And Moses said to the people,
"Do not fear; for God has come
to test you, and that His fear
may be before you, so that you
do may not sin. So the people
stood afar off, but Moses drew
near the thick darkness
where God was. Then
the LORD said to Moses,
"Thus you shall say to the
children of Israel: 'You have seen
that I have talked with you
from heaven.'"
Exodus 20:20-22
Liberal Christianity or cultural Christianity have this in common: they are influenced by the culture and society inasmuch as their theology is more about the congregant that on Jesus Christ. Oh! They may mention His name, even profess to believe on Him: this I will leave to God, for we are not to judge the heart but we are to judge the outward expressions. Far too much emphasis is placed on the person and their feelings, and their efforts to achieve their own ideas of what it takes to live in a proper relationship with God. What is needed is to focus on Jesus Christ and what He accomplished and His sacrifice. Misconceptions on the basic principles of Christianity are formed by misconceptions of God, and of man; further there are misconceptions of His word. The Bible may be used in service, even read, but their theology does not, at least in totality, have its basis in what God had written, they choose to accept some of God's word, and reject, or ignore other parts of the Bible. I believe we all have at one time or the other, but, when we come to know the will of God then we are to make the necessary changes. Do you believe that the Bible is the infallible, the inerrant word of God, that He has preserved His word even unto this day? If so: then why not do what it asks of us? Do you keep the ten commandments? Or, do you think that those commandments are only for the Jewish nation? Oh! you may keep the one on "do not murder," you may keep the one on don't commit adultery, or "do not steal," and you may not take " the name of God in vain," but: you do not keep away from idols, or you do not keep the Sabbath. So many Churches today just do not keep all of God's word for you find idols, pictures of Jesus, or course they are "grainy" right for the cameras of His day were not all that good, Ha! Some have little "saints" on their dashboard, or statues of saints, etc.. Some Churches teach that we are not under law: really, kill somebody, or steal something and see just how you are under the Law. Jesus did not come to destroy the law, He fulfilled it, not abolished it. We are under the law; so why not keep it? When Jesus spoke to the multitudes on the Mount He made this statement as He gave a larger and better explanation of the Law: "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulill. for assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:17-19). How much clearer, or plain do you want God to teach you His commandments, His will? What are you planning for this Sabbath? Boating, shopping, swimming, etc.. Are you planning a day of rest so that you do you shopping for necessary things before the Sabbath so that you can worship God, and keep His commandments. Or are you as cultural Christians are: do whatever makes you feel good. As a business owner: do you open your store on Sunday? Or do you believe that if you do not you will fail? Here is a harder question: do you believe that God will care for you, bless you when you keep his commandments? If the stores were not open on the Sabbath would you buy the necessary things on other days? We are not Jewish, but we are Jewish in this manner: we believe in Jehovah God, the great I am, and though we are not under their economy, we are under the Law of God that He has plainly stated that will not be abolished until this world ends. Period! Authentic Biblical Christians when the truth is presented and they see that they have fallen short, do something about their omission. Will you if that is true?
Focusing on ourselves, our desires and place them above the will of God may seem impossible but did He not say: "For with God nothing will be impossible" (Luke 1:37). From the earliest of time God has made it clear that there is nothing to hard for Him: Is anything too hard for the LORD?...(Genesis 18:14). The prophet Jeremiah continue to preach this truth: "Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You" (Jeremiah 32:17). Paul adds: "and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purposes" (Romans 8:28). We may face persecutions, be misunderstood, but who can stand against God's people? Paul writes: "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us" (Romans 8:31). We are conquerors because God loves us: "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us" (Romans 8:37). I made a mistake, we are not just conquerors, we are "MORE Than CONQUERORS." So, what is the problem, you either have faith in God, or faith in yourself; faith in other things, or faith in God. Which is it? Authentic Christianity is a way for the most wayward of men and women to enter into a right relationship with God based solely on the fact that: "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Cultural or Liberal Christians are confused as to how to get right with God, their means is not in accordance with God as He has revealed to us in His word. God has not lowered His standards to meet our desires, we are to raise our standards and meet His desire, His will. Then we will be blessed on matter what occurs here on earth, we know for a fact that we are children of God, His ambassadors, His mouth, His arms, His legs, and we have an eternity with Him in heaven: whatever that means for us but we know for sure that it is better than here: "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passes away'" (Revelation 21:3-4).
Does this not make you want to get up and shout? Do you not want to dance around for joy? Does this not make you want to live for Him? I hope so!
And Jesus said, "For this judgment
I have come into this world,
that those who do not see may see,
and those who see may be made blind.
John 9:39
Remember: You Are God's Witness!
Richard L. Crumb
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