Do
You Know the Difference?
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the
flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be
carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because
the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God,
neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Romans 8:5-8
_____________________
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the
flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually
minded is life and peace.
I met a young “dude” a little while ago in Walmart. I was
with my wife, Ruth. She was looking at something on the shelf and I was
standing behind her. I noticed these two young guys at the other end of the
aisle coming up toward us. They clearly were not looking for anything in this
particular aisle, so I just made myself “aware” of them. As they approached us,
it seemed that they would walk past us, when one of them said some kind of
greeting, “Hi how are you?” Something like that. I said, “Fine, how are you
doing?” Then he said, “Do you know Jesus loves you?”
Most people in Walmart never ask that question. Well I said,
“Yes, I do. Do YOU know Jesus loves you?” To which he replied, “Yes, I do.”
“How do you know?” I asked. There was a moment of hesitation, like he didn’t
know what to say, but then he said, “John 3:16.” Now I KNEW he didn’t know what
to say.
At this point, some readers are asking, “How can you say
that? He answered appropriately.” Did he? Did he answer as one who knew and
understood scripture? Or even as one who understood the question? The answer is
no; and we will see why later on. The question was “Do you know JESUS loves
you?” The subject was JESUS, not God. John 3:16 is indeed true, but I did not
ask him if GOD loves him, I asked about JESUS. How do you KNOW Jesus loves you?
Am I splitting hairs? YOU BET !!
So, we talked for a good while longer about scripture and his
misunderstanding of it. I asked at one point what church he attends. He said he
attends ENGAGING HEAVEN. Strike two. Let me explain something -- Nowhere in the
Bible are “churches” called anything but… “the Church at Corinth” or “the
Church at Rome” or “the Church at Ephesus” etc., etc. There was no “1st
Church of the Holy Angels” or “Church of John the Baptist” or “St. Peter’s Holy
Cathedral.” Why? BECAUSE THE BODY OF BELIEVERS WAS THE CHURCH ITSELF !!
It is important to note that the group of believers in any
town, or even a metropolis such as Rome, was never big enough to require a
“mega-church” such as we see today. Remember… “Many are called,
but few chosen.” Matt. 22:14
Consider how many people were saved in the ark… EIGHT. Many
were called. But, as scholars tell us, that is less than one-tenth of one
percent of the population at the time. But we, today have over 43,000
denominations of “religion” each with hundreds and thousands and even tens of
thousands “members.”
I digress. Back to David (I’ll
call him). I inquired as to how they worship, their structure, etc. Their
hierarchy (elders/pastors/teachers)
are apostles, he said. Strike three. I learned that they do a number of things
that would preclude me from attending, but I did promise I would look at their
website. What I found on their website and their facebook was a virtual hip-hop
publishing/promotion industry. I can never go there.
Certainly, the church at Corinth was a very carnal (after the flesh) church, which the Apostle,
Paul, addresses in 1st Corinthians. So, whether David is saved or
not, I could not judge, but… “By their fruits, you will recognize them.”
Matt. 7:16
Now, scripture says, “to be carnally minded is
death.”
To be sure. Our problem(s) is that we do not fully understand
many of the words used in scripture, such as “death.” Death simply means,
“separation.” When we “die” it is our spirit which is “separated” from our
body. The body cannot “live” without the spirit. Did you think it was your
breathing that keeps you alive? No… it is the spirit in EVERYONE, which belongs
to God. The body dies and decays. The soul is immortal. It is the SOUL that
needs to be saved from the ETERNAL doom of the lake of fire, reserved for satan
and his angels… and anyone else who refuses the salvation of God in Christ.
ROMANS Chapter 8 verses...
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Until the final resurrection, believers in this world live in
the flesh, subjected to temptation, suffering, weakness, and death, but they
must never live “according to the flesh.” Those that pursue worldly desires are
still governed by the impulses of sinful flesh. Those who live and judge
according to the flesh follow impulses untouched and unchanged by the Holy
Spirit’s Divine empowering and regenerative enlightenment. Indeed, those “impulses”
or desires or whatever we call them cannot be “changed” so long as we live in
the flesh. That is the "old" nature, and it must die because it is the enemy of God. It is only as we submit to the power of the Holy Spirit and the will
of God that we will be able to resist and sin not. Rom.
8:13; Col. 3:5
Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so
walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you
often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of
Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is
in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. Phil. 3:17-19
Therefore, I conclude David and his whole church to be pretty
much separated from God.
So… do you know the difference between False Teachers, False
Prophets, False Brethren?
There isn’t any. False is False!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.