This is what I believe God has spoken concerning the diminishing virtues of our Christian communities:
The churches which were built for the purpose of congregating for the worship of God, have become a place to assemble in order to gain social prominence and respectability and also a means to advance ones career. People have become self indulgent and are only concerned about themselves.
Most of our community leaders attend church. However, most of them attend for selfish career advancing reasons. Parents, for the most part, force their children to attend church because it makes them socially acceptable and gives them a sense of respectability in their communities. And all this is going on simply because the preachers are not preaching the word of God with AUTHORITY.
“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:2-4, NIV). “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise thee.” (Titus 2:15, Dby).
Ministers preach sermon after sermon and most of the preaching is not preached to bring people to repentance, but to appease those who hear them. Why? Because they want to make a living. They preach for gain and respectability.
If we love Jesus (that is, Yehoshua, some say, Yahusha or Yahawasha: The Lamb of Yah), we will boldly preach truth
“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-17 KJV).
“Feed the flock of God (Yah, some say, Yahawah), which is among you,”
“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:1-3, KJV).
Is it wrong to want respect or to show respect? The obvious answer is no. However, when we seek to be respectable at the expense of being loving we negate all that we gain by being DO-GOODERS . Humanitarian deeds do not better the character of man if they are not done out of love. Therefore, the longer we do deeds or simply live life for gain, we will eventually grow weary in our well doing and that is when our true nature is revealed. In other words when we begin to complain and become frustrated with our neighbor it is proof that we are not walking in the love of God. Love never says, “I HAVE HAD IT WITH THOSE PEOPLE!”, “I AM NOT PUTTING UP WITH THIS ANYMORE!”, or “I WILL BE GLAD WHEN THEY LEAVE!”. No, Love is more gracious than that.
“If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:3-8, NIV). “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (Matthew 5:43-44, KJV).
We as members of the church of the one and only true Lord of our salvation, Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ),must come to terms with our present sinful state and repent.
Bring us into an intimacy with Jesus.
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3 KJV).
The Church At Laodicea
“And to the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write: These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot. Thus because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and am grown rich, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art the wretched and the miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked;
I counsel thee to buy of me gold purified by fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white garments, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness may not be made manifest; and eye-salve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see. I rebuke and discipline as many as I love; be zealous therefore and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and am knocking; if any one hear my voice and open the door, I will come in unto him and sup with him, and he with me. He that overcomes, to him will I give to sit with me in my throne; as I also have overcome, and have sat down with my Father in his throne. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.” (Revelation 3:14-22, Dby).
The Church At Laodicea: Matthew Henry’s Commentary
“Laodicea was the last and worst of the seven churches of Asia. Here our Lord Jesus styles himself, “The Amen;” one steady and unchangeable in all his purposes and promises. If religion is worth anything, it is worth every thing. Christ expects men should be in earnest. How many professors of gospel doctrine are neither hot nor cold; except as they are indifferent in needful matters, and hot and fiery in disputes about things of lesser moment! A severe punishment is threatened. They would give a false opinion of Christianity, as if it were an unholy religion; while others would conclude it could afford no real satisfaction, otherwise its professors would not have been heartless in it, or so ready to seek pleasure or happiness from the world.
One cause of this indifference and inconsistency in religion is, self-conceit and self-delusion; “Because thou sayest.” What a difference between their thoughts of themselves, and the thoughts Christ had of them! How careful should we be not to cheat our owns souls! There are many in hell, who once thought themselves far in the way to heaven. Let us beg of God that we may not be left to flatter and deceive ourselves.
Professors grow proud, as they become carnal and formal. Their state was wretched in itself. They were poor; really poor, when they said and thought they were rich. They could not see their state, nor their way, nor their danger, yet they thought they saw it. They had not the garment of justification, nor sanctification: they were exposed to sin and shame; their rags that would defile them. They were naked, without house or harbour, for they were without God, in whom alone the soul of man can find rest and safety. Good counsel was given by Christ to this sinful people. Happy those who take his counsel, for all others must perish in their sins. Christ lets them know where they might have true riches, and how they might have them. Some things must be parted with, but nothing valuable; and it is only to make room for receiving true riches. Part with sin and self-confidence, that you may be filled with his hidden treasure. They must receive from Christ the white raiment he purchased and provided for them; his own imputed righteousness for justification, and the garments of holiness and sanctification. Let them give themselves up to his word and Spirit, and their eyes shall be opened to see their way and their end.
Let us examine ourselves by the rule of his word, and pray earnestly for the teaching of his Holy Spirit, to take away our pride, prejudices, and worldly lusts. Sinners ought to take the rebukes of God’s word and rod, as tokens of his love to their souls. Christ stood without; knocking, by the dealings of his providence, the warnings and teaching of his word, and the influences of his Spirit. Christ still graciously, by his word and Spirit, comes to the door of the hearts of sinners. Those who open to him shall enjoy his presence. If what he finds would make but a poor feast, what he brings will supply a rich one. He will give fresh supplies of graces and comforts. In the conclusion is a promise to the overcoming believer. Christ himself had temptations and conflicts; he overcame them all, and was more than a conqueror. Those made like to Christ in his trials, shall be made like to him in glory. All is closed with the general demand of attention. And these counsels, while suited to the churches to which they were addressed, are deeply interesting to all men.” ( Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary).
Definition: do-good-er
do-good-er (doo’good’ ‘er) n. A naive idealist who supports philanthropic or humanitarian causes or reforms. (Go Back)
Jamie Thompson 