THE CHURCH - ITS TURMOIL, CONFLICT, STRUGGLE AND ENDURANCE – PART 2. (PART 10 IN THE SERIES)
We continue to look at some of the matters that are of concern for the Church and its problems and its conflict in the world.
[4]. FOURTH CONSIDERATION - THE WORLD ENTICES CHURCHES AND CHRISTIANS
The New Testament has a lot to say about the world and some of that is highlighting the dangers of the world. When we use that term we do not speak about this planet that is growing in wickedness, but we focus on the world system, the enticements and evil and everything that is in that world system.
Many are the scriptures we could choose and I will make selections. Here is the first one – {{2Timothy 4:10 “for Demas, HAVING LOVED THIS PRESENT WORLD, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia; Titus to Dalmatia.”}} Earlier on, back some years, Paul wrote this - {{Colossians 4:14 “Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.”}} Demas was on Paul’s team but then something happened to cause Demas to abandon Paul’s party to leave only Luke to minister to Paul. It was the allurement of the world.
What was the attraction, the lure that was so strong that it pulled Demas away from Paul? Let me say that better – “pulled Demas away from God.” Well we don’t know but the enticement was so great that he departed and left Paul in the lurch. Although we don’t know the actual cause we know broadly what was the mechanism. Was the devil behind it? Yes, in a way, but there is more to it. We will look at the well-known verses from 1John.
1John 2:15-17 “DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. All that is in the world, THE LUST OF THE FLESH and THE LUST OF THE EYES and THE BOASTFUL PRIDE OF LIFE, is not from the Father, but is from the world, and the world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever.”}} Here is the world again and John says, “ALL that is in the world,” and then puts that ALL into 3 groupings. I think we can conclude that everything in this world fits the three categories – lust of flesh, eyes, pride of life.
John is clear about the division here saying that if you love this world system then the Father’s love is not in you. It is one or the other. He expressly tells his readers not to love the world. I am not going to make lists about what these lusts can be. You are well aware of some of them, though I truly think Christians can be very naïve about the world and that is a good thing. Many of us are not aware of the absolute wickedness and the great temptations that are out there.
Those three devices are the same as were used on Eve and on the Lord Jesus Christ with vastly different outcomes. Let us do Eve first – {{Genesis 3:6 “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate, and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”}} Lust of the flesh = tree was good for food. Lust of the eyes = a delight to the eyes. Pride of life = wanted the fruit to make one wise. Satan promised she would be like God, knowing good and evil. What Satan did not tell her was that she would know good and not have the ability to do good, and she would know evil and not have the power to resist evil.
The Lord Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, a lonely place. Lust of the flesh – turn these stones into bread, which Jesus could have done because He was hungry but that meant surrender to Satan. Lust of the eyes – viewing all the kingdoms of the world to make Jesus desirous of owning it all, but He already did own everything, but in a moment of weakness a man can succumb to temptation especially when he has been through deep trial and hunger. Then the pride of life – throw yourself down from the heights. Everyone can notice me! See how clever I am!
In each temptation the answer was so instructive – THE WORD OF GOD. When the word abides in you, the Holy Spirit uses that word to overcome temptation, but if the word has been neglected, then Satan already has a foothold. When a man or woman is suffering injustice and battling these traumatic situations, he/she can be weakened, and if the bible does not hold top consideration, then additional distress could be likely because the demonic horde likes to take advantage.
The apostle James opens this area right up. {{James 1:13-16 “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone, BUT EACH ONE IS TEMPTED WHEN HE IS CARRIED AWAY AND ENTICED BY HIS OWN LUST. Then WHEN LUST HAS CONCEIVED, IT GIVES BIRTH TO SIN, and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.”}} James sees lust being the root cause of sin and death. Tempted according to lust. If we identify what lust problem we have in our lives, it is that area we must be very careful about. Lust can cover alcohol, gambling, the sexual arena, pride, desire for riches and so many more.
A man under stress as when reeling from injustice or difficulties can have his barriers weakened and therefore he must strengthen up the eroding barriers. Don’t go to that place where temptation might grab you. Spend time with your Lord in His word. I have found it useful to be by yourself alone with God.
I suppose what I am saying is that lust feeds the natural man. Watch your life and never forget this verse – {{1Corinthians 10:12-13 “THEREFORE LET HIM WHO THINKS HE STANDS TAKE HEED LEST HE FALL. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man, and God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”}}
I will close this section with a mention I think is so dangerous. It is the world’s rock music scene. These bands spew out demonic lyrics and suggestive deviant sexual behaviour, and a Christian can have nothing to do with those things. Contemporary rock and similar so-called music is so dangerous, yet some churches have allowed that type of cacophony to be part of the music scene. It is a disgrace. It is bad enough having young Christian people struggle with the Satanism of rock music without bringing it into the church.
[5]. FIFTH CONSIDERATION - WE COMBAT VAIN PHILOSOPHY AND DECEIT
We open here another serious area of struggle for the church, for Christians all over the world in its struggle to maintain orthodoxy. The world’s philosophy (let us call it humanism) has infiltrated all aspects of man’s thinking and no more so than at universities, but now has been introduced as low as young grades at school. Eight year olds being exposed to deviant sexuality under the guise of sex education being told you don’t have to be male or female, and they can experiment with their own sexuality, for nothing is wrong. We live in vile days.
One of the hardest things these days is to be a Christian and remain strong in a University. The whole program seems to be built on man’s intellectualism and man’s deceit. Humanism is when God is replaced and man is the new king. The devil makes sure he introduces all sorts of evil ideas and learning according to his fallen ways. It is a very bad thing when church and denominational leadership is not speaking out. I believe it happens in the USA but not Australia.
Evolution, socialism, humanism, are just three of the pillars of modern man. Those in Australia will be familiar with one of these vain philosophies being pushed on the nation all the time and that is the Aborigines have been in Australia for 65 000 years. It is a constant brainwashing, rammed down people’s throats on planes and television and schools and all this has come from the Marxist governments Australia has. That, like evolution flies in the face of biblical teaching. God created man around 6 000 years ago. I AM NOT saying the earth or universe is recent or young; I am speaking about the creation of man.
Around 1 800 to 2 000 years ago the great migrations happened from Asia. The Melanesians worked their way through Papua New Guinea, through the Solomon Islands to the islands of the South Pacific – New Caledonia, Fiji, Vanuatu. Another great migration left somewhere from the northern Philippines/southern China and set sail for the Pacific becoming the Polynesian people – Tonga, Samoa, New Zealand, French Polynesia, Hawaii, etc.
It is logical to assume the Aborigines left southern India and modern Sri Lanka (where they originated) around the same time and crossed the Indian Ocean as boat people, and entered what is now Australia. They are of Dravidian origin (southern Indian) but if one suggests anything else other than 65 000 years ago you are laughed to scorn, ridiculed, called racist, and in university circles you can be dismissed from your job. This is the power of man’s demonic philosophical system, yet it flies in the face of biblical truth.
The churches at Corinth and Colossae had real problems with the social philosophical concept and here I share a number of verses where Paul set it out clearly
{{Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you CAPTIVE THROUGH PHILOSOPHY AND EMPTY DECEPTION, according to THE TRADITION OF MEN, according to the ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD, rather than according to Christ.”}}
{{1Corinthians 1:18-21 “The word of the cross is to those who are perishing FOOLISHNESS, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God, for it is written, “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? Since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”}}
I fear for our young people in schools and colleges as they are being indoctrinated by the socialist doctrine and vain deception. We are no longer Christian nations but have rapidly departed from God and taken up folly and stupidity and every anti-God invention. No wonder we desire the coming Rapture so much. This world is sick and in a wicked freefall.
[6]. SIXTH CONSIDERATION - WE BATTLE LAODICEA AND THE TERMITE CONSTRUCTIONS
Just imagine being in a building that has been so riddled by termites that if you are quiet you can hear them gnawing away inside the walls. Imagine being in one of these buildings and you start to see it collapse. Now I will tell you that the building is the churches we have been used to; the termites are the false doctrines and false teachers; and the current building with gnawing through its timbers, is the current state of the churches.
What an awful picture that is but we are in the days of Laodicea, the lukewarm church. Where is the commitment? Where is holiness and godliness among the people? Some just want to “have this experience” all the time. Some just want to feel good as if they are doing their duty. Some don’t think the bible is all that relevant and pick and choose what they want to believe. Some are into experience theology or the prosperity doctrine. The churches have gone astray. That is no surprise to us because the last days before the Rapture will see a mere profession devoid of true godliness that characterised the days gone by. Days of non-commitment!
I feel for some Christians because they live in regions where no church fellowship is available except one perhaps, and that is full of false teachers so what can they do? This is a real struggle for some, and what can I recommend? There is good literature available but you have to be aware of some of that because it is so superficial. I know some Christians are taking advantage of SermonCentral and personally, I am encouraged with the views that come from India, Philippines, African nations, and more recently from Japan. There are some good radio stations that cover the world such as FEBC and HCJB and Trans World Radio and others.
My Christian friends, do not be afraid to stand up for the truth of the word of God. There are too many around who have a form of godliness but have not the consistency or power of God. They are talking puppets, tares, who have gotten into the church to make the wheat ineffective.
[7]. SEVENTH CONSIDERATION – COMPROMISE THE CANCER OF FAITH
This is a serious problem through the Christian profession. We compromise our faith by holding on to the world with one hand and trying to hold on to Christ with the other. It can not be done. {{Matthew 12:30 “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”}} Some of us would choose a sporting game rather than be with God’s people. Life and behaviour, business practices and relationships, and so much more are subject to compromise.
Compromise is like the feet of Nebuchadnezzar’s image – {{Daniel 2:33-34 “its legs of iron, its feet PARTLY OF IRON AND PARTLY OF CLAY. You continued looking until A STONE WAS CUT OUT WITHOUT HANDS and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them.”}} Iron and clay mixed is grossly imperfect and will bear no strength. The stone that crushed the image is the Lord Jesus Christ, the “cut out without hands” referring to His virgin birth. How many are building their testimony with iron and clay? Imperfect Christian lives.
Conformity is a close cousin of compromise. Don’t be moulded into the world’s system, bendable to whatever the world wants you to be. That is immediate compromise. {{Romans 12:1-2 “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship, AND DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”}} James had something to say regarding this – {{James 4:4 “You adulteresses, do you not know that FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD IS HOSTILITY TOWARD GOD? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”}}
I was never in business as an occupation but it must be very difficult to be true and loyal to the Lord. In so many places they function on bribes and kickbacks, or on lies – “Tell him I am not in the office,” when the person IS IN the office. My heart goes out to Christians who know it is wrong to do some things and are almost forced to do them.
Keep away from Night Clubs and gambling places and sexually deviant places and the racing industry, and don’t hang around with suspect characters or the criminal types and loose women. Most of all do not marry an unbeliever for that is a bad compromise and often will weaken, even destroys, the person’s faith. This can be very difficult for a young woman who wants to marry a man she loves but he is not a believer. Many women think they can bring their husbands to Christ but it happens rarely. {{2Corinthians 6:14-15 “DO NOT BE BOUND TOGETHER WITH UNBELIEVERS for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness, or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or WHAT HAS A BELIEVER IN COMMON WITH AN UNBELIEVER?”}}
The argument holds true for a Christian testimony. Some churches like to join with others in an ecumenical fellowship (when one of the churches is false). It is compromise! How can you work for the consolidation of faith when a group believes in salvation by works, or by praying to Mary or another group who does not accept the divinity of Christ? That is compromise. God hates compromise.
I had trouble with this when it came to joining a Union in the workplace as the Union was an arm of a socialist/Marxist government. I was not accepted or promoted because “I would not drink with the workers” or attend parties. I know and appreciate the difficulties you may be having.
ronaldf@aapt.net.au
