I have had young people tell me they would never wear a tie for anyone nor would they dress up to go to meet the president of the United States. The people who say these things are giving themselves away, clearly showing their disdain for authority and the expectations of others in authority.
My answer to these men was that we are to defer to others for the sake of those others. I notice these same men wore tuxedos to their own weddings. They wore the tuxedo to their own wedding because that event was about them. They are selfish enough to do what makes them look good for their own sake, but would not defer to others when it does not make them special or elevated.
Matthew 7:15-20
You Will Know Them by Their Fruits
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
Fruit of the Spirit are character qualities that affect our actions and the way we think. When we only do what makes ourselves look good or special, then we are selfish to the core.
These same men would mock the pretty table settings of their mother in law or mother, but will take their wives to a fancy restaurant that has all the beauty of a castle, are demonstrating clearly their self absorbed status.
People who love themselves more than anyone else often are terribly inconsistent. They cannot allow others to shine, they must be the focus of all praise and they must mock anyone who takes attention away from themselves.
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
When selfish people mock the ways of God, cannot possibly possess the fruit of the Spirit. They are not loving, they have no joy, they are not peacable, patient, kind or any of the other qualities. These people need to find Christ, to be changed into a new creation by Him.
2 Corinthians 5:16-18 "…16 So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:…"
The world is becoming a very ugly place, there is much need for constant instruction in righteousness because it is so lacking in human interactions. The arrogance of the young is growing exponentially, without any sign of abating.
We grieve as we watch the growth of disrespect and dishonor for people and for good things. The things that we grew up with, manners and excellence in hospitality have diminished so much so that they seem nearly completely gone.
The principles of the Bible are not important to these rebellious types. Those who claim to be Christians say that they are following the Bible but in close inspection they do not. Much of what they do is based on psychology and modern traditions, rather than God's Word.
When we mention God's word to these people they become angry, even raging as though we did something wrong in speaking about Christ. This is the face of the apostate church, they say they believe in God and say they believe the Bible while at the same time ignoring and even mocking His principles and commands. They are frequently removing passages of the Bible from their context to justify their own desires and to elevate self.
2 Timothy 3 shows us what the last days apostate church will look like and in verse 5 He says to remove ourselves from them. These people will not encourage us to continue with God but will work to mock us into silence. We cannot allow them to diminish our walk by associating with them. They are not reachable because they are stubborn and self righteous, they will not listen, these are those who are controlled by the devil.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
“Difficult Times Will Come”
"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
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