I am sitting at my computer looking for the right words to convey the heaviness of my heart. Over the past few month, with all of the fear and confusion of our current times, I have come face to face with the reality that we have generations of Christians who have not been taught the The Word, but have been taught from books on the NY Best Sellers list. The text messages and DM’s I have received prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, just how little Word is in the church.
I can, with clarity, ascribe the onset of this new way of preaching to the introductions of books such as “A Purpose Driven Life” and “Your Best Life Now”. Both of which were written by very “popular” Pastors but, whose content reads more like a self help, positive thinking manual for living. It left much wiggle room for “grace” despite sin and it did not lend to much scriptural authenticity. This evoked an onslaught of christian books, written with the intent on helping one think better, live better, and amass earthly wealth and status, with a dash of scripture here and a dash of scripture there.
I am an avid reader and I think reading and studying is beneficial when it is put in it’s proper place against the Word of God. The point of issue is that over the past 2+ decades more weight has been given to man’s books than the Word from the pulpit. We have heard more quotes from books than Scriptures and more names dropped than The Name.
So, where does that leave us? We are a now at a point, in church history, where most of what us “ol timers” learned both in Sunday School and from sermons past, we are seeing played out. End times teachings from the Book Of Revelation, being mindful of the times, etc. all of which have been absent from the Sacred Desk for decades. The majority of people, I have come to know over the past 20 years, have little to no knowledge of what Revelation teaches. No clue who the antichrist is, no clue about plagues, no clue about the Great Tribulation and I could go on and on. Many, who I have encouraged to start reading Revelation, say they are “scared” and would rather not entertain the thought. To further add to the heaviness, many take no issue with what God’s Word says about sin and repentance and continue to live “their best life now”, all because they have built their walk on shifty sands rather than firm foundation. Their affections have not been set on things above, as the Word instructs, but rather have been taught to use The Word and their Christianity as a way to manipulate the hand of God to work on their behalf in regards to their earthly comfort. To fit the christian walk into the open spaces of their current life, rather than have The Word come in and make all things new.
The error in this “modern christianity mentality”is that, now, NOW all we have neglected to instruct in is coming at a fast pace and many are in, no way, prepared.
It reminds me of when Common Core math instructions came into play. It completely upheaved math instruction in such a way that, the simple equation of 2+2=4 became a 70 step process. No longer was there a definitive answer, but there were times when an “estimate” was the correct answer to the dismay of the correct answer. I remember when my brother, who worked for an architectural firm, said, “if we tried to build a building using common core math, it wouldn’t pass inspection and it wouldn’t stand.”
This is the christian of today. Nothing is black or white, they are ‘‘estimating” their salvation by “getting it close enough” and it is due to faulty, neglectful and inaccurate teaching.
what sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.
Isaiah 5:20 NLT
Here is what The Word has to say for those who are teaching and preaching the Word of God.
Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. James 3:1 NLT
This doesn’t just cover WHAT we teach, it covers what we choose NOT to teach. We cannot teach blessing without teaching obedience, we cannot teach grace without teaching repentance, and we absolutely cannot leave a generation of Christians without the knowledge of the second coming of Christ. The must be taught to live each day ready to meet the Lord coupled with the consequence of “weeping and gnashing of teeth” for those who reject salvation and sanctification through the Cross of Christ.
The King Is Coming. Are you ready?
So y ou, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Matthew 24:42 NLT
Till next blog
#pointstoponder