Opium for the Church

The following was written by Jose Bosque on http://www.jaxchristian.com/churchministry/revival/1613-impact-2013

I thought this was as plain as it gets and as we say here in south central Pa; “he hit the nail on the head”

“Religion has had great media platforms, a plethora of titles and positions, and untold resources yet it has failed to impact even one generation in this culture.

Most congregations enjoy the use of fine buildings and Disney World theatrics to entertain the masses that have cost them into the millions of dollars, yet we still can’t impact the world like a few poor fishermen did who were full of the Holy Spirit. We claim much but we show forth little. Could it be that all those choreographed sounds, lights, and videos are externals that will never replace a heaven sent outpouring of His Glory on a thirsty people?

This culture has relegated Christianity to an alternative or one more drug for the masses. Many of our greatest enemies are ex-religious members of our dead and dying traditions. They speak with great understanding of our human systems and their failures because they have experienced them for themselves.

This culture hears the cries of the poor and the disadvantaged and they are moved to respond. They really do have a sincere heart to see something impact their generation but they have no faith in our religious Jesus. I have tried to minister to many of them but until they experience the real thing they will not listen. They hear of the “Glory” inside our four walls and think “How can they be so deceived?” So again in 2013 we find ourselves rich in things and poor in impact.”

Don't Judge me!!

Don’t judge me! This is the phrase that we often hear today when someone is trying to deflect you away from their sin. The phrase “don’t judge me” can be interpreted “I don’t want to confront this particular sin.” However, proper judging is life-saving. If Adolf Hitler would have been correctly discerned, recognized, and judged, prior to his assuming the position of leadership in Germany, how many lives could have been possibly spared? I have to be able to judge between something that is harmful and something that is good or safe. I judge a snake based upon the family that it belongs to. If it comes from a family of venomous snakes, then I must judge it harmful and I must avoid at all costs. 

Samuel Wilson said "May I beg you carefully to judge every preacher, not by his gifts, not by his elocutionary powers, not by his status in society, not by the respectability of his congregation, not by the prettiness of his church, but this — DOES HE PREACH THE WORD OF TRUTH, THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION? If he does, you’re sitting under his ministry may prove to you the means of begetting faith in you. But if he does not, you cannot expect God's blessings." I think Mr. Wilson makes a good point here. I also believe that every believer should hold themselves under the same microscope of scrutiny. It has been said that one of the most difficult things is to see yourself correctly.  

Notice the following verses. John judges the man Diotrephes.

3 John 1:9-10 (KJV)
⁹  I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
¹⁰  Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

The Apostle John lays out the fruit of this man in these two verses. Now, look at the following and you will see where he makes his judgment based upon the fruit and deeds that he has spelled out in verses 9 & 10.

3 John 1:11 (KJV)
¹¹  Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

Here in verse 11, he states that Diotrephes in his evil behavior has not truly experienced God. As hard as this is to swallow in our modern political correctness; John basically states that this man is not saved. He has judged this man! The Apostle had to judge because by his evil deeds it is obvious that Diotrphes is of the Devil’s family and not God’s. Again, like the snakes, I am not as bothered by a black snake as I am of a rattler. The difference in their families makes all the difference and they exhibit peculiar behaviors associated with each family of serpents.

John is not done judging. The following verse demonstrates him judging again.

3 John 1:12 (KJV)
¹²  Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

The great Apostle now judges Demetrius based upon “good reports” from people and that the Truth has verified his claim to being a Christian. This man is saved and is contrasted to a man who is not saved in these four verses.

Jesus implored his followers to judge and that if they didn’t the possibly of falling into the pit of darkness would be increased. Let’s look at what Jesus said concerning this necessity.

Matthew 7:15-20 (KJV)
¹⁵  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
¹⁶  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
¹⁷  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
¹⁸  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
¹⁹  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
²⁰  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

I must judge who is a wolf and who isn’t – that demands me making a judgment! How, by the doctrines they preach, the deeds they do, and by their character and behavior.

But what about “judge not, that ye be not judged!” Well, let’s look at it.

Matthew 7:1-5 (KJV)
¹  Judge not, that ye be not judged.
²  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
³  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
⁴  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
⁵  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

“This passage does not teach that judgments should never be made; Matthew 7:5 does speak of removing the speck from your brother’s eye. The Lord’s point was that a person should not be habitually critical or condemnatory of a speck of sawdust in someone else’s eye when he has a plank—a strong hyperbole for effect—in his own eye. Such action is hypocritical (You hypocrite, v. 5; cf. “hypocrites” in 6:2,5,16).”
[1]

Here are some NT commands concerning the Christian judging.

1. When disputes arise between believers, they should be settled in the church before members who can decide the matter (1 Cor. 6:1-8).

2. The local church is to judge serious sins of its members and take appropriate action (Matt. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:9-13).

3. Believers are to judge the doctrinal teaching of teachers and preachers by the Word of God (Matt. 7:15-20; 1 Cor. 14:29; 1 Jn. 4:1).

4. Christians have to discern if others are believers in order to obey Paul's command in 2 Corinthians 6:14.

5. Those in the church must judge which men have the qualifications necessary for elders and deacons (1 Tim. 3:1-13).

6. We have to discern which people are unruly, fainthearted, weak, etc., and treat them according to the instructions in the Bible (e.g., 1 Thess. 5:14).[2]

I must judge who is lazy. That is determined by their deeds and actions or lack thereof.

2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 (KJV)
¹⁰  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
¹¹  For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
¹²  Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

According to Paul, I have to judge who is a lazy bum and who isn’t.

The sad part about this is that at one time John 3:16 was the most recognized verse to unbelievers. They didn’t know any other verse in the Bible but they could quote you that one. However, today it has sadly been replaced by Matthew 7:1. The lost world didn’t come up with that on their own; they heard hypocrites use it over and over to deflect any recognition of their own sin. Now the world jumped on the bandwagon and found a verse that appeased their conscience. May God awaken true judgment in our souls again and may we forever let go of hypocritical judgmentalism that looks to justify unbiblical behavior.

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[1] The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.

[2] Believer's Bible Commentary: A Thorough, Yet Easy-to-Read Bible Commentary That Turns Complicated Theology Into Practical Understanding.

A Return to God's Message

Put this on Facebook and thought I would share this wisdom espoused by one of the late generals of the faith.

"What is a doctrine of devils? How do I know when I am hearing the doctrine of a devil? Most doctrines of the devil come out of the mouths of the false prophets who use chapters and verses of the Bible and portions of the written word taken out of context. Doctrines of devils are those which exalt the flesh without moving me in holiness toward God. A doctrine of the devil is any doctrine that excites the flesh, but whose end result does not move me towards holiness, love, dedication, sacrifice, and passion toward the Holy God." – B.H. Clendennen

Too many ministries have perverted the text into feeding the flesh on self promotion instead of taking the spiritual hide to the cross and hanging the dirty dead thing where it belongs. However, the stinking flesh is being perfumed and paraded under the banner of Christendom today. I can only imagine how close to puking God is!!

Consider a pig. You can dress it up, put perfume on it, lipstick on the snout, and it’s still a pig. I can take it out of the barnyard and put into an enclosed pasture beside it, and it will stand at the fence wishing it was still in the mud. However, if we replace the nature of the pig with the nature of a lion! He may still look like a pig but he won’t stand at the fence looking and longing to be back in the mud. Lions hate water and mud and love the open plains of the Serengeti. People will say “you can take the boy out of the country but you can’t take the country out of the boy.” The point being, when the nature changes, the entire lifestyle changes!