Thursday, August 1, 2019

The Judas's of Our Time

Be careful who you honor or worship. When we hold people on a pedestal we are in danger of idolatry.

In past years there was a man the home schoolers thought was the epitome of righteousness. He wrote a book called, "I Kissed Dating Goodbye", his name was Joshua Harris. He was a very young man when he wrote this book.

This man became a pastor of a mega church having become popular among many.

Just recently Mr. Harris denounced Jesus Christ, stating that he was no longer a Christian. He apologized for writing the book and declared that dating was a good thing. He also defended the homosexual agenda as he walked away from Christianity.

No one can be born again and walk away. This man was never born again putting on a good show to be elevated and praised but on the inside he was not changed into a new creation by Christ. It is people like him that make me wonder how many people in the pulpits of this country are not authentically born again.

From Heavy.com News:
Here are his own words: " “I have lived in repentance for the past several years—repenting of my self-righteousness, my fear-based approach to life, the teaching of my books, my views of women in the church, and my approach to parenting to name a few. But I specifically want to add to this list now: to the LGBTQ+ community, I want to say that I am sorry for the views that I taught in my books and as a pastor regarding sexuality. I regret standing against marriage equality, for not affirming you and your place in the church, and for any ways that my writing and speaking contributed to a culture of exclusion and bigotry. I hope you can forgive me.⁣⁣”

On His Christian faith, Harris explained, “I have undergone a massive shift in regard to my faith in Jesus. The popular phrase for this is ‘deconstruction,’ the biblical phrase is ‘falling away.’ By all the measurements that I have for defining a Christian, I am not a Christian. Many people tell me that there is a different way to practice faith and I want to remain open to this, but I’m not there now.⁣⁣”
Unquote

This is an example of the reason it is a bad idea to extol anyone. No one can know the condition of a man's heart. Usually it can be revealed eventually by challenges to the truths in the Bible. A pretender cannot tolerate being challenged to walk in a more holy fashion. My guess is that there were others who saw the clues and signs before the defection to the dark side.

Walking away from a wife and Christ while defending and embracing the homosexual agenda does not happen over night. It is a process of changed thinking usually based on the enticement to sin and then the defense of that sin. A born again believer does not do this!

Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"

Do not be afraid to challenge one another in the Word, it could and often does reveal clues that someone may be a pretender.

This begs the question, "How many leaders in churches today have never been born again?"  Here is one case in which the man tasted the good fruit, knew the truth and even pretended to love it, but never became born again, just like Judas.

2 Corinthians 13:4-5 "…4 For He was indeed crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s power. And though we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you. 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you— unless you actually fail the test? "


1 John 2:19-20 "19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us. 20 You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth."










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