What happens when the "church" is not the Church? 

Let me start by quoting Jesus, who said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18. 

Jesus is building that church, and we see the reality of it sprinkled across the land, and I praise God for that. I also praise God for the pastors and Bible teachers who teach God's Word faithfully the way God wants it taught. God bless you greatly! But what happened with the rest that call themselves a "church" but embraces a watered-down version of the gospel, the world's woke philosophy, and anti-biblical rhetoric? 

Jesus' church is supposed to be a bulwark against Satanic, hellish ways and teachings. Right? So what happened that caused many to lose their way and backslide to be nothing more than social gatherings with a few Bible verses and good deeds thrown into the mix for good measure. (It would take a few pages to detail how this is happening around the nation.) Look, when a church is in a state of mind and heart where they are more worried about offending those who embrace sinful ways than offending God, there is a significant problem! Don't you agree? 

Let's be honest and say it, one reason the world is the way it is now is because of the passivity and lukewarm ways of a good portion of the modern church. History shows us that when the church is weak, lukewarm, and passive, the world grows colder, more liberal, and less godly. The only thing that can change that is to reverse the cycle. How? By embracing God's truths and getting focused on living out what and who Jesus called us to be. Those who "identify" as Christian must get back to holy living and embracing Jesus Christ as Lord of Lords and King of Kings, and not just as a Savior who offers a free ticket to heaven. 

Unfortunately, many who think they have that so-called "free ticket" to heaven are on the road to hell and don't even seem to know it. Some of them don't even believe there is a hell anymore. They are in for a terrible surprise, and shouldn't we warn them? The lukewarm church's watered-down, inaccurate expression of the gospel is one reason they are in that condition. Once some preachers started teaching God's Word as no more than some pretty good suggestions for life, it began to lose its punch in many Christian's lives. The apostate church altered Jesus' message under the guise of loving everyone and left out an essential ingredient of Jesus' message, which includes repentance of sins and embracing Jesus Christ as Lord and not just as the loving Savior. 

Aren't the disciples of Jesus Christ supposed to speak the truths that Jesus spoke? Instead of trying to comfort people in rebellion against God under the guise of loving them, God calls us to proclaim the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who said, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:15. You mean we should tell people to repent and not just believe! Yes absolutely! Isn't that what Jesus did, and He truly loved everyone and gave His life on the cross to prove it! 

Followers of Jesus Christ, to turn the tide of what we see going on around us, we must stand in the truth and proclaim God's truth in love, fearlessly and with the boldness of a lion. Only the Holy Spirit can give us that kind of powerful, prophetic boldness launched through a heart of love to proclaim as Jesus did, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" Luke 11:28. Not, "Close your eyes, pray this simple little prayer, and you will be saved." Who came up with that idea anyway? Please share the verse and clarify it for me. Perhaps I missed something along the way. I thought Jesus said,"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." Luke 9:23. 

Much of what passes as the church nowadays would be considered an embarrassment by our first-century counterpart. So let's wake up and set sail on a new course, which is actually the old course Jesus established when He said, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone." Mark 16:15. But remember, to preach His gospel, we must know His gospel and then go and proclaim it accurately, passionately, and lovingly. Then, leave the results to God; only He can activate His Word to accomplish what He wants it to do. 

In closing, let me advise you that if you are in a church that treats Jesus as no more than a friend and pal and teaches God's Word like a book of suggestions instead of God's ways and commands, it's time to defect and get into a church that teaches God's Word as the truth that it is. Remember, Jesus said, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32. Without Jesus's truth, there is no freedom or salvation.

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