These are spots in your feasts of charity,
when they feast with you, feeding themselves
without fear: clouds they are without water,
carried about of winds; trees whose fruit
withereth, without fruit, twice dead,
plucked up by the roots; raging waves of the sea,
foaming out their own shame; wandering stars,
to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
Jude 12-13
Would you say that Jude is not afraid to speak his mind, especially about those who teach falseness and about our responsibility to our fellow believers? I do not think so! It is so very important that we ensure that our family, our congregation and our doctrine about Jesus Christ is not defiled. Many men and women come into the Church and attempt and have done so successfully to bring their theology, their ideology, and their philosophy to change what has been taught since the beginning of the Christian Church. The culture of the world, albeit contrary to Christian culture has invaded the Church by those devious men and women wearing the clothing of sheep when in fact they are ravenous wolves. How did this happen?
The world has undergone several changes due to disease as happened in Rome 150-190 A.D., when people died by the thousands and caused those pagan believers to find a cause, a reason for this devastation. They accused Christians who would not agree with their assessment as to why people were dying. Unfortunately, many Christians began to bring into the Church pagan beliefs and practices. We can see this in the Roman Catholic Church where they apply their doctrine, a doctrine that cannot be supported by Scripture albeit the men who teach this false teaching call themselves "Christian." The Inquisition made for a change within the teaching of many Christian Churches. Here in the United States the growing population and growth of the nation from coast to coast caused many theologies to come forth so as to help those who were far removed from the original Churches. These teachings: i.e., the Millerites, the Mormons, the Jehovah Witnesses, Christian Science, and many others found their way into those lost souls who needed to return to God. They looked for God and when they heard what pleased them, that seemed right to them they joined groups of religions thinking that they found the true religion. They did not!
Add to this then, the Humanist Manifesto, the NOW movement, the socialist beliefs thrust upon the people of the United States by Eleanor Roosevelt, and even by other men of power in Congress. The riots by the Negroes that were oppressed, at least some were and others just joined into the fray cause they also had false understanding of what it means to be a real man or woman. The K.K.K. is a horrible example of wrong thinking as how to help people and they thought that they were doing the "Lord's" work. Now comes the change due so many outside forces that caused the Authentic Christian Faith to succumb to all the changes, pluralism, multiculturalism, diversity teaching, and the need for a person to reach their potential at any cost as though they just for being on the earth deserve it.
This pluralism teaching has invaded the thinking of Christians that they are to accept diversity even without examination so that they allow all forms of Christianity. Christians join those false teachers in conventions, assemblies, and in their Churches to hold "Bible Studies," and this without ensuring that what is being taught is Real Christianity. Jude warns us of this for that was a problem even in his day. We are not to join them, we are to examine all that is being taught (1Thessalonnians 5:21). We have accepted them even though we may not always agree with them as though, well....they have a "right" to their beliefs and we should not condemn them. Really? Jude would disagree and in fact what Jude wrote was inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is the words of the Holy Spirit that we read not just Jude's words.
These false teachers of Christianity are being reserved for everlasting destruction. So then, why would join them in anything? Why would we not ensure that we are not be hijacked to believe what Scripture does not teach?
Has the culture of this world invaded the Church? Do we have living examples that it has become part and parcel of many Churches today? YES! Go to Church today and you will see a lack of respect for our God, our Savior, and we have allowed Church to become a place for fun, and just a meeting place to meet friends, or to just have your "ticket" to heaven punched. Men wear short, flip-flops, Children have tatoos and wear earrings, some are fitted into holes in the ear, or rings on noses, or eyebrows, and women look as though they are attempting to show as much skin as possible so that they are seemingly sexy. The music is more like the world and not really teaching us about God and our responsibility, the Gospel is missing from much of the music. Church has become a playground. Only in a few Churches do men and women take notes on the sermon. Only in a few Churches do men and women dress with respect. Is it God we come to worship? Or, is that we want to seem successful, sexy, manly,...etc...?
Are you taking this thing called "Christianity" serious? Jude and other writers that we have covered would say that we must take our Christianity serious even if we do not meet the culture of this world. Those beasts who teach lies are going to Gehenna...are you running from them or joining them, if you join them then all you have to look towards is Gehenna (Revelation 20).
We can enjoy this life we have but we enjoy it in the context of Authentic Christianity. Art, music, operas, fishing, hunting, shopping, all the things we can enjoy and should enjoy are there for us but we never leave our Christianity at home. We should be known as a Christian without ever telling anyone that we are a Christian.
Paul reminds us: "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called" (Ephesians 4:1).
Who is like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity,
and passeth by the transgression of of the
remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His
anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy.
He will turn again, He will have compassion
on us: He will subdue our iniquities; and thou
wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Micah 7:18-19
Do not test God: Do not denigrate His mercy
Richard L. Crumb
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