They Don't Know Love

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Colossians 2:8-15 ESV).

So, what is the context here? It is that of self-made religion which has no value in stopping the indulgences of the flesh (v. 23). And it really doesn’t matter what the self-made religion is. The point of it is that it does not agree with God, it is not biblical, it is not of God, but it is of the flesh of man, whatever deviant it is. For if it is not the gospel that Jesus Christ taught and that his NT apostles taught, in full context, then it is self-made, not of God. 

So, what is the most predominant self-made religion that is permeating the church here in America today? It is that which has been coined as “the cheap grace gospel.” But it is not that God’s grace is cheap, but that people are cheapening it by altering it, and twisting it, and perverting it to make it something other that biblical grace. For many are teaching a grace which forgives sins but does not call for repentance nor for obedience to God.

For Jesus said that if anyone would come after him he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow our Lord in obedience to his ways and to his commands, then we have eternal life. For if we deny him in this life, he will deny us when he returns (Luke 9:23-26).

But that is not what is being taught largely in the American church. What is mainly being taught is that we can make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ one time in our lives and now all our sins are forgiven (past, present, and future), heaven is guaranteed us when we die, and it can’t be taken away from us, regardless of how we live. That is a lie from hell! For if sin is what we obey and not God and not righteousness, we will not have eternal life.

And so we have many professers of faith in Jesus Christ who are living selfish, self-indulgent, immoral, worldly, dishonest, and unfaithful lives while they claim Jesus as Lord and Savior and heaven as their eternal destiny. Sexual immorality, in particular, is running rampant in the gatherings of the church (or what is falsely being called “church”). Statistics have it that probably 75% of all males have dabbled in pornography, including perhaps up to 50% of pastors, or that they are somewhat regulars in that area.

So the church in America is on a massive spiritual and moral decline, and the church has become so worldly that there is hardly any difference between the church and the world anymore. For the church in America has largely gone the way of the world and they have adopted the ways of the world and of big business, and so they are marketing “the church” to the world, and so they are altering the character of God and of his church and of his gospel of salvation in order to attract and to not offend the ungodly of the world.

But we who believe in Jesus Christ with genuine God-given and God-persuaded faith in Christ were crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we were raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. So we are not to let sin reign (be in control) in our bodies to where we obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But if obedience is what we obey, its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23; cf. Romans 8:1-14).

Yet so many are rejecting that message and they are convincing themselves that a profession of faith in Christ assures them heaven as their eternal destiny regardless of how they live. And so they go on in their fantasy world, believing the lies, twisting the truth, following illusions, altering the gospel, approving what is wicked, evil, and deviant, and doing what feels good to them regardless of how evil or wicked or deviant it is, and regardless of what God says or who gets hurt in the process. For they don’t know love at all.

So, we can’t just make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and then claim all of God’s promises he has made to those who will follow him in obedience and in holy living. For God making us alive in Christ is not a status. What Jesus did for us on that cross is not a status that we wear. It is a heart change and a lifestyle change, and it is forsaking our sinful practices to now walk in holiness and righteousness in obedience to our Lord under the New Covenant. Jesus died so we will die to sin and live to righteousness.

So, please don’t take God’s grace for granted. For his grace, which is bringing us salvation, teaches us to renounce (say “NO!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works which God prepared in advance for us to walk in them (Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-24).

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

For Our Nation  

An Original Work / September 11, 2012

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Trust Him with your life today.

Make Him your Lord and your Savior.

Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.

He will forgive you of your sin;

Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.

On our knees to God we’re praying,

Seeking God to give us answers

That are only found in Him.

God is sovereign over all things.

Nothing from His mind escaping.

He has all things under His command,

And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing

In our Lord, and interceding

For our nation and its people

To obey their God today.

He is our hope for our future.

For our wounds He offers suture.

He is all we need for this life.

Trust Him with your life today.

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