The lack of the Fear of God is the main issues leading to the cultural drift we experience. Much of our culture no longer believes God exists. And those that profess to do not have a fear of Him. Fear being healthy respect, the concern that stepping out of line could result in dire consequence.
In the book of Acts there is a story about Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Ghost and were struck dead. The result was people flocked to join the Body of Christ. The fear of God is a positive motivator. People didn't lie, swear or fornicate because they feared what that could mean.
Today's world is less fearful. Maybe. Some would say that's a good thing. I'm not convinced. I don't believe revival can come unless a healthy fear of God is restored in the body of Christ.
Barry Kolb who's link is at the left says the fear of God is like the basketball players who played for Bobby Knight and have a healthy fear of him. They knew he can be volatile. They knew he could get angry. So they worked hard, stayed in line and won games more out of fear for what Knight COULD do rather than what he did.
Yesterday I mentioned a website run by a pastor, Ken Silva. It's full of accusations, indictments and disdain for everyone on the planet who doesn't exactly believe what he and 3 of his closest friends believe. I read much of what he wrote this morning on his website. It's very sad stuff. Silva must be an unhappy man.
He is not alone. There are lots of modern inquisitors who even "inquisit" each other. I am convinced that they are as abandoned to do what they do with such reckless impunity is that they have no fear of God. The devil has them convinced that this is their calling in life. To try to tear down what God has set up.
It was no different in Jesus time. They didn't have websites and there was no Christian Research Council (Hank Handegraff) but they did have the Pharisee convention. They were constantly coming to Jesus to trip him up. Constantly preaching against what Jesus was claiming. Berating Jesus' followers. Just like today.
Jesus called them children of the Devil himself. Whitewashed tombs. Vipers.
Just like today.
I won't do that. I just feel really sorry for these modern day Pharisees. The lack of any fear of who God really is has caused them to become tools of the enemy. Look at the comments by the anonymous writer in the post below. She is not a professing Christian. Her amazement at the disunity stirred up by the heresy hunters among us is an understandable response. We look like idiots to the world because of how we treat one another. That is the opposite of the benchmark set by the early Church who loved one another and were known for it by the world. We are far from that mark today. And back then they didn't all believe exactly the same things. Circumcision and all.
I'll bet Ken Silva and Ilk would have had a heyday writing about that "Heresy".
There are lots of Christians with whom I have serious differences. Lots of Christians that have serious differences with ME. But those are my friends, colleges and fellow Pastors. I encourage them to look deeper. I try to motivate them to see if in fact there might be more. I challenge them to ask hard questions. They challenge me. I have been an opponent of Infant Baptism for nearly my whole life. I have been challenged and I'm not certain I'm right. I think I'm right, I'm just not certain. Neither are they.
But to come right out and say the kinds of things I read on Silva's Website this morning is over the top.
When I read Ken Silva's comment to the post below which said, "I am not afraid" it spoke volumes. He's right. He's not. That's the problem. Fear God and NOT Man.
And, touch not his anointed. Even when Bakker, Swaggart and Ted Haggard were exposed I was careful to watch my words. Oh, I named sin sin. But to attack them?
I do draw the line when I see Rick Warren in Syria pronouncing Syria a peaceful nation and open to the Gospel. He's just deceived.
I do draw the line when I see Jimmy Carter undermining the country he led and that has done so much for him.
Sometimes Nathan has to come to David and speak the word of God to him. But that's about error like Carter and Warren and not the error of theology. I think it would be well to re-examine Gamaliel's counsel. Anything built on nothing will collapse of it's own weight. No help will be required from Silva or Handegraff.
What they do is all foolish fearlessness.
In the book of Acts there is a story about Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Ghost and were struck dead. The result was people flocked to join the Body of Christ. The fear of God is a positive motivator. People didn't lie, swear or fornicate because they feared what that could mean.
Today's world is less fearful. Maybe. Some would say that's a good thing. I'm not convinced. I don't believe revival can come unless a healthy fear of God is restored in the body of Christ.
Barry Kolb who's link is at the left says the fear of God is like the basketball players who played for Bobby Knight and have a healthy fear of him. They knew he can be volatile. They knew he could get angry. So they worked hard, stayed in line and won games more out of fear for what Knight COULD do rather than what he did.
Yesterday I mentioned a website run by a pastor, Ken Silva. It's full of accusations, indictments and disdain for everyone on the planet who doesn't exactly believe what he and 3 of his closest friends believe. I read much of what he wrote this morning on his website. It's very sad stuff. Silva must be an unhappy man.
He is not alone. There are lots of modern inquisitors who even "inquisit" each other. I am convinced that they are as abandoned to do what they do with such reckless impunity is that they have no fear of God. The devil has them convinced that this is their calling in life. To try to tear down what God has set up.
It was no different in Jesus time. They didn't have websites and there was no Christian Research Council (Hank Handegraff) but they did have the Pharisee convention. They were constantly coming to Jesus to trip him up. Constantly preaching against what Jesus was claiming. Berating Jesus' followers. Just like today.
Jesus called them children of the Devil himself. Whitewashed tombs. Vipers.
Just like today.
I won't do that. I just feel really sorry for these modern day Pharisees. The lack of any fear of who God really is has caused them to become tools of the enemy. Look at the comments by the anonymous writer in the post below. She is not a professing Christian. Her amazement at the disunity stirred up by the heresy hunters among us is an understandable response. We look like idiots to the world because of how we treat one another. That is the opposite of the benchmark set by the early Church who loved one another and were known for it by the world. We are far from that mark today. And back then they didn't all believe exactly the same things. Circumcision and all.
I'll bet Ken Silva and Ilk would have had a heyday writing about that "Heresy".
There are lots of Christians with whom I have serious differences. Lots of Christians that have serious differences with ME. But those are my friends, colleges and fellow Pastors. I encourage them to look deeper. I try to motivate them to see if in fact there might be more. I challenge them to ask hard questions. They challenge me. I have been an opponent of Infant Baptism for nearly my whole life. I have been challenged and I'm not certain I'm right. I think I'm right, I'm just not certain. Neither are they.
But to come right out and say the kinds of things I read on Silva's Website this morning is over the top.
When I read Ken Silva's comment to the post below which said, "I am not afraid" it spoke volumes. He's right. He's not. That's the problem. Fear God and NOT Man.
And, touch not his anointed. Even when Bakker, Swaggart and Ted Haggard were exposed I was careful to watch my words. Oh, I named sin sin. But to attack them?
I do draw the line when I see Rick Warren in Syria pronouncing Syria a peaceful nation and open to the Gospel. He's just deceived.
I do draw the line when I see Jimmy Carter undermining the country he led and that has done so much for him.
Sometimes Nathan has to come to David and speak the word of God to him. But that's about error like Carter and Warren and not the error of theology. I think it would be well to re-examine Gamaliel's counsel. Anything built on nothing will collapse of it's own weight. No help will be required from Silva or Handegraff.
What they do is all foolish fearlessness.
1 comment:
amen...
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