Title: The Fake Gospel
Central idea: Many protestant denominations are engaged in a spiritual war.
Think with me for a few minutes about the state of American churches. Many have forsaken the Word of God and embraced worldly views of right and wrong. These churches conform both in language and practices to what the World would have people believe contorting Christian love to include sinful acts.
The results, in the past 20 years protestant churches have seen a 20-percent decline in attendance. The decline is accelerating with large numbers of our younger generations abandoning Christianity altogether. Consequently, there is a growing addiction to money, drugs, and pornography. Indeed, sexual immorality has become acceptable with such things as premarital cohabitation, “no-strings-attached” sex, and parents subjecting their children to sex changes.
Further, of the seven mainline churches, four have split, one is splitting and the other two are considering it. The primary reason listed for the splits is homosexual and/or related issues. I, however, believe the decline and the splits are about far more than homosexuality. I believe the decline and the splits are due to a falling away from the Word of God and the embracing of worldly values. The Word of God is never changing; the world’s values are changing. People want a faith based on something substantial, something concrete; unfortunately, many churches no longer offer that. I have to wonder if this is a time foretold in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” Listen to these last phrases again, “they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” Many churches have twisted and warped scriptures until they support popular opinion rather than basing their teachings on the Word of God. They have accumulated “teachers to suit” their own passions. Do you know a pastor or worse a bishop that has turned away from the “truth” of the Word and “wander off into myths”?
Listen to these scriptures: In Numbers 15:39, God says we are to follow His law “so that you do not follow your own heart and eyes in your lustful urges.” The King James Version is blunt, “that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring.” Paul lists some of these “whoring” urges in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, “9 Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” Yet, some church leaders dismiss “whoring” urges with silly notions like, “Sex is a complex issue; we must make allowances for that.” God knows that sex is a complex issue; He invented it. He also gave us rules to follow for sex is part of a Holy union between one man and one woman united together to be one flesh. Has your church embraced another definition of marriage?
The Apostles John and Paul warn us about church leaders who teach fallacy. I John 2:4, “Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he [Christ] commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.” Romans 16:17-18, “17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to keep an eye on those who create dissensions and hindrances, in opposition to the teaching that you have learned; avoid them. 18 For such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded.” “Those who create dissension and hindrance” certainly describes those creating turmoil in our mainline protestant denominations. John and Paul say these teachings come from liars and are “in opposition to the teaching that you have learned [from Paul]; avoid them.” Are you avoiding the teaching of those that are in “opposition” the Word?
Isaiah 29:13 speaks of “merely human rules”. “The Lord says: ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.’” Jesus issued frightening words warning those who have claimed to “do many mighty works in your [His] name”. They are in trouble. Matthew 7:21-23 records these words, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Is Jesus saying that some in the Church are going to hell?
I do believe the reason for the large rapid decline in church attendance and denominations splitting is that many churches are no longer on “fire” for the Lord Jesus. They have become cold rejecting the literal word of God. Many are no longer providing a “faithful and true witness”. These churches have become like the church of Laodicea. Revelation 3:14-17, “14 And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of God’s creation: 15 ‘I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, “I am rich [in material things], I have prospered, and I need nothing.” You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”’” God is not concerned about your material wealth; He is very concerned about your holiness. Do we realize how far and fast some have fallen worshiping wealth?
Some churches in America today, like the church of Laodicea, feel rich because the World approves of their stand, but they are poor in spirit. America is the most powerful and wealthiest Nation ever on earth yet, spiritually many have become “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” Unless our nation changes, and gets on fire for Christ, He will spit us out of His mouth. Yes, Christ is full of grace, but we often forget He is the ultimate administer of justice. John 5:27, “and He [God] gave Him [Christ] authority to execute judgment because He is the Son of man.” Should America receive judgment for its worldly stand?
Lukewarmnest leads straight to hell. Matthew 12:30, “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” If we wish to reverse the decline in spirit this divided Nation so badly needs, the Church must regain its “fire”. John the Revelator pronounced that the way back to Christ is through the Spirit. Revelation 3:18-22, “18 Therefore I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich [in spirit], and white robes to clothe yourself and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19 I reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. 20 Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you with me. 21 To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” Christ's strong language is a stern warning. While Christ’s language is strong against the church of Laodiceans, the condition did not have to be final. Verses 18-20 call all to repent. We can overcome complacency. The Spirit will not only help us conquer our lukewarmness, but the Spirit can also lead us to another great awakening. Listen.
Christ says, “Therefore I advise you”. Christ gives good counsel to fallen people. He will refine us with fire so that we “may be rich” in spirit, made new. Fire will refine gold. Might the bad times our Nation is experiencing be this purifying “fire”? Just as God disciplined the Israelites when they fell away, it seems to me that the divide in America may be the beginning of His disciplining America. Many people in our nation’s leadership positions must drop their vain false opinions of themselves and realize they are not self-sufficient; they need God in their lives.
Gold is a metaphor; we are God’s creation and are gold to God. This gold is real wealth. Nakedness is the ultimate humiliation. Once tried by fire, purity, and sincerity cover our nakedness with “white robes”, the garments of justification, sanctification, and holiness.
“Salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.” Many people today think that it is a mark of sophistication to have no real passion for religion. It is good for funerals, weddings and such but in the way of other things. These people advocate tolerance and open-mindedness. The world wants us strong in our political views, passionate about not violating worldly norms like what pronouns to use, passionate about material wealth, and lukewarm about Christ. That is not what God wants. “I reprove and discipline those whom I love.” Out of His unparalleled love, He will correct sinful people. He will do what He has to do to get us to “be earnest” and “repent”. If hardship is what it takes to bring us back to Him, so be it. He is our Father and a good father; He is patient while He challenges His children to repent and be zealous for Christ. Even though lukewarm and full of pride, He wants us all to be saints with Him in heaven.
Christ finds many doors closed to Him. Men and women have shut the doors through ignorance, unbelief, and sinfulness. There is a growing prejudice against Christians. Have hope for Christ does not give up. “I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in”. This is not a token tap, but a knocking pleading in the hope of a response. Christ aims His knocks at both churches and individuals. While some churches may not respond, some individuals may. Those who are open to Him shall enjoy His presence. Listen to His Word. “I will come in and eat with you, and you with me.” The word translated as “eat” was the Greek word Deipnon. That was the main meal of the day, a leisurely affair and not a hurried snack. “You with me” describes fellowship with Christ. This appeal was to the Laodiceans. Now it is to us. Repenting people will enjoy communion. That is quite a prize, the supreme prize.
No longer be overrun and overcome with lukewarmness. Trust Christ. Be inspired with liveliness, a new zeal, and a new vigor. “To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne”. God is serious. The Church may face grim days, but it must never forget that what seemed like Christ’s defeat while on the cross proved a victory at the resurrection. God’s dealing with His churches may well afford an example to the rest of the world. Pay attention to this Good News. There is no need for fear if one does suffer for they will also conquer. A place with Christ is the highest honor for a Christian for Christ sits with the Father. God promises the overcoming believer a place with Christ in heaven near the throne of God. Picture eternity with the Almighty!
“Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” Do not take this for granted. Get on fire for your LORD. The Christian life is warfare against sin, the devil, the world, and the flesh; we must pursue it. We must never yield to our spiritual enemies. We must fight the good fight. The promise is that we shall “eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Be renewed. Move forward again doing what we are supposed to do: witness and change the world into the kind of place God intended when He first placed Adam and Eve in the Garden. It is time to quit haggling with the enemy. Get back to work. The Spirit has overwhelming power. It is time for another great awakening. Do it! Spread the Word.
