On any given Sunday, one can find church parking lots filled with cars. Inside are people who are being entertained with songs and pithy sermonettes. Is this the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Is this what Believers were commanded to do? Jesus’ last words apply to us today:
“But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8
Here, Jesus Christ is telling those who are followers (not just the original apostles) that they (we as followers of Jesus Christ as well) are to be witnesses of him even the farthest parts of the earth shall we do so. How does building huge “big box” churches and spending millions on enlargement projects fulfill this charge given to us? There will be those who answer this with something like, “We give to missions.” Let us not be deceived. We are all “ministers” and our first and foremost “job” is to be obedient to God’s will and to follow His instruction in all things.
The plight of today’s churches is scary. Where is the teaching? Where is the integrity? Where is Jesus in all of this? Jim Fletcher, who writes Christian commentary and who is well-respected, recently addressed things in today’s churches in an article at World Net Daily. He speaks to “contemplative prayer” which is a topic this writer has addressed in the past.
The referenced article states that at a recent conference in Dallas, Texas the subject was discussed. This conference which was called Catalyst Dallas addressed “contemplative spirituality.” The focus of the event seemed to be centered on a common theme that included the works of Roman Catholic mystics Thomas Merton, Thomas Keating and Henry Nouwen. A featured speaker presented a session titled, “Find Out Who You Really Are: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer.”
Evidently this new-age, paganistic practice is becoming very popular with “evangelical Christians” today and is a large part of the emerging church movement. This doctrine of demons is being gobbled up, it seems, by those who are ready to get rid of the “old style” Christianity and move into the new style. This is just one more step toward uniting all religions under one. Ask yourself, does your church promote this demonic practice?
By the way, it is promoted as a “core doctrine” by “America’s Pastor” Rick Warren. That should send chills up any true believer’s spine.
None of this has anything to do with what Christ intended His church to do. Yet, these same churches will claim to be “the Body of Christ” while practicing and pushing these satanic doctrines. This is nothing new and there is nothing new under the sun. It’s just recycled old stuff.
The church began in Jerusalem, not Rome. A vital step for understanding the puzzle of modern “Christianity,” which directly contradicts the teachings and practices of Christ and the original Apostles, is to study the way of life of the original and true Mother Church – the one begun at Jerusalem.
Nearly all historians recognize that the earliest church was at Jerusalem and that it set the pattern for the teaching and way of life practiced by true Christians. This church did not observe “the law” in the way we think of today as the “complete” “Law of Moses” (but it is actually the laws of God Almighty). What the true Christians (the early church) did observe were the Ten Commandments, along with God’s statutes, all now magnified even more so in spirit than they had been during the Old Testament times.
Christians did not believe that they were required to persist in the ceremonial aspects of the teachings and instruction of God nor in the physical administration of civil law that God gave Israel. But because these early Christians still observed the biblical Sabbath, God’s annual Festivals, tithing and certain dietary restrictions (Leviticus 11), many historians wrongly persist in saying that they followed the “Law of Moses” – trying to lump God’s commandments and statutes in with animal sacrifices and ritualistic washings. This is absolutely wrong, and it is deceptive.
The early Christians were hounded and persecuted by Rome and those who would not bow were executed in the most horrific ways. Read Fox’s Book of Martyrs for a detailed account of this. The catholic church can try to gloss this over all it wants but all Constantine did was mix the paganism of Rome with a “sort” of “Christianity” so that it would be more “palatable” to the Romans. This was a “different” gospel. And, unfortunately, we have that in our churches today. Don’t gasp! It is true.
We have come full circle from the day of Jesus Christ to where we are today. In fact, Western Christianity and indeed, the USA, parallel Rome in many ways. So, it is no wonder that yoga, contemplative prayer/spiritualism, hate for the Hebrew people, and deepening persecution for Christians all over the world is taking place. Is there room for Jesus Christ?
Christians are to walk in authority. This authority was given by Jesus Christ Himself. Do we see this happening today? No, we see churches bowing down to the government which tells them what they can and cannot preach or teach. Churches today in the USA are mere extensions of the state. This happened in Nazi, Germany by the way. The Roman Catholic church endorsed Adolph Hitler. We see similar things happening here.
Remember that we were warned about the world. “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” John 15:19 And, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” I John 2:15.
The “church” and “Christians” today cannot straddle the fence. We cannot be partakers of the things of this world and claim to be followers of Jesus Christ too. It has to be one way or another. Those who profess Christianity are divided into hundreds of competing sects and denominations. But very few understand the original form of Christianity that Christ and His Apostles taught and lived! The “Christian” world has been built upon shifting sand (See Matthew Chapter 7). Its moral system is impotent without the sure foundation of God’s law and the standards to which we should live. This is expected of us. Secular forces are increasingly dictating its standards of conduct, which used to be the prerogative of religious leaders.
Today, behold the spectacle of perverts taking over more and more key posts in government, in education and even in some of the mainline churches! We behold the horrifying statistics of millions of unborn babies having their skulls crushed and being vacuumed out of their mother’s wombs! We behold a civilization that is truly coming apart at the seams. We are a society that will soon be directly punished by the Great God who gives life and breath to all.
Why? In no small measure because our peoples have been deceived into believing in “another Jesus”, because our people have truly lost contact with the true God and His revealed way of life. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me you who practice lawlessness!.” Matthew 7:21-30.
The religion that assumed the name of Christianity adopted the pagan concepts and practices of the Babylonian Mystery Religion in direct violation of Jesus Christ. In II Thessalonians 2:7, Paul referred to this as the “mystery of lawlessness.” This false worship system was instituted in place of the simple way of life that Jesus and the Apostles had taught. We must live in obedience to God and through the help of the Holy Spirit grow in maturity and understanding of these things. Where is growth? Where is maturity? Where is integrity?
It is deeply disturbing and saddening to have to write these things. But this is the sad state of affairs of the “church” especially here in the Western world. Someone must say it, therefore this writer will. Do not attack the messenger for the messenger is not perfect. The truth must be told and those who will not tell it and those who will not change their ways will answer for it. This writer will not have the blood of others on her hands. Pray that you are not a part of this group to whom Jesus is addressing in Matthew Chapter 7. Pray that you are counted worthy in that day to stand before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Send your constructive comments to: sylvester.lea@gmail.com