Sad and Dangerous Days for Christian Churches
This post is going to make me very unpopular with many people. I will not apologize for what I state but I want my readers to know that this is not coming from hate or judgement. It is out of love for the body of Christ. If you are not a follower and believer of Jesus Christ, who is God who took human form to pay the price for the sins of human beings so that those who accept this gift of redemption will not spend eternity in hell, it does not pertain to you so you do not need to take any umbrage by it.
All that being said, I read today that a Lutheran Church ordained a trans-gender pastor and celebrated this past Sunday his/her renaming of their self. I guess that this church has not read the book of Revelation or if it has, has rejected the Holy Bible. If the former is true there is still hope. If the latter is true, then I fear for that church and for those within it who have been mislead.
To the Church in Pergamum
12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
To the Church in Thyatira
18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
The Bible defines sexual immorality as adultery, fornication (pre-marital sex), homosexuality, orgies, prostitution, sex as a form of worship and idolatry, to mention a few.
So I have to ask the question: Would God want a practicing homosexual or a transgender, or a fornicator, or one who indulges in perverse sexual practices to be acknowledged as a leader chosen by Him to lead His church? I am not talking about a person who has repented and changed their ways. I am talking about a person who currently engages is a lifestyle contrary to what the Bible teaches. If you read the Bible, which is God's word and book of life for those who follow Him, you will have to answer no. I am not saying according to human viewpoint or human standards. I am stating according to the standards He has set and written in His word.
The churches who have allowed, supported, and promoted these practices are in danger of having God's lamp stand removed by God. What does that mean? It means that He no longer will bless, support, and accept the worship to Him from those churches and those who follow the "new" practices of those churches.
You might ask why am I posting this? My answer is so that people who might be led astray can see that this event and others like it, are not only unacceptable to God but rejected by Him. Does that mean that God hates these people? Absolutely not! He loves them. He hates the sin. He hates that His bride is being corrupted in the name of "acceptance and tolerance " of those actions He has clearly and unambiguously labeled as sin and deserving prohibition to His Kingdom.
God is our judge and He alone makes the decision but He expects us to discern between right and wrong. Let me repeat. God and God alone is the judge. I state this for my mislead brothers and sisters who might be tempted to spew hate speech. Again, while God finds these sins as reviling, He still loves those who commit the sins far greater than you or I can comprehend. I would caution the finger pointing because He also finds, lying, cheating, gossiping, slander, etc. equally as reviling as those involved in sexually immoral practices. He also loves those who are involved in those sins as well and with the same level of unfathomable passion. He chose to die for us instead of making us pay the price.
God was angry with the Pharisees who used His law as a way to promote their own importance and subjugate His people. He created the law so that we could be aware of our sinful behavior. He also knew that no human being was impervious to sin as the Pharisees believed about themselves and lorded it over the people. Pharisaical behavior has been found in the church for hundreds of years. So much so that the emerged judgementalism was so harsh that it drove people away from God as well. He can't be happy about that either. As a result, many churches have become afraid to exercise church discipline. So much so, that what was once considered as abomination has now become acceptable as a way to show tolerance and absence of judgement.
God takes his authority and delegated authority very serious and expects us to do so as well. His human leaders and teachers, that He has called, are held to a higher standard:
Matthew 18: 6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!
I urge all of my brothers and sisters to be very careful, and prayerful when considering a church or church leader. You may be indignant about this or you may think that this wrong etc. I again will say that if you are not a believer, this does not concern you, however; if you are, and you feel that I am wrong, I would urge you to pray, read the Bible, and pray some more. All 3.
One last thing, I reemphasize to my fellow believers, this is not an opportunity for judgement or false self righteousness. It is a time for sorrow and prayer. So grieve, mourn, pray, and stay out of God's way. He will, as He has said, deal with it.
All that being said, I read today that a Lutheran Church ordained a trans-gender pastor and celebrated this past Sunday his/her renaming of their self. I guess that this church has not read the book of Revelation or if it has, has rejected the Holy Bible. If the former is true there is still hope. If the latter is true, then I fear for that church and for those within it who have been mislead.
To the Church in Pergamum
12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
To the Church in Thyatira
18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
The Bible defines sexual immorality as adultery, fornication (pre-marital sex), homosexuality, orgies, prostitution, sex as a form of worship and idolatry, to mention a few.
So I have to ask the question: Would God want a practicing homosexual or a transgender, or a fornicator, or one who indulges in perverse sexual practices to be acknowledged as a leader chosen by Him to lead His church? I am not talking about a person who has repented and changed their ways. I am talking about a person who currently engages is a lifestyle contrary to what the Bible teaches. If you read the Bible, which is God's word and book of life for those who follow Him, you will have to answer no. I am not saying according to human viewpoint or human standards. I am stating according to the standards He has set and written in His word.
The churches who have allowed, supported, and promoted these practices are in danger of having God's lamp stand removed by God. What does that mean? It means that He no longer will bless, support, and accept the worship to Him from those churches and those who follow the "new" practices of those churches.
You might ask why am I posting this? My answer is so that people who might be led astray can see that this event and others like it, are not only unacceptable to God but rejected by Him. Does that mean that God hates these people? Absolutely not! He loves them. He hates the sin. He hates that His bride is being corrupted in the name of "acceptance and tolerance " of those actions He has clearly and unambiguously labeled as sin and deserving prohibition to His Kingdom.
God is our judge and He alone makes the decision but He expects us to discern between right and wrong. Let me repeat. God and God alone is the judge. I state this for my mislead brothers and sisters who might be tempted to spew hate speech. Again, while God finds these sins as reviling, He still loves those who commit the sins far greater than you or I can comprehend. I would caution the finger pointing because He also finds, lying, cheating, gossiping, slander, etc. equally as reviling as those involved in sexually immoral practices. He also loves those who are involved in those sins as well and with the same level of unfathomable passion. He chose to die for us instead of making us pay the price.
God was angry with the Pharisees who used His law as a way to promote their own importance and subjugate His people. He created the law so that we could be aware of our sinful behavior. He also knew that no human being was impervious to sin as the Pharisees believed about themselves and lorded it over the people. Pharisaical behavior has been found in the church for hundreds of years. So much so that the emerged judgementalism was so harsh that it drove people away from God as well. He can't be happy about that either. As a result, many churches have become afraid to exercise church discipline. So much so, that what was once considered as abomination has now become acceptable as a way to show tolerance and absence of judgement.
God takes his authority and delegated authority very serious and expects us to do so as well. His human leaders and teachers, that He has called, are held to a higher standard:
Matthew 18: 6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!
I urge all of my brothers and sisters to be very careful, and prayerful when considering a church or church leader. You may be indignant about this or you may think that this wrong etc. I again will say that if you are not a believer, this does not concern you, however; if you are, and you feel that I am wrong, I would urge you to pray, read the Bible, and pray some more. All 3.
One last thing, I reemphasize to my fellow believers, this is not an opportunity for judgement or false self righteousness. It is a time for sorrow and prayer. So grieve, mourn, pray, and stay out of God's way. He will, as He has said, deal with it.
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