“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
The definition of apostasy is the abandonment of a previous loyalty. The modern church has abandoned their first love, Jesus Christ and His finished work, for another gospel and are accursed. “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-8.
The modern church preaches psychology and motivation to the people for deliverance instead of the Gospel of Jesus. As a result, they have a form of godliness but by their actions are not godly. Their gospel is more about themselves and leading by example. They join the world to win the world to meet them where they are. Truth be known, they have never had to leave the world because their pastors and preachers have met them “where they are” as well. There is now no separation in the world and the church.
Those who see this are constantly admonished for being “religious” which will “just turn them away from God”. Yes preaching the full counsel of the Word of God will turn them away from “their god” and turn them to the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Please understand, condoning this other gospel is what is allowing them to turn away from God. The god the apostate are now seeking is not the God of the Bible but a god some scheme of man has conjured up to fit fleshly desires. If your god condones sin to win the lost, it is not the God of the Bible. You are the one who is being religious by not allowing the Gospel of Jesus to offend when and where it needs to offend. When the Gospel of Jesus offends the lost or bound, they have a choice to make and it is between them and God. You plant the seed and wipe the dust off of your feet. The Lord is longsuffering, just like He is with each and every one of us. Just be sure to discern the seed your planting, not the ground but the seed. Planting the wrong seed, preaching the wrong Jesus and the wrong Gospel allows bondages to remain.
Sadly, many are being used as satan’s bait to lure others into bondage. Instead of preaching the Gospel of Jesus that delivers from bondage, which would require pointing to the bondage and calling it what it is (sin), they lead by example, which by their actions, claim God’s grace allows them to “sin a little”, hence they are the bait…they have a “form of godliness”, they call evil good and good evil. Not only is the bait used to tempt the one already in bondage but they, the bait, then places a law on them to overcome their sin nature. This law incites the sin nature of the one already in bondage. “But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.” Romans 7:8. First they are the bait and then the bait places the bound under the law. Then to make matters worse, if and when they do go to the modern church, they are full of these same pharisees. Except today’s pharisees will not allow the offense of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified to offend, they sugar coat and water it down into, you guessed it…a form of godliness.
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17.
Calling sin “sin” is not being rude. Telling someone there is deliverance in the Cross of Jesus and what He there did is not being religious. We are not called to win the world by joining the world. We are called to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the four corners of the world and HE will draw all men unto Him.
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14. This does not mean to isolate one’s self from the lost. We are to proclaim the good news to the bound and preach deliverance to the captives. We tell them the full counsel of the Word of God. This includes the part about sin and hell. Those who have been forgiven much, love much. Diluting the Gospel of Jesus is diluting and sugar coating what He did on the Cross to save us from our sin. It is demeaning His work for the sake of their feelings, so as not to offend the lost and cause them to turn away from God. The fact of the matter is, they are already turned away from God.
“For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12.
Before we worry about offending someone, discern what it is that is offensive? Is it the Truth of the Gospel of the schemes of man? Schemes of man will never offend the flesh but the Gospel of Jesus will divide the very joints and marrow.
-Donna Clark Warren
Living in The Spirit 