In the past twenty years we (the church) have so chased the social status quo, in more ways than not, such that we more greatly resemble the world than God’s Kingdom.
The expectation for the average church goer, what we’ve been “selling” to draw the masses, is an expectation that by attending they will experience some form of spiritual orgasm, leaving with feelings of ecstasy and personal gratification for having been a part of a corporate worship experience. really.
I remember the days of “Blue Laws”, when most retailers were closed on Sunday, and for the few who did venture to open their doors, the offerings of what could be sell were limited by the law.
OH! I’m not one bound to legalism and I’m as guilty as the next for seeking out a great spot for lunch after church. I too have conformed, as regretful as I am to admit it.
Nonetheless, keep digging. The root is that we’ve spent fifty years attacking sinners instead of attacking sin! I mentioned in my last column how my mother and I were ostracized when my father forced his departure upon us through the legal course of divorce in the 70s. There is nothing biblical about “beating people up” over their fallen state.
At the same time, we must dispel the darkness of lies wrapped in politically correct terms like “tolerance”, “progressive truth”, etc.
The fact is, there is a Hell, in spite of what Rob Bell led millions to believe in his farce, Love Wins. We love to paint Jesus as an all-loving Savior, but the fact is that He CANNOT love those who refuse to leave their committed relationship with satan. GET IT!
Jesus didn’t eat with sinners and tax collectors because He wanted to be inclusive, tolerant, and all-accepting. Jesus kept company with harlots and thieves so that He might call them to repentance. (Look up the word repentance. It means a turning away, not an emotional moment of regret because you’re caught doing wrong.)
We’ve come so far in watering down the painful truth, the fact that there is but ONE hope for us as frail, fallen humanity that we now ordain transgendered “priests” to preside over what is supposed to be God’s Church! I’m sorry, there is no greater oxymoron. One cannot be a servant of God while willfully, openly living in a lifestyle which is diametrically opposed to the very principals and precepts of God’s nature as revealed in His word.
The dumbing down of the church has been, as Casting Crowns sings it, a slow fade. At first, we changed sins name so that it was more palatable. “Indiscretion” sounded so much better. Then we categorized sins from better to worse, using our own scale of right and wrong, so that we could make certain people feel OK about their chosen sin while vilifying others because our scale said their sin was more heinous. Revelation 3 speaks of this condition of the church as Christ, through John addresses the church in Laodicea. We might need to re-read that particular letter in this day. . .Then, as Phyllis Schlafly appropriately spoke, The Dumbing Down of America continues. My wife has been an educator for 38 years, so please don’t scold me when I speak of that which I’ve witnessed.
From the removal of prayer in schools to no longer requiring the Pledge of Allegiance, we’ve dismantled the American public education system for the sole purpose of gaining control over the minds of generations so that they would become more and more dependent on the governing bodies of this nation; and that in no way was ever the intent of our founding fathers, our U S Constitution, or documents of legal precedent put in place for the protection of the rightful citizens of this nation.
From acts like “No Child Left Behind” to the Abomination/Obamanation’s re-creation of simple math through Common Core, the attempts have been endless to dumb down the classroom so that those in the process would no longer know truth or be encouraged to excel, but instead would be rerouted away from true knowledge and advancement.
In the end, they would see “Big Brother” as their only hope of survival. . .and it has happened. What happened to teaching History, AS IT HAPPENED, so that we don’t repeat it!!?? Where did classes like Civics, American Government and Social Studies of world cultures go? They went out the door because truth is not painless. To continue to teach generations how government is SUPPOSED to work would be to remind them that those in elected positions DO NOT make the rules, they are commanded to follow the rules which limit their power – or so it was at one time. Then again, to truly educate one requires that the individual own PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, and personally responsible people tend to lead many aspects of their own lives, not look to government to control and make decisions for them.
To live in the “land of the free and the home of the brave”, and understand that fully, is to be educated so that one knows when and where the rule of law applies so that when those in power, even those who manipulate their way into power (as we experienced in the 2020 election) abuse that power, they are called out for their abuse, and sent packing . . . home that is, or to prison in shame, scorn, and without life-long benefits because they ABUSED their position and attempted to take power which belongs to the RIGHTFUL people of this nation – not to them nor thieves who ILLEGALLY trampled their way into this nation.
Friends, we are in a sad, sad state. Big Tech can’t be investigated because their primary shareholders are the thieves in office. The law of the land can’t be enforced because it offends the weak and irresponsible. . . and on, and on it goes. (YOU need to irritate your governor as well as your state and national congressmen toward the end of demanding a Convention of States.) THERE IS RECOURSE for the current stupidity in Washington. The bottom line comes down to YOU and me. We must stand for our faith, stand for our Free and God-Founded Nation, and we must call darkness out for what it is, educating the deceived who have been intimidated into backing down, fearful to stand.
If not, we will surrender our freedom to worship, surrender a free and sovereign nation to foreign powers currently being paid to hold offices in Washington, and “the church” as it was intended will continue to denigrate until THE CHURCH, the remnant, Christ’s True Bride rises up out of these stained-glass edifices. . . and with that, so will go the last vestige of freedom on the planet, the United States of America.
Running TO the Battle,
Brother Royce
