Then and Now … the Need for Vigilance and Holiness
Prelude
Consider writing down these references.
Jude 1:3-4
Jude 1:17-23
2 Peter 1:3-11
Later you might enjoy referring to them to see what Problems, Answers, and Questions they raise in your own mind. These are a few things the Lord put upon Sherry and me.
The problem
(Jude 1:3-4 NIV) Dear friends, although I was very eager to
write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you
to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
We, Christians, are not contending as
we once contended. We are afraid of being contentious! Strive, appeal, argue,
debate, dispute, and struggle. It implies rivalry.
Are we ashamed? Is Christ, Messiah,
the Lord, our King ashamed of you?
Are we afraid? Do we fear the opinions
of mere man over the judgments of God?
{4}
For certain
men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in
among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license
for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
This is not just the big-ticket items,
abortion, adultery, homosexuality, perversion of justice, and banning of God in
public places.
It’s more subtle and is manifested in
attitude towards the big ticket items. Abortion becomes pro-choice, adultery
becomes consenting adults, homosexuality becomes an alternate lifestyle,
justice has taken off her blindfold and God in public places is said to violate
a non-existent constitutional mandate called separation of church and state.
Don’t think this is just in the world!
These attitudes are running rampant among many Christians. What’s worse, these
issues are being ignored, tolerated, and in some cases even approved by the
clergy and elders.
Faith, active faith, is being
sacrificed at the altar of political correctness.
The enemies of God become ever more
bold while the people of God become ever more timid and reluctant to stand up
and be recognized.
There are actually debates in Churchianity
about whether the word of God is divinely inspired and whether or not the
miracles of Jesus are real or perhaps exaggerations. In fact there seems to be
no end of efforts to reconcile the miracles of God to science.
(Jude 1:17-23 NIV) But, dear friends, remember what the
apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. {18} They said to you,
"In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own
ungodly desires."
Never in my 60 plus years has this
been more true than it is today.
Through out Europe and yes the Americas
as well it is becoming more and more acceptable to ridicule and attack fervent
followers of Christ.
France is a particularly good example.
Laws are in place that allow prosecution of people for merely calling for
fasting and prayer.
In Sweden? freedom of speech does not
allow condemnation of homosexuality from the pulpit.
{19}
These are
the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the
Spirit.
And divide they do by specious
arguments that mislead the young and naïve.
Oral sex isn’t SEX
Becoming a nation of whores, gigolos,
debauchers, and bastards.
{20}
But you,
dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy
Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is powerful and yet I
don’t seem to see that power today as I did as a child..
{21} Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. {22} Be
merciful to those who doubt; {23} snatch others from the fire and save
them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained
by corrupted flesh.
When was the last time you saw someone
snatched from the fires of hell?
The Greek for snatch is 26. harpazo,
har-pad'-zo; from a der. of G138; to seize (in various applications):--catch
(away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).
The Answer
(2 Pet 1:3-11 NIV) His divine power has given us everything we
need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his
own glory and goodness. {4} Through these he has given us his very
great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in
the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by
evil desires. {5} For this very reason, make every effort to add to your
faith goodness;
Remember, faith is less a matter of
what you believe and more a matter of how you live.
Goodness comes from God-ness
and to goodness,
knowledge; {6} and to knowledge, self-control;
To know God is good, to be known by
God is better!
Self is not inclined to do right,
don’t listen to that sly fox.
and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance,
godliness; {7}
Perseverance means you have to keep on
keeping on!
You have to hold your hands up high
and grab the hands of God. He won’t let go of you. Be sure you don’t let go of
Him.
and
to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
First to your brothers in the Lord and
then to the brotherhood of man.
Love is the umbrella that covers
everything else. It protects us from the rain and also the sun!
{8} For if you possess these
qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective
and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. {9} But
if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind,
and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
Try not to embarrass yourself by
having to be forgiven over and over again.
And how do I avoid that?
{10} Therefore, my brothers, be
all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you
do these things, you will never fall,
The difference between falling and
failing is an “I.” F-a-l-l versus F-a-i-l. Get rid of that old self and become
a new person in Christ.
{11} and you will receive a
rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The Questions
1. Why is there little or no church growth?
2. Where is the fruit in the church and in our personal lives?
3. Why isn’t there an irresistible hunger to reap souls?
4. Why does it seem the Spiritual lives of so many are not growing?
5. Why does it appear the gifts of the Spirit are lacking in churches and so many lives of believers?
6. Why is it that so often we can’t seem to determine what God wants to do in our lives?
7. Why is there so much knowledge and yet so little understanding?
8. When we have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus, why do we keep playing in the mud?
9. Why do we keep trying and trying only to keep stumbling and falling.
10. Are we part of the problem or part of the Answer?
11. When will we finally “Let go” and Let God”?
I
invite you to join me in prayer