One church may be more
evangelistic than other "churches," but organized religion among evangelicals
follow pretty much the same format.
Which of them do not serve the Lord's supper?
Who among them
do not white-wash pagan holidays by making them appear to be Bible
oriented holidays that God has obligated Himself to bless.
Who among these man-made churches do not
underwrite their preachers with stipulated salaries?
Which of them do not divide the
people of God, while yoking saved and unsaved together by means of common
organizational goals?
Which denominations have not
taken sectarian names to themselves to tell themselves apart instead of
being satisfied with the Name of the One who saved and bought them with His own
atoning blood and wants to tell them all together.
Which of these organizations do not "vote"
their elders and deacons into office instead of knowing the
qualifications of such men and thereby able to intelligently recognize
those among them who meet the God’s requirements?
Which of our grand and glorious
institutionalized religious organizations do not water baptize new
converts into their churches instead of accepting Acts 2:47 with Gal. 3:27, 1
Cor. 12:13 and Eph. 4:5 as sufficient evidence of the believer’s induction into
the body of Christ?
Which of them do
not promote the concept of "clergy and laity" handed down from Rome
centuries ago?
Who among them do not promote Sunday
Schools, thereby making it easier for Pop to side-step his God-given
responsibility to bring up his children “in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord.” Eph. 6:5.
Which of these religious systems do not send
out missionaries, thus promoting the fallacy that if we do not reach the of
pagans of this world with the
gospel, millions will perish and spend an eternity in hell – all because we
failed to do our part! (See Psa.
19:1-3 with Romans 10:18.
Finally, how many of these man-made churches can honestly say
with the apostle Paul that they “… have kept back nothing that was profitable”
unto the saints. Acts 20:20.
Satan's effort to discourage
Christian leaders from following this course is not without design.
He knows full well that preaching the whole Word and recognizing and
submitting to the headship, name and program of Christ alone rings the death
knell on denominational names, plans and programs.
We already know these things. My prayer for you is that you
will stand with Christ during this day of His rejection and refuse any further
compromise but "come out from among them and be separate" - separated to Him and
His service.
"Let us go therefore without the camp
bearing His reproach." "They that will live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution." "If we suffer with Him, we shall also
reign with Him." (Heb. 13:13;
We are well versed in Scripture... intelligent and
we have so much going for
us, which, of course, has made us that much more responsible. The
principle, to whom much is given much shall be required, is apropos here.
I truly long to see us live up to the light
we have! I long to see us all take a stand apart from
organized, institutionalized religion, contending for and supporting only His
all-sufficient Name, His program, and His will for our lives and that of
our
beloved families.
Needless to say, consorting with
and supporting that which Satan has designed can only weaken you spiritually,
no matter how "good you feel" by supporting a man-made church with your
presence.
When I think of our potential for usefulness
in the hands of the Lord, because of our knowledge of the Word, I am
overwhelmed with sadness over compromise.
I ask us, is this the spiritual legacy
we want to leave your children? Is this all you have to offer them when
the Lord takes you home?
It’s possible that your children can see that what you practice is
not keeping up with what you know. Nevertheless, they're going to go along with
you because he loves and respects you. Do you want this on your regret
list as you stand before the Bema for rewards? 2 Cor. 5:10.
By
the way, how much time have you spent with your children, instructing him in the things
of the Lord, through the years?
These questions are rhetorical, of course,
because such matters are between you and the Lord - no one else.
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