We are living in difficult times. Especially difficult for those who love and follow Jesus Christ.
We live among "Christians" who think the Bible is a book of suggestions, some good and some to ignore. They become angry when the principles of the Bible are brought to bare on any conversation but call themselves "Bible believing" Christians.
We have no right to call ourselves Bible believing if we negate any part of God's Word. Not all of the Bible was written to us, but all of it was written for us.
When God presents a principle in His Word we can count on it as a direction and command to us. The old testament commands about food were given to the Jews before the death of Christ, after He came He gave a new directive about food. The old testament directives were finished and the new directive is clearly presented in the New Testament, the time of the church.
"The New Testament is hidden in the Old and the Old is revealed in the new."
We do not do all the practices of the Jews but the reason for those practices are revealed and bring us good lessons about our relationship with Christ as well as other human beings.
It is clear that the end times bring with it a staunch rebellion against God and all His principles. Many people in churches today are cherry picking which verses they wish to follow and negating the ones they do not like.
When an authentic Bible believer comes along to bring to bear ALL principles from God's Word as valid and all practices of the New Testament remain commands, they are ignored, mocked and isolated from those who wish to "do what is right in their own eyes."
Much of scripture is twisted to justify sin as well as even celebrate it. One of the most monstrous doctrines of our day is hyper-grace in which it is taught that God no longer hates sin, its really no big deal, we just place it under the blood and all is good.
This monstrous belief in hyper-grace has trampled on the terrible sacrifice of the cross and the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:1-2 "1 What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?…"
What part of "certainly not" do the presumptuous types not understand. Christ did not die on that horrid death on the cross to make it more comfortable to sin. He died to do away with sin. He died that we might live free of sin. If we fall then He provided an advocate for us and the way of confession to be cleansed of our sin.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
God hates sin so much that it required the killing of the innocent Lamb of God. How then can so many who claim to be Christian take sin so lightly as to excuse it as being under grace.
Those who obey the command to love God with all their heart, soul and mind, hate sin as much as God does. Sin will not be ignored by these who love Him, it will be dealt with in order to bring the sinner to confession to be cleansed.
Never be intimidated by those who call us unloving because we speak truth to help others learn to walk circumspectly (carefully looking around, watchful and alert) with God.
When I looked up the definition of "circumspect" I realized it had far more to do with being alert, discreet and watchful than it did with merely being upright.
When we realize the depth of circumspection it leaves us astonished at how superficially words have been interpreted in our day.
As born again believers we ought to be growing deeper in our wisdom as we question all things, evaluate all things and hold fast to the truth of those things God shows us.
The world will be angry that we want to go deeper, they love their superficiality, its less work to be ignorant. When we find ourselves ignorant about a spiritual matter we ought to desire to know the depth of the truth.
Be warned that we are surrounded by people who do not appreciate depth to become wiser. They will not encourage us or involve themselves with our quest to learn God's truth. Thankfully we have the Holy Spirit and will not be without companionship even if no people are in the room, we will always have Christ.
What a blessing when we do meet others who love to question and evaluate all things according to God's Word and through prayer.
John 16:12-14 "…12 I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it. 13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you."
Hallelujah!!!!
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