Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Clean On The Outside: Dirty On The Inside


But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’
And not do the things which I say?
Whoever comes to Me,
And hears My sayings and does them,
I will show you whom he is like:
Luke 6:46–47

            Jesus went on them to give the narration about two men, one who built his house on rock, and the other who built his house on sand. The house on the rock stood the flood, the house on the sand did not stand against the stream that beat upon it and it fell. The lesson to be learned is that we must build our faith upon the rock, and that Rock is Jesus Christ for He is the firm foundation. Even when people build a house on sand, they are doing much the same as the one who built his house on rock, except one built upon a poor foundation, sand. It was destroyed. Our faith to be Authentic Biblical Faith must be built on the truth of God’s word, and not on some philosophical influence. Those who build on sand and not rock are like the Pharisees: “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness’” (Luke 11:39). This is the problem that Christians face today, inasmuch as some Churches look clean on the outside but are full of lies on the inside. Many are mislead and believe in such false teachings as to become hardened to the truth of Scripture and will not even consider that they may be wrong, that what they are learning is not Scriptural; yet, they are affiliated with Churches that do many good and philanthropy. That may be good but their theology is built on sand, it is faulty, and it destroys Authentic Biblical Faith.
            What the early Church fought, the heresies and that which was being taught as “Christian” was not and many theologians had to write against such heresies, or false teaching, those Churches who were in error. This must be done today, for there is being taught that which is not Authentic Biblical Faith. Liberal Christianity is one such false teaching and must be addressed; many have fallen prey to such unbiblical teachings. Liberalism has as its foundation on which it bases its hope is that man can elevate man to a place where man can choose to save himself, to become one in the brotherhood of Christ. Liberal Christians point to all the good things they are doing, the love that they show (by accepting homosexuals, same sex marriage, abortions, women preaching) to all as if this is what is being taught in the Bible. It is not, for this has its foundation on either a direct lie, or be imposing their presuppositions to make Scripture say what they desire it to say. It is a nice theory propounded by Liberal Christianity and it is easy to accept as possible, but has no experiential foundation. How? By not following in the words of Jesus Christ and accepting works as a sign that they are one of God’s children and belong to the brotherhood of Christians. Not matter how elevated a society of Liberal Christians are, not matter how hard they strive to raise man to a higher morality, they fail to do so. How? Improving earthly conditions or molding individuals under such is as so often spoken: “following the Golden Rule,” and even with a ring of possibility or truth there will be a time whereby sin is palliated, and the condition of the whole has not or have not improved. Why? The conditions that Liberal Christianity strives to produce are not for the gospel’s sake, they give validity that which is contrary to Scripture; and they become ego–centric inasmuch as they do all this philanthropic exercises for the sake of their pride of accomplishment. This striving of Liberal Christianity to produce a utopian world has little value. Liberal Christianity is not Authentic Biblical Christianity. It is not that Authentic Biblical Christians are oblivious of the need to mold people, to give aid to people, to make cause for a better and improved society. What is more important in this following of the words of Jesus is not to just have an outside clean cup, rather it is to be clean on the inside and this is accomplished by the foundation which is Jesus Christ, Authentic Biblical Faith, not some man made theology. In other words; is it of God or not? The highest priority for an Authentic Biblical Christian is salvation by believing in Jesus Christ. Liberal Christianity teaches that somehow man can pull himself up by his sinful bootstraps and save himself, by simply making a decision to do so. This teaching destroys the Biblical teaching that man is totally depraved and in need of a Savior, and that man from birth is sinful: “Behold, I was brought froth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). Job asks this question: “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one” (Job 14:4)! Authentic Biblical Christians cry out: “I will love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; MY God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies” (Psalm 18:1–3). For man who is totally depraved there must be a way for him to be saved and this by believing in Jesus Christ. How can this be done? My man himself? NO! Therefore another way must be provided to man and that way is by faith given to man by God’s grace. This is done by teaching to whomever Scripture and Biblical principles and God adds to them the faith to believe. They these of the brotherhood of Jesus Christ go forth in their daily life to preach and teach the Gospel; Jesus came and died for sin and rose again and ascended into heaven making infinite intercessions for God’s chosen people. By this Authentic Biblical Christians go forth into the world to make positive changes for man. Any true societal change that benefits man comes to exist it will be only by those who are truly transformed, those who have been redeemed by God. Liberal Christianity and Authentic Biblical Christian differ in the way societal transformation is conceived. Both groups would agree that there is a need for societal transformation. A true and Authentic Biblical Christian, a true evangelist, is interested in the salvation of individuals and at the same time do have an interest for the betterment of man. Before any of this can be achieved, it must be admitted that there is a society who is interested in the betterment of the whole of society. Who are they? It is those who have had a true life changing process and are saved by the Grace of God, those who make of the called out ones; he Church. The Church is the highest Christian answer to the social needs of man.
            Grecian philosophy that became an infection for the truth of God and His people attempted to teach men how to be pious, and to live either in ascetism, or in licentiousness. We find this today in apostate Churches. If your Church is involved in such unbiblical teaching: LEAVE! Find a Church that teaches the Bible unashamedly.

The LORD lives!
            Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation
            Be exalted.
                                    Psalm 18:46

You are delivered from sin: Live as what you are!

Richard L. Crumb

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