Woke up this morning really thinking about the mission of the church and where it is. It just seems we have such a long way to go to recapture and reclaim the Gospel message. All around us, even in church circles, there seems to be an unwillingness to declare the whole counsel of God....
- Repentance? Nope...not really needed. Just check a block.
- Fear of God? Nope...He doesn't want us to fear Him. (Note: not what our Lord taught...Luke 12:5!)
- Biblical ethics? Nope...just do what feels right.
- Holiness? Not needed.
- My life this, my purpose that? Now that's what I'm talking about!
- The Biblical, one husband one wife family? C'mon now...don't judge.
- Church services designed for worship and instructing the saints? LOLOL.
Underneath all this compromise are the masses of the spiritually dead and dying. Why can't we see that the current path of softening or eliminating parts of God's character and message isn't working? We've lost the culture! We've lost most of our children!
The road back is hard but simple: The Scriptures. All of them. Every jot and tittle interpreted through the Christ of Scripture and His work.
- Who is He? The Son of God and God the Son.
- Why did He come? Because of sin, defined biblically as "transgression of the law."
- Why did He suffer and die? To satisfy the wrath of the Father because of His hatred of sin.
- Is this why the Old Testament is such a bloody mosaic with rule after rule? Yes...all designed to point to Christ.
- What is Jesus' message? Repent and Believe the Gospel.
- What does He promise? Eternal Life to those who believe.
- Is He the only way to heaven? Yes.
- What happens to those who don't believe? Condemnation; an eternal, conscious punishment called Hell.
- Why? Because God is just. He must judge and punish unrighteousness.
- What is the over-arching theme that undergirds all the above? The love of God in Christ Jesus.
We aren't doing anyone any favors by side-stepping the hard truths of Scripture.
