Well, it has been a several days since Harold Camping was again a focus for the unbelieving world to use as a line to drag our Lord Jesus Christ’s name through the mud, and then unrepentantly seek to validate his heretical dogma by spiritualizing the alleged prophecy.
I wrote, in my first installment of this matter, of how we should not rejoice in the way that such false teachers bring shame upon the Lord by not rejoicing that false gospels are wrong, for then we assume the common ground, with the world of those who believe the church is represented by such, that the message of the cross is foolishness for all the wrong reasons.
God has made the wisdom of the world foolishness already, by a message which can only be believed by the faith and repentance granted to and exercised by a regenerate nature, and that by His willing and working to do of His good pleasure as we obediently, worshipfully, thankfully work out that which He has given to us in fear and trembling; the world already knows not what this means, unless He has mercy on one or more in the world by the message of the gospel to such a renewed heart; and we are to give no common ground for a message of folly that far surpasses the message that is His true gospel.
It is sad, that as such teachers flourish, many will perish who follow their fruits of unrighteousness, and if we are seen to even agree with such who will not believe, in any case, in lampooning of these false teachers (as easy and as readily available as such is) in the mildest manner, it is my firm belief that it will be taken as confirmation of the folly the world already holds the church in, and more importantly, the Lord of glory of the true church; it is also a fact that this is a sign of the times, as our Lord stated, and His prophets and apostles, moved along by His Spirit of Holiness, also stated.
So, it is both a blessing and a curse, that we have these things to contend with, yet we must remember that judgment does begin at the house of God.
I wrote, in my first installment of this matter, of how we should not rejoice in the way that such false teachers bring shame upon the Lord by not rejoicing that false gospels are wrong, for then we assume the common ground, with the world of those who believe the church is represented by such, that the message of the cross is foolishness for all the wrong reasons.
God has made the wisdom of the world foolishness already, by a message which can only be believed by the faith and repentance granted to and exercised by a regenerate nature, and that by His willing and working to do of His good pleasure as we obediently, worshipfully, thankfully work out that which He has given to us in fear and trembling; the world already knows not what this means, unless He has mercy on one or more in the world by the message of the gospel to such a renewed heart; and we are to give no common ground for a message of folly that far surpasses the message that is His true gospel.
It is sad, that as such teachers flourish, many will perish who follow their fruits of unrighteousness, and if we are seen to even agree with such who will not believe, in any case, in lampooning of these false teachers (as easy and as readily available as such is) in the mildest manner, it is my firm belief that it will be taken as confirmation of the folly the world already holds the church in, and more importantly, the Lord of glory of the true church; it is also a fact that this is a sign of the times, as our Lord stated, and His prophets and apostles, moved along by His Spirit of Holiness, also stated.
So, it is both a blessing and a curse, that we have these things to contend with, yet we must remember that judgment does begin at the house of God.
With all else that our Lord said we would suffer in persecution, both in word and deed (and indeed, which many of our beloved brethren in far less safe areas of the world have been, and are being, martyred for the sake of His gospel and name), both in areas of social and political matters (and one wonders if there is any difference between these things, any longer!), we must yet fight the good fight under such conditions in the “free” portions of this world.
Rebuke we must, and pray we must, yet agreement with the world on these matters put forth by we who are Christ’s is not either, but the same as giving them a thumbs up, saying they are right in their assessment of our Lord and His church, and so losing the distinction we have as those who are in the world, as He was, but no longer of it, as He is not.
Rebuke we must, and pray we must, yet agreement with the world on these matters put forth by we who are Christ’s is not either, but the same as giving them a thumbs up, saying they are right in their assessment of our Lord and His church, and so losing the distinction we have as those who are in the world, as He was, but no longer of it, as He is not.
Let us then give glory to God for these things, in thanksgiving, and continue steadfast in prayer for the coming of our Lord, while trusting Him for the continued grace to still live amongst those who so blatantly drag His name and righteousness in the mire; let us stand for Christ, as He enables us by His Spirit, though we will be ridiculed and hated by all for His sake, and thank Him for the blessing of being counted worthy, by the righteousness of our Lord, to suffer such despite for His name’s sake; finally, let us not forget to share the reason for the hope that is in us with fear and trembling, knowing our Redeemer lives, and is coming again to judge the world a final time, while bidding us enter into our Father’s kingdom by the inheritance we gained at His expense, to the praise of the glory of His grace.
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