The Question of Sin

While participating in a weekly Bible study, a particular topic came up – the question of sin. What is sin? What’s not sin?  To start a lively discussion, I proposed to the group that smoking, drinking beer, using coarse language and such may actually not be sin. Of course, one member quickly objected quoting 1 Cor. 6:19,

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Now I don’t think smoking, swilling or swearing is ok for Christians.  We are called “out of” the world, not to be like the world. We are called to be holy for He is holy. However, many Christians hold a legalistic view of what sin is. So, let’s take a closer look at the question of sin. We may find more than expected.

In Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, he deftly lays out the problem of sin. But as we read this amazing treatise, we find in the first eight chapters two types of sin progressing from sins in the plural, the practice of sin, through to sin in the singular; the nature of sin. So how does this apply to us? Let’s begin with the nature of sin. This is our present human condition. It’s like an incurable disease. There is not a single human being who has not been affected. But this wasn’t always the case. At one time, mankind was free of sin. It simply didn’t exist.

Now let’s give sin a definition. In short, sin is rebellion against God. This rebellion began with man and woman as they walked in communion with God in a state of glory. Their bodies probably glowed with glory, like Moses’ appearance glowed after his encounter with God on Mount Sinai. Adam and Eve enjoyed their perfect environment, but they weren’t automatons, they were given the choice to “walk with God”. Their choice was simple. God told them very clearly how to remain in their glorious state. Much like we do with our own children, we tell them what they can do and what they shouldn’t do to avoid suffering. Like, “don’t step off the curb and onto the street!” Any parent of a two year old will attest to the strong will of a toddler. Warn as we may, they still think they know better. This sense of ‘thinking we know better’ is our human pride. In 1 John 2:15,16, the apostle John warns us:

Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life is not from the Father but is from the world.

The consequence of their disobedience was made perfectly clear to them. “you will surely die.” (Gen 2:17); then the tempter came on the scene. Keep in mind, the tempter can only tempt. It’s up to us to resist and obey God. The tempter came in solitariness, which is often how he comes, and first appeals to the senses showing its beauty and creating desire. Then he questions the word of God, then contradicts the word of God and finally mocks the word of God saying, “you won’t die, He knows that your eyes will be opened and you’ll be like Him.” And there it is – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and human pride, the three ingredients which led to their spiritual fall.

But you may say, “they didn't die. Their eyes were opened and they now knew both good and evil”. This may sound philosophical, but death is not, as many believe, the dissolution of self, but the absence of Life. Jesus said that He is Life. John also tells us in 1 John 5:11-13:

And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God, there’s no life in him. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.

So, why didn't man physically die? What is meant by “there’s no life in him”? As we read earlier, Life is spiritual and God’s life does not reside in our physical bodies but in our spirit. Before the fall, God’s spirit was with and in man’s spirit. After the fall, it was not. I believe this is one of the mysteries we will only fully grasp in the afterlife; but let’s try. In creating man, God made us with three parts to our being, we have our physical body, then we have our cognitive functions, our reasoning, emotions and volition, or ability to choose. Finally, we have a spirit. Watchman Nee in his work The Spiritual Man distinguishes this aspect of our being as the soul consisting of the mind, will and emotions and the spirit being our conscience, intuition, and the faculty by which we commune with God (pg. 14). Some might also include imagination. But as we can see, the difference between the spirit and mind is not clearly delineated, so most simply refer to this non-physical part of our being as our soul or innerman. In the believer, the spirit, has been eternally infused with God’s Spirit and is now eternally melded with our mind. All three coexist in what we consider to be our body. It’s not like our mind exists outside of our body, just as it is also true that our own human spirit is in our body, not external to us. I know this sounds weird, but in the sense that our mind is not of physical matter, we also know that our spirit is not physical. Paul tells us that our bodies are the temple of God; but not in a physical sense. This is why Paul says in Romans 7:21-23,

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

And so, we may correctly say that the body, as referred to by Paul, is not purely of physical matter, but more of a container. When Paul says that our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit, he’s not referring to all of mankind, but to those who have been made alive in Christ. Those who are not part of “The Body of Christ”, are also not temples of God’s Holy Spirit. God will not exist in the same space along side sinful rebellion. Man chose to rebel against God and so the eternal life of God left man in a state of spiritual death. Not only did man die spiritually, but he also became a slave to sin. Paul tells us in Romans 6:16, “we are slaves to the one whom we obey, either of sin resulting in death or of obedience resulting in righteousness.” and again in Romans 3:23, “for the wages of sin is death”.

It is beyond the scope of this post to expound on the full consequence of man’s fall, but the result is seen in the pain and suffering and death that spread from that single act of disobedience to all the evil we see today. Often we hear people say, “If God is so loving, why does He allow suffering?” Man’s suffering is not of God, but a direct result of disobedience to God. After the fall, sin and death impregnated man’s spiritual DNA (so to speak). Man’s spirit now belonged to Satan and God’s life was gone. Each human spirit from that point forward would spend eternity alongside the hosts of hell in what Christ described as “weeping and grinding of teeth”. The sinful nature of man became like an incurable disease. It spread from the first of mankind to each and every one since.

This is sin in the singular Paul describes in Romans 5:12 – ch. 7. Sin in the plural, as in particular sins, is the direct outcome of the sinful nature. Each and every person, Christian and non-Christian alike has a sinful nature. We were born in sin and sin is what we do. As Roy Hession puts it in his timeless work, The Calvary Road:

Anything that springs from self, however small it may be, is sin. Self-energy or self-complacency in service is sin. Self-pity in trials or difficulties, self-seeking in business or Christian work, self-indulgence in one’s spare time, sensitiveness, touchiness, resentment and self-defence when we are hurt or injured by others, self-consciousness, reserve, worry, fear, all spring from self and all are sin.

In Romans 14:23, we read: …whatever is not of faith is sin. And so in answer to the question, ‘what is sin?’ We can safely say, if it proceeds from our natural self, it is sin. 

In Romans 7:18-24, Paul laments this sinful nature and compares it to what he saw and perhaps experienced in a dark dank Roman jail cell. In the days of the early church, the Roman guards would chain a surviving prisoner to the corpse of a dead one, thus spreading the rotting necrotic tissue causing a slow painful death.

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 

I find then the principle, that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good (the mind). For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man (the mind), but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

Immediately following we find him rejoicing in what God, Himself, has done through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself, with my mind, am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh

Praise God! There is a joyous and wonderful ending for those who are in Christ. But at what cost? After Adam and Eve first rebelled, they hid themselves from God; and God said, “What have you done!?” (who but God could fathom the full impact of that single act of disobedience?) From that point forward, there is a long history of the consequences of that one act of rebellion. We can never fully comprehend the evil that was unleashed. We are still seeing it in its voracious hunger for suffering and death.

There needed to be an exacting for man’s rebellion and the sentence needed to be carried out. God knew there was only one who could pay the price and still save man. Christ Himself paid the penalty for our sin by offering Himself as a living sacrifice. God redeemed us with the ransom of His own Son. In Romans 5:8, we read: Even when we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And again in John 3:16, “For God loves us so much, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”

What incredible love the Father has for us. Christ was not only tortured and nailed to a cross suffering the most painful of all executions, but took upon Himself all of our sins – past, present and future sins. He experienced the guilt of all the evil spawned from that first act of rebellion to all the evil consequently unleashed upon the world.

Now, remember, God cannot and will not share the same place as sin. Christ wailed, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” After His death, He gave up His spirit which was then cast into hell, that place of continuous torment; that place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. But He did not go on account of His own sin, for He was sinless, the spotless lamb of God, but for all of our sin. He paid the penalty for our sin, by taking on Himself all the sin of the world. Like a spotless lamb, He was sacrificed on the cross. God Himself becoming the final sacrifice in payment for our sin. Three days later, He rose from the grave, the resurrection Sunday. Christ rose from the dead victorious over sin and death. Hallelujah!

O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55)

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

What an awesome gift of God. And again I ask, at what cost? It was a huge cost to God. But what do we need to do? Is this a gift, or are there strings attached? It is absolutely free. No cost to you or me. It’s a gift of God.

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal Life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom. 6:23)

Now, a gift is not a gift, until it is received. And God’s gift, the Messiah, had been prophesied from the time when the first sin was committed. In Genesis 3:15, we read:

And I will cause hostility between you (Satan) and the woman (Israel) and between your seed (the unsaved) and her seed (Jesus the messiah and those who are in Christ). And He (Jesus Christ) will crush your head, (the death blow) but you (Satan) will bruise His heel (inflict suffering).

Even though many knew He was the prophesied Messiah, they stood beneath the cross jeering.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him and the world did not know Him. He came to His own and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. Who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:10-13)

But does this mean that we don’t sin? And what about smoking, boozing it up and using coarse language? Once again we find our answer in Paul’s writings:

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Cor. 6:12)

Yes, we still have a sinful nature. We are drawn to sin, and there is still the tempter. But those who have received Him, have the Spirit of the living God indwelling them are now His.

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. Me and the Father are one. (John 10:27-30)

But the question persists. How can we be saved from sin and still wallow in it? I would say that if one still lives like those of the world, then they are still of the world. I would further say, that all those who say they are Christians, but merely pretend for appearances, don’t have a love relationship with their Father, don’t really hate sin, just the consequences of sin, are still in their sins and not really saved, as they may think. And of those who say, “Lord, Lord… didn’t I…and he’ll say, “I never knew you”. These are the ones referred to as “the lukewarm Christians whom Christ said, he’ll spew out of His mouth. If we have been set free from sin, how can we still live in sin? This is how we know if we are truly set free.

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him” (John 14:21).

We may and do sin on a regular basis, because we are sinners by nature. When we sin, we grieve the Holy Spirit within us, and being in Christ, we sense this in our spirit as a burden. Our proper response is to confess our sin and bring it into the light.

If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, (1 John 1:9)

And as we walk in the Spirit, we strive to control our thoughts and actions; if we ask Him, He will come to our aid. We don’t have to be ensnared by sin. By His free gift of grace He has set us free.

If you have not yet received God’s gift of salvation, won’t you do so right now? If you sense you are being drawn to say yes, it is the Holy Spirit drawing you. Let’s talk to Him. Follow me in this simple prayer:

Father, I have been rebelling against You. Even though I have sensed Your Spirit drawing me, I have resisted. I know I’m living in darkness and I want to live in Your light. Forgive me of my sinful lifestyle and cleanse me of my sins. I choose You, Lord. I now accept you as my new Life and will strive to live in the Light as you guide me. I thank you Jesus for Your precious gift of grace and eternal life. Amen.

I would encourage you to find a bible believing church and begin reading a bible. The Gospel of John is a good place to start, then continue on reading through the New and Old Testament. God bless you in your new walk with Christ. Don’t look back, but remain steadfast, keeping your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith.

~

 If you are continuously plagued by sin, or you feel you are in spiritual bondage, there may be areas in your life that need to be specifically addressed.  Neil T Anderson has produced a booklet called, The Steps to Freedom in Christ, which he has made available to be used in spiritual counselling. This may be downloaded from this link: https://www.ficm.org/steps-to-freedom-in-christ/

The Neo-Nicolaitans - Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

Among the sheep in God's flock, there are those that tend to be more vociferous - baa baaing and bleating to the annoyance of the other sheep. It's often difficult to tell when there's really a clear and present danger of a wolf in sheep's clothing. How can one discern if, in fact, there is a wolf among us? What tell-tale sign might one detect? Of course, Christ's metaphorical language speaks of a spiritual danger. Our over-active olfactory senses are of no use in this arena.

  But the Elect are equipped with the weapons needed, not only to detect, but also to confront and overcome. The weakest Spirit-filled and led saint is more powerful than all the hosts of hell combined. Yes, the victory is won and Christ, our victor and king is on His throne.  It is comforting to have God's Word and Spirit to guide us into all truth. Jesus is truly all we need.  He is our Way, He is our Truth and He is our Life. We need not look any further than our Shepherd. Those that are His know His voice and they follow Him (Jn 10:4).

So why then are so many Christians living defeated lives? Unfortunately, for many, they either do not hear His voice, or are not following Him - or both. We are told that, "His sheep hear Him and follow Him. The apostle Paul also tells us to be led by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). When we run ahead, however, we cease to follow, we also cease to listen. It is here we become most vulnerable. Like the sheep that runs ahead and gets lost, we too find ourselves open to lying spirits, the enticements of the world and the lusts of our lower nature. In most cases, we are simply led into believing that it's ok to love the world and the things of the world. Now to be more specific, let's look at how we are being led - by "those in sheep's clothing", and what this looks like. They are are among us, they look like us, talk like us, say the right things, act in a way that would not cause alarm, but rather, would cause us to trust them - and would provide us many good reasons why we should trust them.

When we consider who our enemy is, we immediately think of Satan and his host of demon spirits. In spiritual reality, however, our enemy is tri-fold: the devil, the world, and the flesh. We become deceived, when we listen to lying spirits, are enticed by the things of the world and crave the desires of the flesh. When we see the church leadership loving the things of the world and loving money we are led to believe it's alright. We have become accustomed to being led by those who are as deceived as we are. Be very clear on this point - those that are leading us astray are among us - not only among us, but leading us in the present apostasy.

And we were forewarned. To the church at Ephesus we read in Rev 2:4, "But this I have against you, that you have left your first love. Remember where you have fallen, repent, and do what you did at first". Somehow, the church at Ephesus got side-tracked and stopped following Jesus. To the church at Pergamum, we read in Rev 2:14, 15,  "But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

 Here we have two means of spiritual deception. First, there's, "the teaching of Balaam", or "the Doctrine of Balaam". Balaam taught Israel to sin through worldliness, immorality and idolatry (Numbers 22:15-17, Numbers 25:1-3).  Balaam corrupted Israel by his suggestion that the Moabites should invite the Israelites to their pagan feasts. This led the Israelites to worship their gods with all the attendant immorality. In this way Israel was led into spiritual adultery - much like the church today is led into spiritual adultery and idolatry in it's love for money and the things of the world.

James 4:3,4: You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?

The apostle John in Rev. 2:15 specifically names a contemporary example: the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Not much is known about the Nicolaitans. Commentators have varying opinions on who or what the Nicolaitans were or represented. The term is actually two words fused together. First, Nico, meaning, lording it over, or having power over, and laitans, meaning the laity, the common people, or more precisely, our congregations.

Eugene Peterson, in his translation of Matt 23:6-10, in The Message, writes:

they love to sit at the head table at church dinners, basking in the most prominent positions,  preening in the radiance of public flattery, receiving honorary degrees, and getting called 'Doctor' and 'Reverend.'  "Don't let people do that to you, put you on a pedestal like that. You all have a single Teacher, and you are all classmates.  Don't set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority for God; let him tell you what to do. No one else should carry the title of 'Father'; you have only one Father, and he's in heaven.  And don't let people maneuver you into taking charge of them. There is only one Life-Leader for you and them — Christ.

Matthew Henry in his commentary on 2 Thess 2, interprets,

While the apostles were yet living, the enemy came, and sowed tares; there were then the deeds of the Nicolaitans, persons who pretended zeal for Christ, but really opposed him. Pride, ambition, and worldly interest of church-pastors and church-rulers, as in Diotrephes and others, were the early working of the mystery of iniquity.

In Adam Clarke's commentary on 1 John 2:18, "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time", he writes:

Regarding the antichrist, who is this antichrist? Is he the Emperor Domitian, the Gnostics, Nicolaitans, Nazareans, Cerinthians, Romish pontiffs, etc., etc.? Answer: Any person, thing, doctrine, system of religion, polity, etc., which is opposed to Christ, and to the spirit and spread of his Gospel, is antichrist. We need not look for this imaginary being in any of the above exclusively. Even Protestantism may have its antichrist as well as Popery. Every man who opposes the spirit of the Gospel, and every teacher and writer who endeavours to lower the Gospel standard to the spirit and taste of the world, is a genuine antichrist, no matter where or among whom he is found.

And so, we have varied descriptions and fore-warnings of the wolves in sheepskin - the deceivers of the church lulling us into believing all is well. I can assure you, dear Christian, all is not well. Many in our churches are not being led by the Spirit of Christ, but are being spiritually deceived. But as these deceivers are mere men, I don't believe they're aware that they are not only deceiving, but are, themselves, being deceived by Satan, the master deceiver. The end is not yet - but the body of Christ needs to wake up and realize that we are being duped into believing that money gives us true wealth. In our quest for financial success, we've become materialistic idolaters.

Here are ten ways to identify the deceived and deceiving leaders in your church:

1. They have gained your trust by telling you they are trained academically to be your spiritual leader. They've graduated from seminary (a place supposedly instituted to train individuals to do God's work). They have all the credentials to prove it, like an "MDiv.", or the title of "doctor of theology". This is not to say all pastors with academic credentials are deceivers, but if this is the authority they rest on, and not the gifting of Christ, it's a clear sign of deception.

2. They love money and show it by expecting a salary that affords them their overly comfortable lifestyle and often live in homes in upper class neighbourhoods. They love to hob-nob with "the rich and famous" of the congregation, knowing that's where the real money is; and regularly ask you for over 10 percent of your gross income, as "tithes and offerings" and say it's "giving to God". Interestingly, the teaching of tithing is found nowhere in the New Testament. Church leaders guilt their parishioners into tithing so they can fund their ecclesiastic hierarchy.  The system is not only unscriptural, but has the earmarks of an evil conspiracy.

  3. They never preach on immorality - it may offend someone. They defend themselves by calling it flexible morality, being culturally sensitive, or disguise their lax attitude toward sinful lifestyles as "accepting everyone"; of course, Jesus met with sinners, but he also said, "go, and sin no more".

4. They never preach on scripture that refer to hell or damnation - again so they won't offend. The cost of this error is immense. Imagine how many church-goers find themselves in the afterlife with the terrible realization that they aren't going to heaven, as they thought. Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven - Matt 7:21

5. Prayer is not considered to be of much importance. If there is a weekly prayer meeting, few attend. Paul E Billheimer, in his short literary gem, Destined for the Throne, writes "any church without a well-organized and systematic prayer program is simply operating a religious treadmill". I wonder how many of our churches are just that?

6. They regularly take time off so they "won't get burned out". If they are truly led by Christ, His Spirit will be their driving force and energy. "be strong in the Lord and in His mighty strength" - Eph 6:10,11., "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength" - Isaiah 40:31. Additionally, they insist they should not have to work outside of the church because God has called them to "full-time ministry". Many small churches, especially in rural areas, can't afford to pay a pastor so they often flounder. If a man is called to be a pastor, this is a gifting by Christ. It is not an occupation and does not necessarily come with a pay-cheque. Obedience to a calling should not be dependent on how much you get paid.

7. They never personally associate with the poor, nor do they evangelize. One of the most important teachings of Christ is to lovingly care for those in need.

"... 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." - Matt 25:44-46

8. They are more interested in programs and projects that increase the size of their congregation and hence the size of their coffer, than in being led by the Spirit.

9. Although many in the congregation are demonized, they never cast out demons. You see, they can pretend to be spiritually empowered, but when faced with one that is demonstrably  demonized, they don't know what to do.

10. They love the things of the world, they don't hate sin, or put Christ first in their lives, nor do they care if their congregants are any different, in fact, they encourage and condone loving the things of the world.

Additionally, we must be alert to the enemy's schemes. One of his most effective strategies is in placing men and women in leadership roles who are ill-suited. Many young Christians believe they are called into "full-time ministry" upon graduating from high school or college. They see being a pastor as a fun and easy profession. The bible, however, clearly tells us the calling of pastors is not for young men and women, but for the older men who have been spiritually matured by a life of being led by the Spirit: an elder in the church. The calling of pastor is also not meant to be a paid position, nor is it one where the training comes from an outside institution, but by being mentored from within the local assembly.

Martin Luther was truly enlightened in leading the church out of the darkness of Roman Catholicism - the truth of our justification being faith in Christ alone and not of works, was a magnificent turning point for the Church. But he stopped short. He should have abandoned their ecclesiastic hierarchy as well.

Just as true believers fled the newly instituted Romish church after Christianity became the state religion in the fourth century, we too must now flee from those who are lulling us into spiritual apostasy - those who bear the marks of the Nicolaitans.

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Turning Up the Heat on the Lukewarm Church

It bewilders me how we, for whom Christ was crucified, whom He saved from eternal damnation, whom He  filled with His Spirit, adopted as His own, and whom He'll share His throne as His bride and companion in the world to come - yes, I'm bewildered at how cavalier and nonchalant we are. And, yet, I too, find myself resting comfortably, at ease, as though all is well in our world. Oh, how I wish we could see more clearly into the spirit realm. The apostle Paul admitted that he, only through squinted eyes, peered into this other world, so vaguely, as through darkened glass. Yet, he laboured and prayed unceasingly for the early church. He took Christ at His word when He said, "Think not there are yet, four months before harvest. Look on the fields, they are white for harvest" (Jn 4:35). Indeed, Christ is pleading with us to pray for labourers for the harvest, as he wishes none to perish (Matt 9:39; 2 Pet 3:9). And through the history of Christ's body on earth, there have been those who have been earnest in prayer and in deed. But for us, especially in the developed world, He tells us that because of our lukewarmness, He'll spit us out like putrid water, unfit for drinking.

I am jarred and shaken by this pronouncement. Not only because of our own selfishness, as if warned that if we don't love each other, we'll be punished, but by the stark and glaring truth of our carnality, worldliness and prayerlessness. Yet I know that that is not who we really are. We have been born anew with the Spirit of the living God now indwelling us. But we've become deceived. I am compelled to look deeper into this ruinously dire situation. I'm certain that if we could see into the spirit realm and see the warring between God's angels and the forces of darkness taking place to save souls from hell, we would be on our knees taking part in the fight as Moses did while Joshua fought on, "Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed." (Ex 17:11). The problem is we don't see the reality or seriousness of the real world. As alluded earlier, we are being lulled into disaster, much like those who were dancing and singing before the sinking of the Titanic. Really, the Church needs to wake up.

Unfortunately for us, Satan has devised and implemented his most effective strategy yet - making us so comfortable, we don't feel the need to pray, we don't feel the need to rely on God and we've  become so self-absorbed, we don't care about the suffering of others. We've bought into the lie that we need money. Money has become our new god, much like the Israelites worshipped foreign gods bringing God's wrath upon themselves.

Radical change is needed. But you need to ask yourself if you're ready for radical change. If not, your eternal state or position is in jeopardy. Here are a few ideas I believe we could implement now to avoid the spew later.

The List

1. Sell what you don't need and give it to the poor
2. Avoid sanctimonious, over-paid and materialistic pastors and priests
3. Seek pastors who are gifted by Christ and walk in tune with the Spirit
4. Be Holy Spirit directed, not program and project directed
5. Devote yourselves to prayer, praise and worship
6. Meet weekly with others for prayer, praise and studying God's word
7. Expect answers to your prayers
8. Discover and exercise your spiritual gifts.
9. Get rid of your possessions that may hinder your walk with Christ, i.e. worldly music, your television, ungodly books and magazines etc.
10. Study, memorize and believe God's Word -  put on the FULL armor of God.
11. Seek and learn humility, brokenness and self-denial. Consider others as more important than yourselves. 
12. Give yourself wholly to Christ - detest lukewarmness - love God with ALL your heart, mind and soul

I admit, for many, this list looks REALLY RADICAL! And it's radical change that's needed to change the Church. Imagine how this would change you, your family and your life.

If you believe this is what's needed for the body of Christ to wake up, pass this post on by clicking on the share icons below.

Why We Need To Be Led By The Spirit

1. We need to be led by the Spirit because The King of Kings demands our obedience.

The Spirit is none other than the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son - God who is Spirit must not only be worshipped in word, but also in deed.

 

2. We need to be led by the Spirit for the sake of the lost.

Our God is patient wishing all to come to repentance, but not all are ready or open to the Word of God. In this we need His guidance. It is only when we are sensitive to the voice of God speaking through our own spirit to our minds that we can be directed to the ones around us at the right time and place.

3. We need to be led by the Spirit in order to effectively be His body on earth. 
He came to heal the sick, free those in spiritual bondage and prepare His church, His body on earth and bride after He returns. We don't see healings in our midst and freeing the demonically bound because we are not open vessels for His use.

4. We need to be led by His Spirit to exercise the gifts of the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11: “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one
for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the
Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another
faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to
another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of
spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of
tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to
each one individually as He wills.”

5. We need to be led by the Spirit to be able to discern between truth and deception,

As well as correct doctrine, and correctly understand His Word.

6. We need to be led by the Spirit to alleviate suffering in the world.

If the body of Christ on earth today was truly led by His Spirit, they wouldn't be spending His resources on themselves in buying nicer cars, bigger homes, designer labelled clothes, make-up, hair styling, newest techy toys, bigger TVs and the list keeps growing. Many of God's children are dying of treatable diseases and malnutrition, while walking without shoes, working for pennies a day instead of going to school and learning how to read God's Word. Churches throughout the developing world can't afford places of worship or hymnals or bibles.

7. We need to be led by the Spirit to manifest the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Hindrances to our being led by the Spirit

1. Too busy or too lazy to pray long and hard and to spend time reading God's word. When we devote ourselves to prayer, we become desirous to spend time in God's Word, then we become sensitive to His Spirit, hearing what He's telling us. We also become obedient when we are sensitive to His Spirit. Then we are finally being "led by His Spirit".

2. Too caught up with self to be sensitive to the Spirit. The Holy Spirit speaks to our mind through our spirit, but if we always listen to our flesh, in all its cravings and desires, we become dulled to our own spirit and the Holy Spirit within us.

3. Too worldly to free up time and energy to pray, fast, study God's Word or to go where He would lead us or do what He bids us. Our lifestyles mimic those of the world. We work at our jobs longer than necessary because we want to be like those of the world. If God's people would learn to live with just what they need, they wouldn't need to work at their jobs as long and could devote themselves to the things of God.

4. Most church leaders do not lead by example. The body of Christ is luke warm because we are like a flock of sheep with sleeping shepherds. They don't teach on being led by the Spirit because they themselves are not. They only teach what they believe will maintain the status quo. They don't want to cause ripples that might get them labelled as too radical. Most of today's pastors are intellectually trained. They can read Greek and Hebrew, are steeped in higher biblical criticism, readily quote other theologians, consider themselves to be experts in their field of theology, but few are led by the Holy Spirit. They don't preach or practice what is needed for the Church to become HOT for Christ, but instead continue to lull us into luke warm apathy.

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, " Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. - Rom 8:15-17

Especially in these last days, we need to wake up. The Church is in one of its most dire conditions since it's inception when the Holy Spirit fell on believers after Christ's assension. We're like a jumbo jet flying with the pilot fast asleep. Indeed, we are the lukewarm church as depicted in the seventh message to the churches of Christ's revelation to John. But throughout history, there have always been His overcomers - those who were Hot for their savior. May we also take up our shield of faith and sword of the Spirit and become the saints of God we are called to be.

The Upside Down Church

John, that lovely apostle, faithful to the end, was blessed in being shown the prophetic history of the Christian Church as accounted in The Revelation of Jesus Christ. In the revealing of "things which are soon to take place", he was shown seven messages that would be in transit through time and opportunely delivered.The last letter, to the church of Laodicea, is recognized as being directed to the final dispensation and is characterized by the Christian Church in today's western world. This church is described as "the lukewarm church". The passage is as follows:

Rev 3:15-17

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.  16 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew you out of My mouth.  17 'Because you say, " I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,"   NASU

Imagine a jar of water, hot on top and cold at the bottom. For the water to become lukewarm, we'd need to turn the jar upside down. This is how I see the church today - upside down. We have lost the intense love and faithfulness to Christ that the early church had during the first three centuries of heavy persecution as depicted by the church of Smyrna and again during the period of revivals as typified by the church of Philadelphia. Today's church doubts the authority and veracity of the bible as God's Word, sees little evidence of the Spirit in healings, spiritual manifestations and the exercising of Spiritual gifts. Yet instead of being completely turned off, we play church. We have not only become diluted, but tepid and apathetic. The vibrancy the Church once had has waned to indifference.

Today's Christians, don't believe they need God. After all, we have all we need. If we fall ill, we go the doctor. If we're hungry, we go to Supermarket, If we're threatened, we call the police, If we have spare time, we turn on the TV, or PlayStation. If we lose our job, we have employment Insurance. The kind of problems we face is running out of chips and pop in the middle of the movie. 

We may have, at one time, been excited about God and church, when we were in our impressionable teen years; we read our bibles and attended youth groups or bible camps. But now, grown up, there are so many other things more important - like the hockey play-offs, or Saturday afternoon golf - besides the work of the church is looked after by the pastor. After all, that's what he's paid for, right?

Unfortunately, the pastor's salary of, say, $75K annually, keeps him and his family also busied in today's modern, stuff-littered world. There's the plethora of box stores: Walmart, Home Depot, Superstore, Winners, Canadian Tire, Mark's Work Wearhouse, Sport Chek, Shoppers Drug Mart and Chapters, just to name a few. The pastor is also a huge sports fan, and it seems one of his favourite teams is always in the running for the play-offs. And he's an avid news junky – after all, he needs to stay on top of world events. Then, there are the many generous patrons who regularly beckon him for a game of golf, dinner out, coffee at Timmy's, the latest theatre production and varied charity events. And to keep their money flowing, they all need to be stroked and preened. I honestly don't know how he keeps up. Inconveniently, for the pastor, family and church responsibilities often fall behind. Compared to the early church, the Apostles modelled, today's church is indeed upside down.

In order to find the solution to our lukewarmness, we first need to identify the problem and its source. We need to retrace our steps. In comparing the early church to today's church, we immediately identify key areas of deviation. The early church was instructed in how to abstain from moral corruption, i.e: premarital sex, extra-marital sex, same sex, self-sex, selfish sex, abortion, astrology, gossiping, gambling, gluttony (super-size me), bitterness, back-biting, lying, cheating, and such. The early church Christians were also instructed in how to protect themselves from spiritual attack, how to recognize the presence of demonic forces, how to deliver one that is demonized, and instructed in correct doctrine. 

Additionally, the church members were taught to identify their spiritual gifts which would be exercised accordingly. While today's church is sermonized by "the pastor" of the assembly, typically a "senior pastor", seldom does he/she teach on issues of morality or spiritual warfare. Sound doctrine is often under attack in today's churches, and pastors are often afraid to take a stand where they might be labelled as "too radical". We're more afraid of how we look than of God, "who can destroy our body and our soul in hell" (Matt 10:28).

Today's opulent churches are not much different than the assemblies depicted in The Revelation in the message to the Ephesians.Rev 2:4,5 But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lamp-stand out of its place, unless you repent. (NASU)

Unfortunately, they did not repent, and their candlestick was removed; the church was broken up in 96 AD. I can imagine how heart-broken the apostle John would have been to have known the church he, himself, was an elder, would slide into such lukewarmness. 

And as we reflect on the role of the body of Christ on earth, can we see how we have lost the vibrancy we have as God's people being the light of the world and salt of the earth? Can we see how our love of money and the things of the world is blinding us to a world of lost souls falling through the cracks to an eternity of outer darkness? And what of us, the upside down church, the lukewarm church, are we also falling through the cracks? Do we blithely believe we are heaven bound, or have we fallen for the lies of "wolves in sheep's clothing"?