What are you doing in your life that you have been commanded to do, and are you doing it willingly or out of the fear of the possible consequences of your actions if you do not obey those commandments.
Let’s get straight to the point today, is the church that you attend one of rules and regulations, one of traditions and required observations, or is it a place to truly worship God. Is there a sermon for every holiday, international or otherwise, are there prescribed orders of events that must be adhered to, certain incantations that must be repeated in a specific way, certain prayers that must be said at certain times and in a particular pattern. What would happen to you if you did not adhere to these prescribed protocols, would you be ostracized, asked to leave the fellowship, fall out of favor with Almighty God.
What if the one who stands behind the pulpit was not wearing the proper attire that was expected, what if the couple who always sit in the third row actually moved back a row or two, what if they took the offering before the songs, or after, what would happen if they had the morning service in reverse order. Are you attending that church because you feel comfortable there, because of the security of the known, or because that is where you join others to lift the name of God up, to exalt His name above the heavens? (Phil. 2:9)
I tell you a truth, there are few God-fearing, Christ-centered, Bible-believing churches on this planet today, most are nothing more than community clubhouses, gathering places for the “Feel good about yourself” Christian, social halls to catch up on the latest news and gossip. “For a pretence they make long prayers.” (Matt. 23:14) And their hearts are far from the Lord of Glory. (Matt. 15:8) Is it their fault, is it the fault of those who are in positions of authority over those in the assembly, or does the fault lie with those who fill the pews? Both. They are the blind leading the blind, (Matt. 15:14) and it is only those individuals who have been blessed by our Lord with eyes to see that are able to understand the wickedness of false spiritual vanity.
One could say that these places are not following the Scriptures, that they are not adhering to the precepts set down in the Word of God, but then again, many of these institutions have created their own “Bibles,” using the inerrant Word of God found in the King James Bible and adapting it and modifying it to their own desires, their own perceived notions of what a believer is to be. It is more difficult to explain to someone that, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God,” (Eph. 2:8) when the book that they have been instructed to believe says that works are required for salvation, to help some to see the truth that there is no way to the Father but through the Son, that we can find rest in the assurance of our salvation, that “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment,” (Heb. 9:27) is of little value to the one who has been taught from youth that more than one was born without sin, that you will receive your own planet with many virgins when you die, that as God is, you will become, that you will be reincarnated as someone better or finally be at one with the universe, will have no effect on their lives if they will not come to the truth of God.
We humans like to decide for ourselves who God is, we mold Him to fit our needs, and then set up rules, regulations, and traditions to force ourselves into the patters of recognition of that supposed deities requirements, and then we name it “Church.” Almighty God laughs at these things, (Prov. 1:26) and as He did to the false gods of Egypt, to the gods of the Canaanites, Jebusites, the worshippers of Dagon and Molech, He will destroy them, He will set up His kingdom here on this earth and rule with a rod of righteousness. (Rev. 2:27)
Time is growing short my friends, it is time to look closely at who you are serving and why, you need to be very sure you are on the right path that leads to that narrow gate. (Matt. 7:14)
