As the world spirals to a close and many in the Church are trying to play 'catch-up' with it, one can only wonder, do these children of God trying to play 'catch up' truly know and understand the God they claim to serve? Many, in trying to fit into the mold of the world are quick to come up with excuses for the people outside of the Kingdom, so such do not feel condemned or left out. Of course, these children of God don't want to come across as being judgmental or critical of their sinning neighbors and friends.
Sadly, under our watch, because of this tolerance for evil and the works of darkness, many things that ought to be seen as sin are renamed to make them tolerable! We forgot that our mandate was for us to go make 'disciples' of the nations, to teach them the life of Christ. Sadly, the world is the one mentoring the sons of God to be 'like' them because of their successes, especially in the financial field! It then becomes difficult to tell such 'successful and wealthy' people that their lives are not right with God according to His Word, and that the trajectory of their lives will only end them in hellfire!
Come to think of it, one cannot blame these children of God. After all, how can they serve a God they do not know, see, or have handled, acceptably? When God created man, He put within mankind the desire for relationships. This desire is to be met with relationships with other people and above all, a relationship with Him! No wonder many would say one of the lessons they have learned is that the most important thing in this life to a person are not things but the relationships such has.
When the LORD Jesus was conversing with the woman by the Well in John 4, it was to underline this truth. When the woman said they were to worship on the mountain, Jesus replied: "You [Samaritans] do not know what you are worshiping [you worship what you do not comprehend]. We do know what we are worshiping [we worship what we have knowledge of and understand], for [after all] salvation comes from [among] the Jews" (John 4:22, AMPC). So many today are in the same dilemma; worshipping a God they do not know or understand.
The reason it is so easy to go against the dictates of God in His Word these days is that these people are yet to know or understand the God they claim to worship! No wonder many can stand on the pulpit and claim the written Word of God is insufficient to address the happenings in the world today! Such is yet to know, see, comprehend or touch (by experience) He that was from the beginning! Jesus told the woman by the Well, the days of worshipping a distant and unknown God has passed. Now, we must know, see and understand Him: "A time will come, however, indeed it is already here when the true (genuine) worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth (reality); for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshipers. God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth (reality)" (John 4:23-24, AMPC).
To effectively do this, we must believe that He is real and true: "And without faith living within us, it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who passionately seek him" (Hebrews 11:6, TPT). No wonder Apostle John in the Epistles declared that they know, see, understand, and have handled He that was from the beginning: not hearsay, a fable, a myth, a dream or an imagination: "[WE ARE writing] about the Word of Life [in] Him Who existed from the beginning, Whom we have heard, Whom we have seen with our [own] eyes, Whom we have gazed upon [for ourselves] and have touched with our [own] hands" (1 John 1:1, AMPC).
You may argue that it is easy for Apostle John to say what he did because he walked with Jesus physically on earth. However, the same privilege has been accorded us. God desires to come and dwell inside of us, to have fellowship/relationship with us as He did with the first couple (Adam and Eve) and with His Disciples: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and will eat with him, and he [will eat] with Me" (Revelation 3:20, AMPC). Also, "Jesus answered, If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him" (John 14:23, AMPC).
Beloved, if you are quick to agree with the world and its way of doing things, do check if you truly have heard, seen, intently looked upon, and handled the Master: "Examine and test and evaluate your selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you–unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected" (2 Corinthians 3:5, AMPC)?
Finally, beloved, the time is far spent, evil is on the increase, and all that Jesus said would happen to herald His return is happening. This is the time to look intently into the Word of Life and adjust, and readjust accordingly before He returns. May God grant you understanding and bless you as you do this, in Jesus Christ name, Amen!
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