Thorntown Community Service

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Rom. 1:16

Over the years, I have watched as the emphasis in the Church has changed from preaching the plan of salvation to adapting to the life of the sinner. (Although you do not call them sinners, they are disenfranchised.) The message is one-sided. We preach and teach about a God of love and forget the God of wrath. One writer put it this way, A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.

For whatever reason, ministers have been adjusting the gospel of Jesus Christ. Is it because they are ashamed of the gospel of Christ? Very few ministers want to preach about the death of Christ, paying for the sins of humanity through His substitutionary death on the Cross. This requires them to address the nature of sin and its result, which is spiritual death and eternal punishment. 

Many churches have lost sight of the message of the gospel-repentance. The transformation that the plan of salvation gives to the individual will answer the needs of society. The Church will never alleviate the suffering of humanity caused by poverty, disease, oppressive work conditions, society's injustices, civil rights abuses, drug abuse, abortions, broken marriages, and a host of other social issues. Those who preach this "gospel" also believed that relief from their spiritual ailments of misery would improve the moral nature of those so deprived.

The Church has bought into the "War on Poverty," and the "War on Drugs." After 54 years and 22 trillion dollars poverty, today is the same as when President Johnson declared an unconditional war on poverty. The War on Drugs is a waste of time, money, and lives. It cannot be won. It has been a failure. There is a higher drug problem today than when the war on drugs began in 1971. We spend $52 billion a year on this war. We will never alleviate the issues of society by addressing the symptoms. We must address the root cause, which is sin. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ can transform the heart of the sinner and free them from the bondage in which they live.

I understand that many ministers believe you can reach more people with honey than with vinegar. They think a message of love is all that is needed. However, their message of "love only" has compromised the biblical message of repentance and has dishonored God, who gave His Son to provide a means to redeem humanity. Those who attempt to reach the lost without confronting their sins are operating on a false premise ". .a way which seems right unto a man" is not the way God's plan of salvation works. The problems of the world are all symptoms of the root cause of man's problems-sin.

If you think for one minute that putting aside differences for the common good, treating others the way we want to be treated, acting morally, ethically, and sacrificially—and that doing so will endear humans to God, you are deceived. When men deny God's perfect plan of salvation and reject His perfect justice, they deny the sacrificial atonement of His Son for the sins of man. Salvation is "not of works, lest any man should boast." In fact, it is "by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Ephesians:2:8-9 There is no other way because God's perfect justice demanded that the penalty for sin for every human ("for all have sinned"-Romans:3:23

The only hope for reconciliation with God is through the name of Jesus: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John:14:6)

A few years ago, I was put in the class of a bigot who was unloving and did not have a love of Christ in my heart. Why? Because I could not embrace the corrupt practices and lifestyles of those who have been "disenfranchised" by society, and that means supporting them in their struggles brought on by their lifestyles of sin. I was informed that Jesus associated with the "disenfranchised" people of society. That is true. However, he did not embrace their sinful ways, but instead told them to "go and sin no more."

Is it any wonder our churches are filled with people who don't know that they needed to repent of their sins (if they even grasp what those sins are). It is no surprise, then, that those who have never been called to repentance begin to ask the Church to accept their sin as normal behavior, and ask the preacher to not preach out against their lifestyles. 

We are no longer preaching a message of repentance from sin, but have changed the message to social relating. We are ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ and have replaced the voice of God with the view of human reasoning. The news today is God's plan of salvation is suspect and should be avoided. Many ministers are afraid if they preach against sin and the punishment that sin brings, they will offend people. Lives will never be transformed until the message of repentance is given.

It is time for the Church to wake up and realize that God's plan of salvation is the only hope for the ailments of society. We cannot see individuals freed from the bondage of sin when we distort God's method of reaching those bound in the chains of sin. When we preach another gospel other than the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are rejecting the authority of God and denying the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ for the atonement of sin.

At present, the Body of Christ stands at a crossroads. In our present society, there has been a significant shift in worldview and Christianity. We are living in an era where the world is turned upside down. For over 1500 years, Christian Truth has been taken for granted. Today, however, Christians can no longer depend on the present culture to back up the teachings of Christianity. After centuries of a privileged status, Christians have become "Christ-less" in their actions.    

This move towards a more "loving" direction has weakened the message of salvation. When Christians are afraid to confront evil because it might offend the evildoer, then the message of salvation is no longer life-changing. In looking at the life of Christ, he spoke the Truth about the scribes and Pharisees when he called them hypocrites, children of the devil, and the blind leaders of the blind. This language was given in love as a warning of what would happen if they did not turn from their wicked ways.   

Ministers are more enlightened than Christ. His message was filled with hate speech, bigotry, and was unloving. In the world of the political correct un-offending love is the message of the Church today; if it offends, it is not a message of love. Even though Christ gave us the command to love our enemies, he did not command us to support their evil ways and condone their sinful actions. Is it not love when we warn someone of the impending doom is coming their way if they continue down a path of evil? Is it not love when we speak the Truth so that decisions can be made that will alter the course of a destructive life? Is it not love to talk about the Truth? 

There is hunger in the world for lives that live in the power of Jesus Christ. There is a hunger for authentic Christianity. The Old Testament prophets did not hate the people they hated their actions and lifestyles. 

It is time for the Church to return to the ways of Truth and Life. It is time to cast aside the ideas which have separated us from God and to allow the message of Truth to become once again the life-changing message it has been since the time of Christ. There is a desperate need to change quickly to seek a transformation that results in total surrender to Christ. 

It is time to dispense with the lies and tell the Truth. We live in a society that lives on lies because no one wants to hear the Truth---we accept the lies and deny the Truth. 

The Church has lost its first love and has forsaken the Truth. Some misinformed Christians believe that we are not to be critical of the evildoers. However, we are given an example by the same Apostle Paul that told us to submit to those who are in leadership. In his letter to the Church at Thessalonica, Paul says, "You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God, we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.

On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ, we could have asserted our authority." 

Paul states speaking the Truth resulted in him being treated outrageously. He goes on to identify the group who was creating him problems. "You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way, they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last." If Paul were speaking today, he would be accused of hate speech toward the Jews. Did he hate them? No. In fact, Paul said, "Brothers and sisters, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved." Rom 10:1 He was showing them love by telling them the Truth. 

It is time to get back to speaking the Truth. If we want to preach a message of "love," then it must be based on the Truth. 

In 535 B.C., a Bible prophet saw what was happening to his nation. The same is happening in our country.

Zechariah 11:16 "For behold, I am going to raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for the perishing, seek the scattered, heal the broken, or sustain the one standing (godless leadership), but will devour the flesh of the fat sheep and tear off their hoofs . . ."

Because the spiritual hoofs have been torn off our people by self-serving church leaders who have forsaken God, we no longer know how to walk the Christian walk. It wasn't always that way. There was a time when Christians in this country put serving the LORD first. Their priorities were spiritual rather than material. There was a loyalty to the Church and its mission. Today, we worry about how to protect our assets when the dollar goes belly up or the stock market crashes, as both will happen soon.

Before the LORD brought judgment on Jerusalem, the prophet Ezekiel received a message from the LORD:

Ezekiel 9:4 "The LORD said to him, 'Go through the midst of the city. . . and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.' And to the others (angels) he said in mine hearing, 'Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary.' Then they began at the ancient men (the church leaders) which were before the house" (of the Lord, - the Church).

Do you believe a sovereign God, Creator of the Universe, is going to act differently now, just because you go to Church on Sunday, know the four spiritual laws, and have said the sinner's prayer? As He did in Israel so long ago, the Lord is once again putting His mark on His remnant. If you have that mark, you know it because you recognize the lateness of the hour. How late? 

Isaiah 26:20-27:1 (NAS) "Come, my people, enter into your rooms and close your doors behind you; Hide for a little while until indignation runs its course. For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; and the earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer cover her slain. In that day the LORD will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, With His fierce and great and mighty sword, Even Leviathan the twisted serpent; and He will kill the dragon (Satan) who lives in the sea."

It's not going to be easy for those who speak the Truth. From here on out everyday, we are closer to a time when the wheat and tares will be separated. For those who believe that they do not need to watch and pray and be ready because they will be "raptured" out of the troubles coming on use remember what the prophet Amos said:

Amos 5:18-20 "Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! To what end is it for you? The day of the LORD (comes during a time of spiritual) darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the LORD (come during a time of spiritual) darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?"

We are living in that day, are you ready? Are you ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ?