Generic Religion

“And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” Revelation 13:4

How Satan shall succeed in accomplishing this needs serious thought! This will be done through religious agreement and counsel, as our verse says. It will be considered a major breakthrough, all relevant to up to date interpretations. To allow for all religion to meet together in worshipping one common god, Satan must first eliminate the distinctions that identify the true “One Lord, One Faith, etc.” He must succeed in making all religions generic enough to where they can blend sufficiently enough with other religions, unto making the last move unto a one world religion.

So, little by little, bit by bit, Satan has succeeded in getting people to abandon sound doctrine that identifies God’s people in peculiarity with the authority of God’s word, unto substituting positions that are generic enough to fit in with other religious trends and agendas. The religious initiatives of our day are working to tear down everything constructed according to Biblical Christianity, as if it is no longer applicable to our times, and to rebuild everything according to modern day interpretations. This reconstructionism is generic enough in principle, to allow for the continued changes necessary that will allow for all religions of men (except those abiding in the true doctrines of God’s word) to eventually come together to achieve their goal of a one world religion.

The drive is on to cast off Biblical distinctions, for the generic positions approved of by men. God’s distinctions for His people in dress and appearance are being cast off for the generic unisex look. The New Testament distinctions of Baptist baptism, with the local New Testament Church being the only authorized agent to carry out the Lord’s work, have been rejected as dogma, as men have erected their universal towers of conventionalism, associations, and other para church organizations, in which they are trusting for success.

The fundamental Bible doctrine of not changing God’s Word, but keeping it sacred, has been cast aside, with the wholesale acceptance of new versions of the Bible that are gradually eliminating Divine distinctions, and are substituting a generic lord.

The move to generic religion is on with irreversible momentum. Man is seeking that which will unite him with his fellow man rather than that which will reconcile him with God. To unite sinners in a way that is agreeable with the ways of sinners, necessarily requires a religion of sin that has departed from faith in the righteousness of God, which requires that sinners first repent of sin.

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In God’s Eyes

“…to do that which is right in the eyes of the Lord…” Deuteronomy 13:18b
“…the Lord seeth not as man seeth…” 1 Samuel 16:7
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8
“These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself..” Psalm 50:21a
“…be ye reconciled to God” 2 Corinthians 5:20f

We have all heard the expression–“beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Perceptions are relative to the many variables that exist within the latitude of human passions and preferences. That is why things come in many different shapes and colors, with optional features. People are intrigued by differences. People distinguish themselves by being different. Opposites often attract each other.

In some cultures, certain disfigurement of the body is perceived to be beautiful. An appearance that would shock an outsider, is seen to be honorable to those raised up with that emphasis.

What we are pointing out is that the culture one is raised in, more often than not, determines what people’s perceptions of things are. And in every culture, there are standards that clash with God’s standards. For example, in some tropical cultures, tribal people wear little, if any clothes, some with the women going topless. But we all know these cultural standards clash with God’s standards of dress, thought they are not perceived to be wrong within that certain cultural frame of mind.

With these considerations in view, Christians need to examine just how much of their perceptions are from their culture, and just how much is from opening up their heart and mind to God’s Word.

Presently in our culture, to see a man dressed up in woman’s clothing, is looked upon by most as being perverse. Many parents would have second thoughts about taking their children into a restaurant to eat where they see men going in who are dressed like women. But at the same time in our culture, if a woman dresses in clothing that pertains to a man, she is considered to be chic. This is the way our culture slices it and the way most perceive it. But in God’s eyes, He doesn’t slice it this way. In God’s eyes, it is the same if a woman dresses as pertaineth to a man as it is if a man dresses up in a woman’s clothes: “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so (men or women) are abomination unto the Lord thy God.” Deuteronomy 22:5 WE HAVE A CHOICE! Reconcile with God, or perceive the issue through the eyes of our culture.

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The Emmaus Road

(Luke 24:13-35)
A Journey From Deep Despair To Exuberant Joy

The second group of people Jesus appeared to on His resurrection day, after having appeared to the women who had visited his empty tomb, were the two men going from Jerusalem to Emmaus.

They were discussing Christ’s crucifixion (Luke 24:14) and were very downcast and sad, Luke 24:17. While they were trying to figure out what it all meant and what was next, Christ joined them, though they recognized Him not, Luke 24:15-16.

He questioned them concerning what they were talking about that was accompanied by their low spirits, Luke 24:17. To them, however, it was unbelievable that he didn’t know the reason, considering the tumult there had been at Jerusalem over Christ’s crucifixion, Luke 24:18. But Christ continued to question them to tell him everything that was on their heart and mind, as if he knew nothing about their concerns, Luke 24:19a.

They opened up with him, declaring their concerns to be over Jesus of Nazareth, whom they declared to be “a prophet mighty in deed and word,” but to their despair, had been presented to the Romans for crucifixion by the Jewish chief priests and rulers. And to their consternation, they had been expecting him to deliver Israel out of her present troubles, Luke 24:19b-21a.

As for the teachings that, to them, alluded to Christ arising after 3 days, all they had were the unconfirmed reports of some women, which claimed to have seen “a vision of angels, which said that he was alive,” Luke 24:21-24.

Christ reproved them, “O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?” Luke 24:25-26. He then patiently took the time, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:27

As they arrived at Emmaus, they constrained him to abide with them and as they were eating with him, “their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.” Luke 24:31. After this fact, what was so outstanding to them was how their hearts had burned within them as he had opened up the scriptures to them on the way.

What can be said about all this is: they were sad and in despair because they knew only part of the story. AND they knew only part of the story, not because it wasn’t contained in the scriptures, nor because Christ hadn’t taught them, but because the part they knew was the only part they wanted to know. They wanted to know about Christ, the prophet mighty in deed and word, but they didn’t want to know about the sufferings of Christ.

But they found that the answers they needed to go from being overcome by despair, unto becoming more than a conqueror, existed with the acceptance of those things in God’s Word, that their own will and way didn’t really want to know. AMEN!

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The Mystery Of Iniquity

“For mystery of iniquity doth already work” 2 Thessalonians 2:7

In my generation, (born 1944, deceased?) I have witnessed the mystery of iniquity at work at breakneck speed. In Biblical days, it worked to agitate society to crucify Christ, even though He was declared to be innocent in two Roman courts: “And Pilate…Said unto them,…behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.” Luke 23:13-15

The reason the mystery of iniquity works is due to the author and power of it: “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” Ephesians 2:2 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12

This generation has gone from, “In God we trust” unto it being illegal to read the Bible, pray, or speak of Jesus in our public schools, but it is all right to portray Christ at being “gay” in a drama at a university in Texas.

Christian beware! We must not allow the mystery of iniquity to overthrow the spirit of sanctification in our churches! Willful sin, rebellion, and immorality that God required the death penalty for under the law of Moses, should not now entitle people to special favor and affection in the New Testament Church. “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? Hebrews 10:28-29 “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” 2 Thessalonians 3:6,14,15.

The mystery of iniquity is all about turning everything upside down in the hearts and minds of people. BEWARE!

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Serving The Saviour?

When Saul of Tarsus began his Christian life, it was based on, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”, rather than, “I don’t really want to be asked to do anything.”

SERVE = to work for; to give obedience and honor to; to fight for; to wait on; to carry out the duties connected with the position; to prepare and offer; to be used; to meet the needs; to be suitable or favorable for.

Every person whom Christ saves is saved for the expressed purpose of serving the Lord: “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again.” 2 Corinthians 5:15

The starting point of getting on board for service, is to first surrender ourselves unto being fitted for the Master’s use: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1

Service is initiated through one accepting God’s will and way as their personal duty: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22 “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46 A faithful servant will devote themselves to making sure God’s work gets done rather than just assuming: “Everybody thought somebody would do it, so nobody did it.”

A servant has a consciousness within to listen for and respond to the Master’s call: “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I send me.” Isaiah 6:8

A servant must seek to connect with the mind of the Master: “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; PRAY YE therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38  Obviously, if the Master’s house is full, but His fields are empty, the harvest will not be reaped.

God doesn’t force us into His service. We must see it as a privilege to answer the call to serve: “And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?” 1 Chronicles 29:5b

“Lovest thou me more than these?” John 19:15

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