Gail shares this devotion on YouTube HERE.
The modern church has missed this important truth. We've tried to widen the path by combining biblical principles with cultural principles. This involves a "cut-and-paste" Christianity, a redefining and redesigning of Scripture to suit the changing cultural climate.
Remnant believers understand that we can never fit Christianity into culture, nor can we fit culture into Christianity.
When we take Bible passages out of context, emphasizing some parts and ignoring other parts, we create a human god, not the God of the Bible.
We are living at a time in history when this human god is preached in many churches and embraced by many professing Christians. One symbol of this human god is the way God's love is now described as "unconditional." This word—which isn't found in Scripture—does not accurately describe the just and holy love of God.
It's a concept that has led many astray and helped promote the ex-vangelical movement.
The Bible must be taught in context, including wrath and redemption, justice and love, hell and heaven.
We serve a God who is perfectly loving (1 John 3:1; Psalm 31:19).
But He is also perfectly righteous (Psalm 145:17; 1 John 1:5).
He expects us to be holy (Galatians 5:19-21; Matthew 5:8; Hebrews 12:14).
He rebukes and punishes us because He loves us (Hebrews 12:4-11; Revelation 3:19-20).
We must make it our goal to please the God of the Bible, not the gods of culture which only exist in our imaginations.
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Please read the one-minute devotion Cut-and-Paste Christianity for more insights. For a balanced view of God's love see God's Love Is Better than Unconditional.
Well said!
ReplyDeleteLoving words that are sometimes hard to hear, but so true.
ReplyDeleteSo true! It's so important to learn to please God, and not people.
ReplyDeleteThe problem I see with myself:
How do I differentiate between loving people and pleasing people?
It can be hard at times to make this distinction, but I would encourage you to ask a few questions of yourself:
Delete1. Am I doing anything that God would not want me to do simply to please people?
2. Am I afraid to speak up for God's principles because I don't want to offend someone? Obviously, there is a right time and a right place to speak up, but we shouldn't avoid speaking about God or His principles simply so we will be popular with someone.
Scripture commands us to be loving, considerate, and gracious to others. But that doesn't mean that we deny God's truth, say or do things dishonestly, or violate any Biblical principles in order to please them. First and foremost we please our Lord.
I hope this helps.