WHY AS BELIEVERS WE MUST NEVER ALLOW SCRIPTURE TO BE COMPROMISED BY CULTURE
4/17/2021
I’m sure that most people who define themselves as “Christians” have a fairly solid grip on Salvation, in that their salvation comes from the death of God’s son, Jesus Christ, on the cross as He bore our sins upon Himself. Once crucified, Jesus rose on the third day in a perfect resurrection to sit at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. We also have a complete book of Scripture that gives us exact instruction on Who God Is, What God Has Done in interaction with mankind from the very beginning, and the fulness of God’s plan for our lives, our walk with Him, and exactly what our Eternal Future holds. It seems like it should be pretty simple to understand scripture, but sadly, it is not for many. The Christian church has evolved into many denominations over time. Those denominations have begun to change, add to, and delete from the Word Of God in a variety of ways to “Compromise” with cultural thought and to frankly “avoid” the difficulty of doing and becoming what God asks of us…..to become “Righteous”. Perhaps the best place for us to understand the challenge is to gain a true understanding in our hearts and minds just what God’s Word Is .
IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. John 1:1
ALL SCRIPTURE IS BREATHED OUT BY GOD AND PROFITABLE FOR TEACHING, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION, AND FOR TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE COMPETENT, EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND ACTIVE, SHARPER THAN ANY TWO EDGED SWORD, PIERCING TO THE DIVISION OF THE SOUL AND OF SPIRIT, OF JOINTS AND OF MARROW, AND DISCERNING THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTIONS OF THE HEART. Hebrews 4:12
HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL PASS AWAY, BUT MY WORDS WILL NOT PASS AWAY. Matthew 24:35
God through His Word, spoke through His Words to breathe life into all of Creation, including all of us right from the very beginning ! In His Word, He gives us instruction, training in righteousness, and a clear path for how to live our lives and who we are to be. His Word is everlasting, meaning that it is Complete and Inerrant. It will outlast everything, including heaven, earth, and for sure each one of us. God’s Word cuts to the deepest part of us, piercing our thoughts, actions, emotions, and our deepest desires of our hearts. How incredible and amazing is that ! Ahh, but here is the catch. YOU MUST BE IN GOD”S WORD TO SEE THE TRUTH AND POWER IT HOLDS. YOU ALSO MUST BE IN “PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP” WITH JESUS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT TO BE COMPLETE !” For a lot of my Christian life, I spent time “flipping” through the Bible, searching for pieces of truth and wisdom for my life. I found pieces. In His love for me, God showed me that His Word was more than a piece here and there. HIS WORD was the key to my entire being, and it was a path to completeness, and that meant I had to read His entire word. I had to immerse myself in it. I had to walk in it, contemplate it, and let it Change Me, opening my eyes and ears to Truth and Peace. I am eternally grateful to Him that His Grace has lead me to be who and where I am today.
EVERY WORD OF GOD PROVES TRUE; HE IS A SHIELD TO THOSE WHO TAKE REFUGE IN HIM. Proverbs 30:5
SANCTIFY THEM IN TRUTH; YOUR WORD IS TRUTH. John 17:17
LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY, TEACHING AND ADMONISHING ONE ANOTHER IN ALL WISDOM, SINGING PSALMS AND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS, WITH THANKFULNESS IN YOUR HEARTS TO GOD. Colossians 3:16
It is important for us to see where the Church is today. Scripture is full of truth in exactly where Jesus wants His church to be. Revelation gives us an amazing template for how a full and complete “Church” should act and be or become. Perhaps the most important realization is how the “church” spends it’s time and efforts. At “Brave Church”, our pastor spends time teaching God’s Word. He teaches it, he believes it, he proclaims it, and he lives it. Not perfect, but alive in his passion to make us “passionate” in our pursuit of Jesus. Jesus defines us ! Jesus’s Words Define Us ! Brave Church follows the Word Of God, not idle musings of one pastor, or one elder board. Truth and Completeness are in God ! Culture, changing norms, peoples emotions, man’s wisdom…..they all take a back seat to God’s Word. God doesn’t allow for Compromise On His Word Or His Truth. It is CRITICAL that we find a church that teaches GOD”S WORD, not a compromised version that focuses on the wrong things. Take time to lean into God and His Word. He wants your worship and commitment first and foremost. Then, He wants your focus “off of yourself”, and on others. Helping, praying for, and sharing with other people. Truth vs. Compromise. Others vs. Self.
There is a day coming when Jesus will return to our world. He will be completing what He started long ago on a cross, in a tomb, and a rock rolled away. Jesus promises those who abide in Him Eternal Life. Do you want that ? Give your sins and failures to Him. Be reborn in His love and grace. Live your life for Him and His Kingdom. A choice : Die once and live twice…..or live once and die twice. Jesus came as a Lamb, that we might be saved. He will be coming now as A LION ! He is coming to Judge and gather His Believers to Him. I weep for those who Do Not Know Him. PLEASE KNOW HIM. He is knocking at your door. Seek Him, read His Word, stop compromising, and FIND ETERNAL LIFE :) STRIVE FOR HIM/JAA
THEN HE OPENED THEIR MINDS TO UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES. Luke 24:45
THE SUM OF YOUR WORD IS TRUTH, AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR RIGHTEOUS RULES ENDURES FOREVER. Psalm 119:160