctified;” that is, that their whole being - spirit, soul, and body - might be yielded to the will of God.
God's sanctifying grace is available to all believers, but all do not “embrace” or claim it. When it is claimed by faith, God begins to work it out as a reality in one's life.
I believe sanctification is the missing link in the life of many believers today.
I have been around long enough to remember when you could tell a Christian by their walk, their talk, and their manner of dress. This is not possible today. I can remember when God's Name was reverenced and churches were places of worship rather than social halls.
I am appalled at the lack of modesty among professing Christians today. I believe it is a form of rebellion. The Word tells us women should “adorn themselves in modest apparel” (I Tim. 2:9).
A well-balanced Christian walk leads to spiritual maturity. LET GOD BE GOD in your life and let the convicting power of the Holy Spirit do His sanctifying work in you. Let Him make us a LIGHT to the world rather than a hindrance.
LET GOD BE GOD!
RIGHT AND LEFT
Harry R. Miller
There are three distinct foundations upon which religious faith can be founded. Two of these are extremes: one to the right and the other to the left, but in between these two there is a middle-of-the-road way that leads to life everlasting. Many intellectual giants have sought to serve God purely by the development of abstract concepts of the Divine being. When these mental conceptions have failed to give complete satisfaction, they have added a few touches of expensive architecture to their places of worship, and even installed impressive ritualism. However, the sublimity of liturgy alone is a poor sop for the famished soul seeking God. A religion of the mind cannot possibly satisfy the heart; and those who indulge in it must suffer such spiritual malnutrition that saints beholding them, shudder at such extreme poverty of soul.
The elect, who know great conflict, have often marveled at the ability of the multitudes to hold on to the bare, naked bone of such an empty “faith” as a mere profession of Christianity. The chief characteristic of this popular type of religion which swings so far to the “right” is that it is accepted by the world and is considered respectable and even an honored attainment. In such a religion there is no conflict: neither of hell nor of conscience. The whole system of such a religion acts as an opiate: a sedative to both soul and body. The ultimate in pseudo-Christianity is found among those who are “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
To the “left” of the way of life everlasting there foams a seething mass of religionists who are dedicated to the gods of the senses. These are the people who “run to and fro,” apparently “seeking the word of the Lord,” but, as the prophet said: “They shall not find it.” Daily, thousands of new converts are added to this miry sea of sensual addicts who serve the gods of emotion. High pressure evangelism, with all manner of sensational invitations, keeps the pot boiling; and backsliders are repeatedly ‘reclaimed” with each new “revival.”
No religion on the face of the earth has such a tremendous turnover of backsliding people as the so-called Christian Holiness sects. This instability alone should be proof enough of the nature of this type of religious movement. Let no one foolishly charge the Holy Spirit with being the author of, or the reason for, this unstable condition. Reason tells us that if even a spiritual hoodlum received the genuine Holy Spirit he would become dependable and a worthy saint of God. But the greatest manifestation of instability of character is to be found among those who practice extreme emotional activity. When the emotions and the satisfying of the physical appetites rule, regardless of consequences, then such a people are mired in a bog of human depravity.
Do not be deceived. We are surely living in a day of extreme excitement: “The sea and the waves roaring” their shame before men and angels.
Jesus made this prophetic statement: “As it was in the days of Lot, so also shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man.” The “days of Lot” were the days of Sodom and Gomorrah; and the inhabitants of these wicked cities were devoted to the satisfying of every physical and emotional appetite. Such people idolize sensation; they bow at the shrine of self indulgence; they burn incense at the altar of gluttony.
By the Holy Spirit, the author of the book of Jude prophesied concerning the spiritual carrion of this last day, saying: “Remember ye the words which were spoken of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit” (verses 17-19). It is bad enough when a people are devoted to “ungodly lusts,” but when they attempt to satisfy their lusts with spiritual sensations, then they approach the state of complete abomination.
Notice the word “mockers.” These are not scoffers: they do not make light of religious devotion; they make a travesty of it; a burlesque. Going through all the motions of being saints, they play in pantomime with the “faith once delivered unto the saints.” They mock the saints by their “appearances” of pseudo-Christianity; while their lives are a stench to heaven, and their testimony a reproach to saints.
The religion of Christ has been opposed, abused, and corrupted; but when it becomes a burlesque there is only one thing left, and that is judgment. Not only do the mockers “show off” before men, but they dare to prance and cavort before the throne of grace; actually defying heaven to cut them down. Jude said of these that they had not “THE spirit”; he didn’t say they did not have spirit; they have plenty of spirit; but not the Holy Spirit. Pentecostalism has whetted the appetites of millions of sensual, sin-loving, emotional gluttons. Many of these have encompassed land and sea to make proselytes of multitudes who are walking in “their own ungodly lusts.” Without having to change gears in a life of self-centeredness, these proselytes can zip right along with the sensual mad mob. Liars, thieves, and adulterers can rejoice together in one great mixed multitude that claims this religion of extreme emotionalism.
Some may come to the conclusion that the author of this article does not believe in emotion in religious worship; but such is not the case. We accept every manifestation of the Holy Spirit spoken of in the book of Acts. We also accept the experience of Paul related in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, where we are told that he was caught up into Paradise. We are firm believers in supernatural visions; and every gift of the Holy Spirit, we know, belongs to the church of Christ today. But all of these things belong only to saints. All of God’s gifts are controlled by Divine Law: and those who obey His commands will have genuine manifestations of the Holy Spirit.
The so-called “Christian” religious flotsam and jetsam are emotional addicts, given to every religious vanity. Such people walk in complete spiritual darkness: they have no spiritual discernment or understanding. No matter what demon moved them, they are convinced that it is the Spirit of God. To these people, all spirit movements are of God. As a matter of fact, such people are not interested in knowing what sort of a spirit moves them; the only thing they are seeking is emotional satisfaction. They delight in the tremors of the flesh; the spine-tingling sensation in their physical bodies; the exhilarating mountain-top experience of voluptuous gratification. This sort of thing goes farther than the physical; it often actually becomes a soul orgy; an indulgence of spiritual adultery; and often reaches a climax in complete prostration. Such people can be “under the power” and be “out” in complete oblivion to their surroundings, for hours.
Pagan religions throughout the world practice spirit orgies that produce the same hypnotic influence which is experienced by many of these so-called Christians. The Mohammadan religion is pagan and opposed to true service to the Lord Jesus Christ; yet its religious orgies are very little different from some of those found in many of our professing so-called Christian churches. The means employed by Mohammadans to reach the ecstatic state are rapid verbal repetitions of the principle attribute of God: “No God but Allah; O God; O just God: Oh living God; Oh revenging God.” This so-called praise becomes a chant, waxing louder and louder as the excitement rises. Bodies begin to sway backward and forward, side to side. As their god is invoked the excitement becomes intense and the swaying movement increases to the point of violence, until suddenly becoming possessed, they reach that ecstatic state where they “peep and mutter” and prophesy.
The Africans beat tom-toms; the Islanders of the West Indies chant to the rhythm of their drums; and many American “Holiness” people beat on a piano, clap their hands and stamp their feet in that same syncopated time used by the pagans. The pagans call their devotions communion with the spirits; fanatics of the self-styled “full gospel” clan call theirs “Christian.” As a matter of fact, none of these “worshippers” are really serving their gods; they are merely satisfying their own thirst for a peculiar kind of excitement! The adoration of such “worshippers” is not toward a god: they adore the feeling of their own emotions. They relish the reflex; they love not an individual: they love the feeling of their devotions.
A miser glories not in his gold, but in the feeling that the possession of the gold gives him. The idolater knows his idol is but wood, which hears or sees not, but he thoroughly enjoys the feeling of his devotions. Any devoted pagan knows that there is exquisite sensation to be had in the worship of an idol. The idol of apostate Christianity is sensation, and it is becoming most popular with the fun-loving and pleasure-mad multitudes; as a matter of fact, it is the religion of the hour.
Both the religion of the giants of the intellect and the antics of the devotees of emotionalism fall far short of true Christianity. Both classes hold certain shreds of truth; but much of it is distorted almost beyond recognition. Yet there is enough left to form a basis for their religion. Both of these extremes are but distorted reflections of that one faith which is practiced by all true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
True Christianity is a religion of both the heart and reason. The real Christian is a well-balanced, temperate individual with genuine depth of character. He cannot be numbered among the loudest shouters, nor is he known by the abundance of his antics and demonstrations of spirit power. Such people may not be marked by many of the “gifts of the Spirit” but they most certainly manifest the fruits of the Spirit. It is not necessary for the elect to continually seek spiritual “jolts” in order to keep their experience in a state of victory. They serve the Lord, not because of what they receive from Him, but because they love Him for what He is.
Those who know the Father know Him as a most glorious being. They adore Him because He is adorable; they serve Him because He is worthy to be served. Those who love God find none of His commands too hard to obey. As a matter of fact, all true saints are ever seeking to know His will just for the privilege of rendering obedience to His commands. There is a great secret joy in doing the will of God. One must never get the idea that saints have no emotional feelings: not only do they feel things of the Spirit, but their capacity of appreciation for spiritual things is far greater than that ever conceived by any of these religious prostitutes.
The Saviour had “meat” that other men knew not of; and His “meat” was “to do the will of the Father.” Doing God’s will actually ministered nourishment to His triune being. Jesus is our example of what a Christian should be. His greatest joy was not the satisfaction of His mental or physical emotions: He delighted to do the will of God. He did not destroy the Law of God: He kept it. He did not make void the law of God: He magnified it. In the eyes of heaven obedience to the commands of God is the only acceptable evidence of man’s love for the one whom he calls Lord. Lip service and oral professions are but vanity in the eyes of the beings who weigh the affairs of men in heaven’s balances. They who reject the wisdom of the Lord and practice vanities live on the husks of true life; while those who conform to all the counsel of God have a deep walk in the Spirit, and they are the people who “KNOW HIM WHOM THEY HAVE BELIEVED.”