I Understand What "Evil" Is, But I Don't Understand "The Church"
But I don't understand the Church.
I apologize for posting such a long article, but I feel it is important. I do not mean to offend any one, but Jesus Christ and the true bodies of believers is first in my heart.
I can understand evil because we see its effects upon individuals, groups and nations. Wickedness lives within its own laws, NOT submitting to laws that govern societies. Man's depravity violates the Divine laws of God. Unrighteousness is guilty of unlawful deeds, springing from sinful thoughts, which cause much suffering, physical pain and mental anguish. It destroying families, communities and nations.
Evil is self worshiping, The effects produced are criminal. It violates others rights, hurting with words, slandering and false witnessing.
Scriptures tell us that the world lies in wickedness. Why? Because its source is the Devil, evil spirits and malignant demons partnering up with the devil's human disciples.
Music and dress (or lack of dress) coupled with corrupt and vile words fit only for the gutter, sustaining themselves in a money grabbing, selfish culture. A culture of young men and women marking their bodies with tattoos and various piercing. Tattooing and piercing have become a living, breathing entity. The human body lit up like a billboard, displaying dragons, snakes, skulls, crossed bones, and every sort of pagan, superstitious logo imaginable. Trash exhibited on human flesh.
The thoughts, actions and deeds of the American people for the most part are molded and directed by the Internet, Hollywood, liberal T.V., radio, and every other filthy communications. Monkey see, Monkey do.
This is evil. Those who practice it, are not shy, show no shame and brag about their accomplishments. They thumb their nose at the law, at God, at His moral standards, and then curse Him. The Christian community has become their target.
I remember Benito Mussolini, Italy's fascist dictator standing on a balcony having the most proud and arrogant look I have seen any man display. He beat his chest as though he were King Kong. His victories were short. When justice was finally served, he was shot to death on the streets. His corpse hung upside down on some street corner for the world to spit on, and mock.
Adolph Hitler upon his defeat of France stood with his generals gazing at the Eiffel tower. He stomped his foot in a jester of glee, grinning from ear to ear. His end came with poison, a bullet to the head, and a charred body.
Sadam Hussan, standing on his balcony with rifle in hand, shooting into the air. A display of power and arrogance. At the end, this coward was found on his back in a hole, filthy, scared, and unrepentant. He surrendered without a fight, was found guilty in a court of law and hung. In the hanging one would say, he lost his head.
Evil I understand, because it is obvious. But the church I do not understand. Certain forms of evil seem to be seeping through the cracks of the churches foundation, and the cracks are growing larger. What's my problem?
I observe in debates, religious programing, church decrees, and the like, a lack of interest in Scriptural truths. A lack of honesty on one side or the other, seem to prevail with those who enter into debates or Bible studies.
The teachings from denomination to denomination have been privatized. These teachings are then carried over by members of these denominations to debates, discussions, question and answer sessions and the like. Why?
It's a total commitment to a particular view. Speculation overshadowing Biblical truths. Individual standpoints molded by the church attended, being led by self appointed pastors who influence others in their personal teachings. Secular books being taught side by side with the Bible, as if they were equal. In any case those who teach in the abstract, idealist, adhering to philosophical theories. These are not willing to retreat in their position, even if the facts refute their stand. Nor is, "reasoning together" even a consideration.
We have one Bible, one faith, and one God. But from the discussions and debates that are going on, you would think there were two Bibles, having many opinions all being correct. Debates are good, if parties are willing to learn through the exchange of ideas, and the discernment of Biblical truths. In this, truth can be nailed down. Following are some of the debated subjects that have divided the Christian community.
1. Is Jesus God? Yes or no. Those who say no, reject a mountain of Scriptural evidence, yet they argue on.
2. Did Jesus die, return to life, then ascend to heaven?
3. God's election and predestination of the saved and the unsaved. Does it mean that God saves some and not others?
4. When is the rapture? Is it going to be a pre, mid, post, tribulation event?
5. Is praying to individuals such as Mary, Jude, Joseph, or any other Scriptural?
6. Can women be pastors?
7. Is praying or speaking in some unknown private, not of this earth language Scriptural? This teaching has single handily divided multi millions of Christians.
8. Is once saved always saved a Biblical teaching?
The Bible teaches, 2 Thes.2:3, before the day of the Lord comes, there shall, "come a falling away first." So instead of teaching the most basic of saving truths to a skeptical world, many corporate powers are attempting to draw people with various forms of hocus pocus, signs and wonders. The unlearned being entertained by song and dance right into the lake of fire.
Let me give you an example. Lets go to question one.
Is Jesus God? Throughout history, there has been no love lost between the Catholic and Protestant churches. Yet both fully agree that Jesus is God. Is this a coincidence? No, Its a Biblical fact, that's why they agree on this issue.
Those who say Jesus is not God support this teaching with one or two misunderstood verses. They point to John 14:28, when Jesus said, "I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I." Or they remind us that Jesus came to do the Father's will, not His. Yet they reject the following verses concerning Jesus being God.
1. John 1:1-14, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word (Jesus) was with God (the Father,) and the Word (Jesus) was God," with, ver.14, "The Word (Jesus) was made flesh."
2. Gen.1:1, "in the beginning God created," compared with, Col.1:16, speaking of Jesus, "By Him (Jesus) were all things created," with, Heb.1:10, Speaking of Jesus, "Thou LORD, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth," So if God created, and Jesus is named as the one who laid the foundations of the earth, then Jesus is God.
3. Isaiah believed in one God, Jehovah. He prophesied in Isa.9:6, the Son that would be given, the child that was to be born of a woman would be called the, "might God." If Isaiah did not mean the child to be born among men was God come in the flesh, then Isaiah believed in two God's and should have been stoned to death.
Paul verifies this in 1 Tim.3:19, K.J.V. "God (Jesus) was manifest (showed Himself) in the flesh."
5. Rev.1:8, Jesus said, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, -- which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."
And there is so much more. Yet with all this evidence, the debate goes on that Jesus is not God. If one remains stubborn in this area, at least be honest and stop calling yourself a Christian. Call yourself a believer in Arianism, or a Jehovah Witness. These are your allies in this doctrine, also the Mormons, Muslims, Atheists etc. who teach that Jesus is not God. Nice friends to be yoked with, don't you think?
So what are the characteristics, and stance the church is to show and practice?
The true church is called out by God, summoned as an assembly or congregation, and united as one. It is to be a body morally and spiritually legal and lawful in the eyes of her founder. She is to wear the name of His office,
"Christ- ian" with love and humility. Christian's are to continue Jesus work, to be an example, and a light to a fallen world.
God has laid out His work for her, and given us His Gospel to spread among the nations. His Holy Spirit has given out certain gifts to help in these things, and to guide the faithful in these endeavors.
Again, what's the problem?
A total lack of unity. Unbridled selfishness, greed, and a quest for power. As a hammer can crush an ice cube with one blow, the hammer of pride and selfishness has fragmented and destabilized the body of Christ. Denomination competing against denomination as if salvation were some sort of game.
This is what the face of the body of Christ looks like today. The secular community laughs at the church, and its leaders. Hollywood influences, and similarities have overtaken many churches. This in there presentations, music, speech, displays and ceremonies. Some pastor's can win academy awards for their theatrics. Churches have become a stage, a sideshow, an entertainment mecca for its members, it giving outsiders something to gawk at.
If my future wife had the attitude of our modern churches, I would file for divorce. She argues, is selfish, self appointing, fragmented in her thoughts and actions, disrespectful, a liar and busy body. She teaches and promotes false doctrines in her places of worship, and to her children. Has many bad habits, is careless, prostitutes herself, complacent, at times comatose and apostate.
Many of the so called shepherds are not shepherds at all. Pastors, and teachers claiming to be called out by God, but in truth, are self-appointed. What is it they do?
They teach the truth in part only. Educating others in doctrines that divide and cause concern to the rest of the body of believers. Leaders of the church are to be servants and shepherds, humble and respectful to the God they worship, leaders of the flock.
What they have become are takers, working iniquity. They turn out from their factories, defective products. Products that don't work. The administrating powers of these churches are unwilling to commit to the truth, unwilling to relent from substituted doctrines which they profess to be new revelations.
This is the church today, acting as if it belonged to men. Main line churches building walls so high that Christians from other congregations are afraid to dscuss the Bible. Even Jesus Christ stands on the outside looking in. Self appointed men, teaching the doctrines of unholy spirts.
Jesus said upon this Rock I will build my church. The church was to be universal. It was to have one message, one Holy Spirit, one Lord, one Saviour, one salvation, one path leading to the Father.
Certain men have gathered their own rocks and built their own foundation. They turn to finger pointing. They steal that which belongs to Jesus Christ. The problem? Pride, selfishness, self-deception and Hypocrisy, these are the products being produced today in the Christian community.
Old saying, "To many chiefs, and not enough Indians." Everyone has something to say, He said, she said, forget what Christ Jesus said. There is only one Chief, one Head, and the sooner church leaders realize this, the sooner the cure can be found.
Part two. The many faces put on by church leaders.
Selfishness and self deception.
The word, "self," is united to certain personal pronouns and distinctions. Self signifies personal interest, or the love of private interests, concerned only for one's self.
It is sometimes described as the supreme preference, or self-loving flaws of men. This self-focus leads them in their actions, to direct their purposes in a way that advances their own self interests and power, this without any regard for the interests of others.
Selfishness in its worst or unqualified sense, is the very essence of human depravity, and stands in direct opposition to the desire to do, or be good. To do good, is the essence of the Christ's character. As God is love, so man, in his natural state is selfishness.
Self-deception includes all the various deceits that men practice in forming a judgment, or receiving an impression of their own state, character, and conduct. It also includes deceptions which make men and woman impose upon themselves, the making of promises which are broken and contracts which are never kept.
Deception of others, and self-deception.
1. Church leaders who judge their own character, conferring the idea of self-examination. Heaping upon themselves credit for their own good traits and character.
2. They take credit from others. Credit which they really are not entitled to have.
3. They assign to themselves the highest praise, speaking of their achievements as being the ultimate good.
4. They flatter themselves. Indulge in the idea that their failures are but individual acts into which they have been drawn by some temptation, situation, victimization, or chance.
5. Self-deception confuses their understanding. Natural ways and common ideas are not understood by them. Their goals are rarely achieved, because they stay only for a short time, things that require time, patience, and dedication. Self deception takes control of their impulses, feelings, and the determination of their will, therefore failure prevails.
6. They mark as good their own settled tenants, truths, assertions, and actions. Heap praise upon themselves, though the results they achieve are nothing but mere effects of natural conditions and conclusions.
7. They judge what they see, and not the motives of a persons. Yet when judging themselves, they overrate their own worth, by overestimating the motives of their actions.
8. They deceive themselves by comparing their actual character with their former character and conduct. They believe that their defects or faults may improve with the passing of time, age, or some altered circumstance.
9. They buy into various unnatural methods of rooting out that which they believe to be defective or imperfect.
10. They usually congratulate themselves on the absence of any bad habits, or actions which they are under no temptation or position to commit.
11. They deceive themselves by imagining that what they believe and teach is true, and is not.
12. They may have a form of remorse = (I'm sorry), but, usually, it does not lead to true repentance.
13. They form improper judgements on others.
13. They attempt to force, or pass their own ideas and ways upon others.
The objects as to which the Christian community deceives itself in religious doctrines, environments, and movements are numerous. Imposing their will upon historical facts, Biblical doctrines, religious experiences, sin, heaven, hell, and God Himself.
The causes for self-deception are backed by powerful spiritual entities. Self-deception has many faces, and carries an awful consequence. It renders men slaves of procrastination = (putting off things), leads other to overate themselves, flattering themselves with the idea of easy victories, confirming evil deeds, which in turn, expose them to many ensnarement.
Hypocrisy:
Pretending to be what one is not, or to believe what one does not, and to be more virtuous or religious than one really is.
Scriptures describes hypocrisy as having the form of godliness, but without the power. A hypocrite assumes an appearance of holiness, but is without the practice and virtue of holiness. In extreme cases it is one who is totally destitute of true religion, and assumes a false appearance.
The root of Hypocrisy is, "the Love of Money."
1 Tim.6:10, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
Teachers, pastors and their followers who are religious in appearance, but are vain and self glorifying in thought and deed, such as
1. Hypocrisy in Giving:
2. Hypocrisy in Praying:
3. Hypocrisy in fasting:
Appearing godly, special, charitable and being workers of good deeds. In reality they glory in their own works. Clean on the outside, but filthy on the inside. Their glory is with men, temporary and fleeting.
Hypocritical religious leadership.
Wolves in sheep's clothing. A wicked lying minister is the worst of all men. A user of the flock.
Timothy, connected with Gnostic errors, the seeds of which had already been sown in the Church. 2 Tim.2:18, "Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already: and overthrow the faith of some."
These who fell away were giving heed to seducing spirits. Evil spirits who work in false teachers. This is the spirit of error, as opposed to the Spirit of truth.
1 Tim.4:1-2, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. Speaking lies in; having their conscience seared with a hot iron."
Hypocrisy Ruins Others.
Matt.23:15-16, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. For ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him two-fold more the child of hell than yourselves."
The precepts of God given by Jesus, the apostiles and the prophets give to us all we need to enter into God's saving grace. Yet many worship externally, having no heartfelt love for God. Worship from the heart is what God desires. Hypocrites were unmasked by Jesus, and should be unmasked by us.
We are closing in on the second coming of our Lord, and many are unable to discern the signs around them.
Many Christians today are not asking for a sign, but are asking for more signs, in this they tempt God. Daniels sixty-ninth week are concluded. The doctrines Jesus taught, the miracles done, the sending out of the apostiles, the building of the church, these were the signs. We now live in the times of the, "falling away of the faithful."
Are you guilty? Are you desiring further verifications of the presence of the Holy Spirit? If so, What happened to faith? If your churches main theme is the show of signs, wonders, and miracles, step away now.
Storm clouds were drawing near, many continue in darkness. Pretenders in the faith, giving false impression of receiving special gifts, claiming to have exclusive influences, a private communication with the Holy Spirit and elevating themselves to a position of a favored son.
The Lord reads their hearts, knowing their design was to first betray and eventually destroy His Bride, causing her to commit to adultery. An evil and adulteress generation is upon us. Take heed to yourselves, only by faith are ye saved and not by works.
He who caresses another more then is usual, has either deceived you, or is about to do so. Their goal, to ensnare, entrap, and to ruin.
To enter a home one must unlock the door to gain entrance, so also does the knowledge of Scriptures open the doors to the kingdom of heaven. This is not the key to open knowledge, but knowledge is the only key to heaven.
Those who mislead others are destitute of Scriptural knowledge, are said to, "shut up the kingdom," because they have taken the place of others who can and should teach. When and if they find the truth, they rejected it.
The faithful must strive for strict self-inquiry, prayer, watchfulness, a good conscience, dependent of God's written promises, His providence, grace, conforming to the Son's righteousness and truth.
Yes I understand evil because it is so obvious, and those who partake in it are bold, bragging upon it. The church I do not understand because of the hypocrisy, selfishness, stubbornness, greed and lack of unity in it.
That's my case. How do you feel about it?
Thank you,
Phillp LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com