We Need to be "Calling Names" (When it comes to sin....)
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1 Peter 5:6-10
God has a way of getting right to the heart of any matter in our lives. He knows the thoughts and intents of the heart and he tries the reins and seeks out the inner man. I've been inundated the past few months by people, who despite what the word of God directs always seek a loophole. Church is not the IRS, and living for God is not a tax audit. I don't care how you figure it; the word of God is settled. Stop looking for loopholes to hide your actions!
If the word says don't steal, don't steal. If it says don't kill, don't kill...but the word also says that he that hates his brother is a murderer. Iniquity is like idolatry. Rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft...and yet we wonder why our churches are struggling right now? Stop looking through man's eyes and eyes of the flesh and get into the Spirit!
It's kind of hard to stay in the Spirit when we are stuffing our flesh with the finest of foods, eating at the finest restaurants, driving the nicest cars, living in a nice new home or nice home, and preaching everything and everyone into hell that doesn't look, act and dress like us (thank GOD!)
As I have stated on numerous occasion, I have seen men and women, not classed as "sinners" but as "saints" who have been confronted with the word of God about something they are doing and instead of stopping and saying...Okay, that's right, I shouldn't do that, they take the Pharisaical approach of declaring they have no sin then stepping past the pointing finger of God's word and directing the finger of flesh at another brother or sister.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8
I'm used to this among Pentecostals. Those of you who are Baptist, Evangelicals or other denominations can just cop a squat here for a bit and grab a Coke and a bag of popcorn and enjoy the show. I'm not dealing with you at all this go-around. It's time for some internal housecleaning and evaluation in the home-ranks.
Where do we Apostolics get off declaring the Word of God is only a "guideline" instead of a heavenly mandate? How do we stay so long among the ranks of the One God, Holiness ranks that we think we can dictate what is "mandatory" and "not mandatory" in our walks with God despite sound doctrine and Divinely inspired Word? I'm seeing a paradigm shift in the movement the past 10 years that has flabbergasted me and frustrated me, when I sit with ministers that think that preaching one thing to the flock and living another way entirely at home is tolerable. When ministers think nothing of correcting one of their own at board level or fighting over a "sheep stealing" fellow minister, or reporting one who is winning sinners from their nearby city...yet won't preach against sin in the church.
Now we've joined forces in the denominal world by calling sinners to repentance, but making sure we don't name exactly what those sins are! For over 30 years we've started a downward slide from preaching against sins by name to only just naming the "baddy-bad" stuff that almost anyone would agree with us even in other churches and sometimes even the civil sector, are completely wrong and affect the moral breakdown of our society as a whole.
Now we've relegated to naming "sin" but not "naming the sin." We have some ministers who can give you a dictionary on how they tell their people to dress, but can't tell their saints stop being dishonest in their business dealings with people in the world AND in the church! We can hit on hem, sleeve and garment lengths but can't tell our people not to be meddlers in other men's affairs, not to be slanderous, not to have respect of persons, not to be truce breakers (that has a wide definition), railers, maligners, liars, busy-bodies, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, false accusers, back-biters, heady, high minded, effeminate.
Just hang on, because I was doing a word search the other night before Bible study after teaching on our being "Children of the Light" and what all the works of darkness are. It was mind-boggling!
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:16-21
Some of these need no explanation, but let's "break it down and make it plain," as one dear, sweet black sister used to yell to my pastor on Sunday night service years ago while he was preaching.
Adultery - needs no explanation. This means intimate or sexual relations (or thoughts) with a married person...even a separated married person. This can even apply to someone divorced without biblical grounds, who remarries…according to Jesus and Paul...but hey, what do they know, right?
fornication - comes from the Greek pornia and means ANY kind of sexual sin, and like adultery can be in the thoughts, as well as the actions.
uncleanness - this brings in a whole vast area from sexual perversion to vile thoughts, ungodliness, any sin can be uncleanness. In the Air Force we have Article 32 which is a "general clause" for that they can tag onto any other charges filed against a serviceman or servicewoman. It covers
all the bases generic-fashion.
lasciviousness - adjective
1. inclined to lustfulness; wanton; lewd: a lascivious, girl-chasing old man.
2. arousing sexual desire: lascivious photographs.
3. indicating sexual interest or expressive of lust or lewdness: a lascivious gesture.
Idolatry - this can mean worship of anything, including pastimes, hobbies, social structure, heroes, lifestyles, people, not just "dumb idols."
1. the religious worship of idols.
2. excessive or blind adoration, reverence, devotion, etc. obsession, madness, mania.
witchcraft - not a lot to say about this one in general. We all know what the occult is...but Samuel the prophet clearly stated that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft...Any time you operate in that area you open yourself to activity you don't want!
hatred - Amazing that from Cain and Abel until now this one still tries to hide. Today we just label it different. Now we are politically correct and say, "I choose NOT TO FELLOWSHIP with them." Sorry, I don't have a beef with people like that. I look at their spirit and actions as a fulfillment of the prophetic words of Christ who said that the day would come that some believers would be cast out of the synagogue (reads as the "church" not the world) and persecute you from city to city.
variance - This one is an odd one. As a teen my pastor told me exactly what it meant after a church squabble! This is a work of the FLESH. Especially if one or both sides will not settle it according to God's Word.
7. a disagreement, dispute, or quarrel.
—Idiom
emulations - This one is just pure old jealousy...but hey, we don't have any of that in Pentecost now do we?
1. Effort or ambition to equal or surpass another.
2. Imitation of another. Obsolete Jealous rivalry.
wrath -
1. Forceful, often vindictive anger.
a. Punishment or vengeance as a manifestation of anger.
b. Divine retribution for sin.
1. strong, stern, or fierce anger; deeply resentful indignation; ire.
2. vengeance or punishment as the consequence of anger.
strife - Wow, if strife is a work of the flesh, stay off I-4 with me in the evening! I've seen people willing to start strife in the church or with other saints and never once point their finger their own direction as the root cause. Where there is no wood, the fire goes out.
seditions - This is just good old REBELLION and mutiny again...
Incitement of discontent or rebellion against a government.
any action, esp. in speech or writing, promoting such discontent or rebellion. Archaic. rebellious disorder.
heresies - Plain old false doctrine. This is not just the fly -by night stuff that some errant saint, evangelist, or backslidden preacher tosses out over the pulpit through ignorance or being turned over to believe a lie by the Holy Ghost...but it also includes all that "tradition" stuff that dad, mom and great-uncle Jethro who is a preacher somewhere...taught us that doesn't line up with God's Word!
envyings - This goes beyond envy...let's state just what it is...being upset because someone is doing something better than you, living better than you, etc. it is closely tied to jealousy and is based in hatred or holding someone else in low esteem compared to our desires. Blaming someone else for your misfortunes in life can be rooted in envy.
murders - This ties in very strongly with hatred and wrath. Hatred of a brother or sister can be based in a murderous spirit. Attempting to destroy a man or woman's character, reputation or spirit can be closely tied to this spirit.
drunkenness - Needs no explanation. The Bible is replete with examples of drunkenness. It destroys homes and families.
revellings - This not only applied to partying but also the sensual orgies of Roman times.
to take great pleasure or delight (usually fol. by in): to revel in luxury.
2. to make merry; indulge in boisterous festivities.
3. boisterous merrymaking or festivity; revelry.
4. Often, revels. an occasion of merrymaking or noisy festivity with dancing, masking, etc.
and such like - Hmmmm...Paul left no stone unturned. He not only named the sin, but just in case he missed something or had someone that wanted to be a Pharisee in their approach to his statements, he tossed the trump card out and said, "and such like."
God bless a preacher that tells it like it is, even when half his church is family and can trace their roots back 3 generations in the church, or are his biggest tithe-payers. It's funny how we have the "granddaughter clause" among us today that we preach against something for 40 years until our granddaughter does it! God deliver us from that hypocrisy. Two things that influence the ministry the most...backslidden preacher's wives and little brown envelopes!
When it comes to sin, we need to be naming things. My human spirit may try to justify my actions in any matter if I don't have a preacher to preach to me the unadulterated Word of God. I don't want a pastor to lie to me to my own destruction.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelations 21:8
And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Revelations 22:10-17
God has a way of getting right to the heart of any matter in our lives. He knows the thoughts and intents of the heart and he tries the reins and seeks out the inner man. I've been inundated the past few months by people, who despite what the word of God directs always seek a loophole. Church is not the IRS, and living for God is not a tax audit. I don't care how you figure it; the word of God is settled. Stop looking for loopholes to hide your actions!
If the word says don't steal, don't steal. If it says don't kill, don't kill...but the word also says that he that hates his brother is a murderer. Iniquity is like idolatry. Rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft...and yet we wonder why our churches are struggling right now? Stop looking through man's eyes and eyes of the flesh and get into the Spirit!
It's kind of hard to stay in the Spirit when we are stuffing our flesh with the finest of foods, eating at the finest restaurants, driving the nicest cars, living in a nice new home or nice home, and preaching everything and everyone into hell that doesn't look, act and dress like us (thank GOD!)
As I have stated on numerous occasion, I have seen men and women, not classed as "sinners" but as "saints" who have been confronted with the word of God about something they are doing and instead of stopping and saying...Okay, that's right, I shouldn't do that, they take the Pharisaical approach of declaring they have no sin then stepping past the pointing finger of God's word and directing the finger of flesh at another brother or sister.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8
I'm used to this among Pentecostals. Those of you who are Baptist, Evangelicals or other denominations can just cop a squat here for a bit and grab a Coke and a bag of popcorn and enjoy the show. I'm not dealing with you at all this go-around. It's time for some internal housecleaning and evaluation in the home-ranks.
Where do we Apostolics get off declaring the Word of God is only a "guideline" instead of a heavenly mandate? How do we stay so long among the ranks of the One God, Holiness ranks that we think we can dictate what is "mandatory" and "not mandatory" in our walks with God despite sound doctrine and Divinely inspired Word? I'm seeing a paradigm shift in the movement the past 10 years that has flabbergasted me and frustrated me, when I sit with ministers that think that preaching one thing to the flock and living another way entirely at home is tolerable. When ministers think nothing of correcting one of their own at board level or fighting over a "sheep stealing" fellow minister, or reporting one who is winning sinners from their nearby city...yet won't preach against sin in the church.
Now we've joined forces in the denominal world by calling sinners to repentance, but making sure we don't name exactly what those sins are! For over 30 years we've started a downward slide from preaching against sins by name to only just naming the "baddy-bad" stuff that almost anyone would agree with us even in other churches and sometimes even the civil sector, are completely wrong and affect the moral breakdown of our society as a whole.
Now we've relegated to naming "sin" but not "naming the sin." We have some ministers who can give you a dictionary on how they tell their people to dress, but can't tell their saints stop being dishonest in their business dealings with people in the world AND in the church! We can hit on hem, sleeve and garment lengths but can't tell our people not to be meddlers in other men's affairs, not to be slanderous, not to have respect of persons, not to be truce breakers (that has a wide definition), railers, maligners, liars, busy-bodies, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, false accusers, back-biters, heady, high minded, effeminate.
Just hang on, because I was doing a word search the other night before Bible study after teaching on our being "Children of the Light" and what all the works of darkness are. It was mind-boggling!
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:16-21
Some of these need no explanation, but let's "break it down and make it plain," as one dear, sweet black sister used to yell to my pastor on Sunday night service years ago while he was preaching.
Adultery - needs no explanation. This means intimate or sexual relations (or thoughts) with a married person...even a separated married person. This can even apply to someone divorced without biblical grounds, who remarries…according to Jesus and Paul...but hey, what do they know, right?
fornication - comes from the Greek pornia and means ANY kind of sexual sin, and like adultery can be in the thoughts, as well as the actions.
uncleanness - this brings in a whole vast area from sexual perversion to vile thoughts, ungodliness, any sin can be uncleanness. In the Air Force we have Article 32 which is a "general clause" for that they can tag onto any other charges filed against a serviceman or servicewoman. It covers
lasciviousness - adjective
1. inclined to lustfulness; wanton; lewd: a lascivious, girl-chasing old man.
2. arousing sexual desire: lascivious photographs.
3. indicating sexual interest or expressive of lust or lewdness: a lascivious gesture.
Idolatry - this can mean worship of anything, including pastimes, hobbies, social structure, heroes, lifestyles, people, not just "dumb idols."
1. the religious worship of idols.
2. excessive or blind adoration, reverence, devotion, etc. obsession, madness, mania.
witchcraft - not a lot to say about this one in general. We all know what the occult is...but Samuel the prophet clearly stated that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft...Any time you operate in that area you open yourself to activity you don't want!
hatred - Amazing that from Cain and Abel until now this one still tries to hide. Today we just label it different. Now we are politically correct and say, "I choose NOT TO FELLOWSHIP with them." Sorry, I don't have a beef with people like that. I look at their spirit and actions as a fulfillment of the prophetic words of Christ who said that the day would come that some believers would be cast out of the synagogue (reads as the "church" not the world) and persecute you from city to city.
variance - This one is an odd one. As a teen my pastor told me exactly what it meant after a church squabble! This is a work of the FLESH. Especially if one or both sides will not settle it according to God's Word.
7. a disagreement, dispute, or quarrel.
—Idiom
emulations - This one is just pure old jealousy...but hey, we don't have any of that in Pentecost now do we?
1. Effort or ambition to equal or surpass another.
2. Imitation of another. Obsolete Jealous rivalry.
wrath -
1. Forceful, often vindictive anger.
a. Punishment or vengeance as a manifestation of anger.
b. Divine retribution for sin.
1. strong, stern, or fierce anger; deeply resentful indignation; ire.
2. vengeance or punishment as the consequence of anger.
strife - Wow, if strife is a work of the flesh, stay off I-4 with me in the evening! I've seen people willing to start strife in the church or with other saints and never once point their finger their own direction as the root cause. Where there is no wood, the fire goes out.
seditions - This is just good old REBELLION and mutiny again...
Incitement of discontent or rebellion against a government.
any action, esp. in speech or writing, promoting such discontent or rebellion. Archaic. rebellious disorder.
heresies - Plain old false doctrine. This is not just the fly -by night stuff that some errant saint, evangelist, or backslidden preacher tosses out over the pulpit through ignorance or being turned over to believe a lie by the Holy Ghost...but it also includes all that "tradition" stuff that dad, mom and great-uncle Jethro who is a preacher somewhere...taught us that doesn't line up with God's Word!
envyings - This goes beyond envy...let's state just what it is...being upset because someone is doing something better than you, living better than you, etc. it is closely tied to jealousy and is based in hatred or holding someone else in low esteem compared to our desires. Blaming someone else for your misfortunes in life can be rooted in envy.
murders - This ties in very strongly with hatred and wrath. Hatred of a brother or sister can be based in a murderous spirit. Attempting to destroy a man or woman's character, reputation or spirit can be closely tied to this spirit.
drunkenness - Needs no explanation. The Bible is replete with examples of drunkenness. It destroys homes and families.
revellings - This not only applied to partying but also the sensual orgies of Roman times.
to take great pleasure or delight (usually fol. by in): to revel in luxury.
2. to make merry; indulge in boisterous festivities.
3. boisterous merrymaking or festivity; revelry.
4. Often, revels. an occasion of merrymaking or noisy festivity with dancing, masking, etc.
and such like - Hmmmm...Paul left no stone unturned. He not only named the sin, but just in case he missed something or had someone that wanted to be a Pharisee in their approach to his statements, he tossed the trump card out and said, "and such like."
God bless a preacher that tells it like it is, even when half his church is family and can trace their roots back 3 generations in the church, or are his biggest tithe-payers. It's funny how we have the "granddaughter clause" among us today that we preach against something for 40 years until our granddaughter does it! God deliver us from that hypocrisy. Two things that influence the ministry the most...backslidden preacher's wives and little brown envelopes!
When it comes to sin, we need to be naming things. My human spirit may try to justify my actions in any matter if I don't have a preacher to preach to me the unadulterated Word of God. I don't want a pastor to lie to me to my own destruction.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelations 21:8
And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Revelations 22:10-17
No comments:
Post a Comment