The God Of Popularity

It seems like there are many preachers and teachers that are bowing down to the god of popularity today, tickling ears with entertainment and watering down sermons, trying to be popular.  It seems like if the pastor can’t make the congregation laugh, by telling stories that are funny, he is not successful.  

Instead of confronting people with their sins, mistakes are substituted, I guess because it sounds better.  The last I knew the Lord gave His life for people’s sins, not for anyone’s mistakes.  When people start calling sins mistakes, where will the repentance fit in?  When people are caught in a mistake and are confronted normally they say something like this, “it was just a mistake, give me a break, I didn’t do it on purpose.”  They may say they are sorry, but it would be worldly sorrow, not godly sorrow which isn’t true repentance.  The same mistake will probably be repeated over and over again without thinking much of it.

In order to be forgiven, when you sin, you will have to have godly sorrow and will need to ask the Lord to forgive you.  True godly sorrow comes from the Holy Spirit’s conviction to make you aware that you have sinned and it wasn’t just a mistake.  People have to realize that they are sinners and that God hates sin and He judges it because He is just.  We have all inherited a sin nature because of the fall of Adam and Eve who deliberately sinned.  You might say that isn’t fair, but that is the way it is and we are all affected by it and because of it we are all separated from God and we deserve nothing but condemnation and judgment.

Paul said this about the subject in Romans 3:10-12, “As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.  They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.”

In verse 10, it says there is none righteous, no not one.  Paul was referring to Psalms 14:1-3 which says there is no one who is innocent.  It also says this in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  So like I said that includes all of us.  Then it says what we deserve in the first part of Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death.”  

I know I haven’t painted a pretty picture here, so to speak, and I am not trying to, but there is some good news, the last part of that verse says this, “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  This is great news, Jesus died for our sins.  The Word says this in Isaiah 1:18, “‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’”

In John 3:16-17 it says this, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

The verdict is that God hates sin but He loves the sinner.  In 2 Peter 3:9 it says this, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

The Lord’s desire is that everyone will be saved, the problem is not the Lord, it is our problem and it is that we have a free will and we can chose to repent and receive the Lord or we can rebel against the Lord.  If we refuse then we have chosen to spend eternity in Hell.  God did not make Hell for man; it was there for the devil and the angels that rebelled with him.  God loves man so much that He made a way for them to escape this horrible place and spend eternity with Him in a perfect beautiful place.  The choice is ours.

If you have read this and you felt the Holy Spirit’s conviction maybe you would like to say this prayer in all sincerity.  “Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner in need of your grace; please forgive me, I am sorry for my sins and I am in need of your forgiveness, please forgive me and be my Lord and Savior and make me one of your children.  I thank you and I pray this in Jesus’ precious name.  Amen.”  If you were sincere I can welcome you to the family of God.  Then get God’s Word and start studying and find a Bible believing pastor and start growing.  Think about this, anytime a person is converted, there is rejoicing in Heaven; so start rejoicing also and thank and praise the Lord!  God bless you and have a great day!!