Religion

While I was reading this morning I got thinking about people that are religious or just have the form of godliness.  This is what they are like, read 2 Timothy 3:1-9, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.”

This is talking about the last days, which started after Jesus was crucified, died, buried and resurrected.  If you think about it, it is easy to be a church member in our country because we still live with very little persecution and some religious freedoms, which are slowly being taken away.  There are those that claim a relationship with the Lord but lack any of the real power it takes to bring about the real change that is needed in a person’s life.  Think about this, it isn‘t hard to dress and talk and resemble a believer and not really be one at all.  I wonder how many imposters there are in the church today.  It is hard to tell the difference between who is and who isn’t a true believer.  I know the Word says you will know them by their fruits or by their love but even then it seems hard to tell.  

There seems to be many user friendly churches today that many can be drawn to for a variety of reasons.  There are some that may come because it makes them feel good, others may come for the inspirational talk, like the shot of adrenalin that gets them going and motivated so they can make it through another day or week.  Others may be there to cause division and separation or other problems.  Some seem to be there to take advantage of others.  Some are in church because they think it is their duty while others go because their parents went.  

Let me say this, I have never been in a perfect church and if I ever found one I would surely be out of place because I am far from perfect and that church would be infected by me.  But one thing I am trying to do, with the Lord’s help, is to strive for perfection and that is something all believers should be doing. There are some people that say they won’t go to church because there are far too many hypocrites, and I agree with that statement, but if you think about it where is the best place for a hypocrite?  It is where they can hear the Word preached.

God’s Word says this in Isaiah 55:1-11:

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts,

Come to the waters;

And you who have no money,

Come, buy and eat.

Yes, come, buy wine and milk

Without money and without price.

Why do you spend money for what is not bread,

And your wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

And let your soul delight itself in abundance.

Incline your ear, and come to Me.

Hear, and your soul shall live;

And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—

The sure mercies of David.

Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people,

A leader and commander for the people.

Surely you shall call a nation you do not know,

And nations who do not know you shall run to you,

Because of the Lord your God,

And the Holy One of Israel;

For He has glorified you.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found,

Call upon Him while He is near.

Let the wicked forsake his way,

And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

Let him return to the Lord,

And He will have mercy on him;

And to our God,

For He will abundantly pardon.

‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord.

‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,

And do not return there,

But water the earth,

And make it bring forth and bud,

That it may give seed to the sower

And bread to the eater,

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to Me void,

But it shall accomplish what I please,

And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.’”

I know there are people that think what was said to the Jews in the Old Testament is not for the Gentiles but I believe the Word of God is for all who will receive it by faith.  If the Old Testament wasn’t for the Gentiles then why do we need to even think about the Ten Commandments?  I don’t think we have the option to pick and choose what we like and don’t like, we need to do our best with the Lord’s help to live it all.  

A church should be like a hospital for the sick to find nourishment for their souls, where they hear about the truth of God’s Word, about repenting and forsaking their sins and about God’s beloved Son, Jesus Christ, being the Savior of the world.  It says this in John 3:16, “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.”

John 3:17 says this, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

It would be nice to only have people in church that are all cleaned up and fully mature but that is not reality.  I admit that I have thought and even said some very negative things about the church over the years but the Lord has been working on me for a long time now and I see things differently.  I used to think if I said something that was true about someone it was ok to say, but there are times when what you perceive to be true may not be the truth at all and, even if it is true, it is the way you say it that will either put a good or bad light on what you are saying and the people you are talking about.  You can speak life or death even when you are telling the truth and you can turn a lot of people off by the way you say things.  I am very sorry for this and I am striving to do better, please forgive me if I have offended you in this way.  

If you are a believer and tend to be critical of others, remember we all came by the way of the cross and we are all saved through the grace of God, so let’s strive to be more compassionate and less critical of others and shun religiosity.  Something to think about and may the good Lord bless you and yours and have a great day!