A Godly Word For Ungodly Times

JUDE 1-4, 17-25

A GODLY WORD FOR UNGODLY TIMES

THE MORE I PASTOR – MORE APPRECIATION – EARLY CHURCH PIONEERS: PETER, JAMES, JOHN, BARNABAS, SILAS, PAUL, AND EVEN JUDE. THE EARLY CHURCH PIONEERS HAD A PASSION FOR KINGDOM LIVING, KINGDOM BUILDING, AND KINGDOM EXPANSION. THEY DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO DEAL WITH TRIVIAL ISSUES SUCH AS:

DIET,

WASHING OF HANDS,

CIRCUMCISION,

BAPTISM,

SPEAKING IN TONGUES,

DENOMINATIONALISM . . .

YET, WHILE THEY PREFERRED NOT TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES IT WAS INCUMBERANT UPON THEM TO DO SO.

ESPECIALLY – FALSE DOCTRINE/FALSE TEACHING.

SUCH IS MY TASK TODAY.

RECENTLY, A PROMINENT BISHOP WITHIN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY CAME OUT WITH A HERETICAL TEACHING ENTITLED “DOCRINE OF INCLUSIVITY.” A DOCTRINE WHICH MAINTAINS THAT CHRIST’S DEATH ACCOMPLISHED ITS PURPOSE OF RECONCILING ALL MANKIND TO GOD. THE DEATH OF CHRIST MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR GOD TO ACCEPT MAN AND, IN FACT, AND INDEED, HE HAS DONE SO. THE SUBSTITUTIONAL DEATH OF CHRIST NOT ONLY MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR GOD TO ACCEPT MANKIND AS TOTALLY CLEAN BEFORE HIM BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT SHOWED OR PROVED GOD’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR HIS OWN CREATIVE HANDIWORK. AS A RESULT, WHATEVER SEPARATION NOW EXISTS BETWEEN MAN AND THE BENEFITS OF GOD’S GRACE IS SUBJECTIVE IN NATURE; IT IS ILLUSIONARY, EXISTING ONLY IN MAN’S UNREGENERATED MIND, HIS UNENLIGHTENED OR UNIFORMED WAY OF THINKING.

SOUNDS WONDERFUL/INTELLECTUAL/RELIGIOUS

SOUNDS LIKE IT IS SUPPORTING THAT THERE IS ONE GOD, ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM AND THAT WE ALL SHOULD BE ON ONE ACCORD. BUT, IT’S ANYTHING BUT. THIS DOCTRINE OF INCLUSIVITY IN SHORT PROPOSES THAT EVERYONE IS GOING TO HEAVEN.

CHILD – SING – I’M GOING TO HEAVEN ANYHOW . . .

ROLL – PEARLY GATES . . .

THE BIBLE IS REAL - DECLARES – ROMANS 10:9 “THAT IF YOU SHALL CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH THE LORD JESUS, AND SHALL BELIEVE IN THINE HEART THAT GOD RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD, THOU SHALL BE SAVED.” (FLIP IT . . .).

AGAIN IN JOHN 14, WHEN THOMAS POSED HIS THOUGHT PROVOKING QUESTION “LORD, HOW CAN WE KNOW THE WAY?” JESUS REPLIED . . .

SECONDLY, THE DOCTRINE OF INCLUSIVITY PROMOTES: “THAT THERE IS NO HELL AND IF THERE IS A HELL, IT IS NOT A PLACE OF ETERNAL DAMNATION. THEREFORE, ONE CAN LIVE LIFE CARE-FREE. THE AUTHOR OF THIS FALSE TEACHING DECLARES AFTER 30 YEARS OF PREACHING HOLINESS, WITH THE ACCOMPANYING HELLFIRE AND BRIMSTONE WARNINGS TO FINAL JUDGMENTS AND ETERNAL DAMNATION, I HAVE BEEN ARRESTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND CONVINCED THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN PREACHING AN ACCURATE GOSPEL MESSAGE. FOR A GOD, WHO DELIBERATELY ALLOWS THE UNINTERRUPTED EXISTENCE OF ENDLESS OR ETERNAL TORMENTS, IS NOT GOD AT ALL, BUT MORE LIKE WHAT WE DESCRIBE AS THE DEVIL. IF THE ATONEMENT MEANS THE RECONCILIATION OF GOD AND MAN OR MAN TO GOD, THEN IT MUST END IN UNIVERSAL SALVATION OR REDEMPTION OF HUMANKIND. GOD WOULD NOT HAVE PERMITTED THE EXPERIENCE OF HELL UNLESS HE HAD FORESEEN THROUGH REDEMPTION, THAT ALL RATIONAL BEINGS WOULD, IN THE END, ATTAIN TO THE SAME BLESSED FELLOWSHIP WITH HIMSELF."

THIS AUTHOR THEN CITES BARCLAY (BARK-LAY) WHO QUOTES ORIGEN. . . BY SAYING: “I BELIEVE THAT IN THE END ALL MEN WILL BE GATHERED INTO THE LOVE OF GOD. THAT AFTER DEATH THERE WILL BE MANY WHO WILL NEED PROLONGED TEACHING, THE STERNEST DISCIPLINE, EVEN THE SEVEREST PUNISHMENT BEFORE THEY WILL BE FIT FOR THE PRESENCE OF GOD. SOME PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO GO TO HEAVEN VIA HELL. THUS THE CHOICE IS WHETHER WE ACCEPT GOD’S OFFER OF AND INVITATION WILLINGLY, OR TAKE THE LONG AND TERRIBLE WAY ROUND THROUGH THE AGES OF PURIFICATION.”

MY BROTHERS/SISTERS

GREAT – HELL . . .

LIVE LIFE LIKE WE WANTED TO, DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO, AND FOR SOME THE THOUGHT OF BEING ABLE TO DO WHO YOU WANTED TO, SOUNDS WONDERFUL.

REALITY – PAUL WAS CORRECT IN STATING IN ROMANS 6:23 (WAGES) . . .

GIFT – GIVER WHO WILLINGLY WANTS TO DEPOSIT SOMETHING PRECIOUS INTO ANOTHER. FOR GOD SO LOVED . . .GAVE . . . SON.

BUT DON’T STOP THERE, BECAUSE WHILE THERE IS A GIVER WHO WILLINGLY WANTS TO GIVE/DEPOSIT SOMETHING PRECIOUS INTO THE LIFE OF ANOTHER, YOU AS THE RECIPIENT HAVE A SAY-SO IN REGARDS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU WILL RECEIVE THE GIFT.

FOR GOD . . . WHOSOEVER . . .

WHOSOEVER SUGGESTS THAT WHILE THE GIFT IS READILY AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE, EVERYONE WILL NOT AVAIL THEMSELVES TO THE GIFT. HENCE, JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW 10:33 “IF YOU DENY ME – MEN . . .”

THE PROPONENT OF THIS HERETICAL TEACHING GOES ON TO SAY:

JOHN THE REVELATOR (REVL. 1:10) “WORSHIPPING IN THE SPIRIT”. . .

LASTLY . . . SCRIPTURE IS IMPERFECT . . . MEN ARE PRONE TO ERRORS. WHILE MEN ARE PRONE TO ERRORS/MISTAKES, GOD IS NOT MAN THAT HE SHOULD LIE/ERR. II TIMOTHY 3:16 “ALL SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED BY GOD.”