Published by WOLVES IN THE CHURCH
TRADITION
What do you want to follow? The truth as God portrays it or do you want to follow men? Can there be versions of the truth? Can there be variances of the truth in regard to different systems or denominations? Can we in fact shut out areas of the truth that we don’t like?
You might answer,’offcourse we want to follow the truth’
But you know, most Christian churches don’t!
That might shock you and so it should.
The Bible is very clear about what we are to believe. It says, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up on themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. (2 Tim: 4:3/4) This scripture clearly states what the church is leaning towards now and in times to come which by the way is virtually upon us.
The apostle Paul also warns us about the type of teacher and pastors that prowl within the confines of churches. But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.(2 Pet:2:1)
The established churches; those that are so called as they have been around for a long time…set up by a monarch or a denomination are often good examples of a body of Christians losing the plot and eventually deciding their own journey. And like a snowball they keep gathering wrong doctrine and false theology to the point that people think their doctrine is God ordained.
I once heard a preacher who was from Australia rally a British congregation for their absurd traditions or ‘cups of tea,’ as he said. Many a church will be filled with people who see their own cultural traditions more than or just as important as that of the tradition of Christ.
This can not be…there can only be one culture for true believers and that is the culture of Christ. If and only if national cultures are permitted they may only fit in behind that of Christ!
TEST
I freely admit that I was feeble in my progression as a Christian over a number of years. It did not help that I was in churches that taught error, had poor teaching and certainly no encouragement to grow as the Lord would have it, only as they, the church, would have it. In recent times, though, God has graciously shown me my errors, pointed me in directions that seek out the real truth to know God deeper, to understand his word more fully and to receive the wonderful gift of revelation about the future.
Two things I have learnt and have realized how important they are:
We are to test the words of man and then reference it to the Word of God. Yet how many of us do this? Most folks in churches just believe what they hear. Actually it is the same in general society. Folks read the gutter press, watch crummy soap operas and daft reality TV and say, “this is how it is!”
THE WORD
I encourage you therefore to be sure of your salvation. Have you truly repented? I.e. have you acknowledged you are a sinner and looked back at your life to identify those sins one by one, acknowledging the error and rectifying them where possible? Obviously a mean word here, a discouraging one there cannot be undone but an apology should be forthcoming if the event was not too long ago. Perhaps you stole something and want to replace it. Use your discretion and wisdom. God knows your heart and sincerity.
Truly accept Christ as your Lord and Saviour, understanding that only through Him do you have life. Understand that He loves you from the beginning and knows you personally and wants fellowship with you in the spirit and ultimately side by side in the new Kingdom
Today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion (Heb:3:15)
