If you ask people the hard, difficult, personal questions about themselves that reveal to them the absence of truth in their lives in regard to how they are living it, you will be met first with excuses, then a defensive mechanism will be enacted, then an attempt to portray you in the same light, then disgust and finally a hatred towards and of you. The pattern rarely changes, and the verse is fulfilled, “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Gal. 4:16)
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Prov. 1:7)
I could be wrong, my Scriptural timelines are not always correct, but I do not think that Jeremiah met Daniel and his three friends that were taken captive, but I am fairly sure that, as far as the Word of God tells us, the Almighty only had mercy upon one man that heard Jeremiah, Ebedmelech, everyone else either died of the famine, the pestilence, the sword or was taken captive.
Jeremiah was very personal with the people the Lord sent him to speak to, “you have sinned, you need to repent, but even then these things will come to pass.” When you speak to the lost, expect them to answer as someone who has no Spiritual discernment whatsoever, no insight into the Word of God led by the Holy Spirit, no knowledge of the truth, they are deaf to the Lord, and they are blind to His will. By doing so you will not become overly frustrated with them, but instead, when they rebuke the message you have been sent with, you will feel either a sorrow for them, or simply accept the fact that either they are not being called at this time, or perhaps never will be.
If you have delivered the message, you have fulfilled your obligation of love to the Lord Jesus Christ, you have planted a seed, as it is said.
Move on.
But the situation is very different if you are speaking to one who professes Jesus Christ as Lord, or even those who attend church for whatever reason compels them to do so. Everyone that Jeremiah spoke to knew the law, the way to righteousness in their mind, or at least the way to be obedient to what was the will of God, there was not, at least openly as far as I know, several different religious organizations in the country, there was one. I am not going to reference in this short letter Romanism and their cult’s lies, Mormonism, or any other cult of works, but instead those that believe they are attending what is commonly called an Evangelical church, which in many, if not most cases today in this age of the apostacy is little more than a meeting place where an hour long obligation can be performed to enable those in attendance to feel better about themselves in a Spiritual sense.
And that would be the first truth that would cause them to rebuke you.
“You should come to our church.”
“Why is that?”
“Well, the people are very friendly, the music program is wonderful, and the people are very open to everyone, we don’t judge anyone.”
“I would have at least given it some prayerful consideration if you would have said we worship the Most High God in all humility, seeking His face for His glory, and for the glory of His Son Jesus Christ.”
Truth is not well accepted today.
Expect the lost to rejoice in gay marriages, to desire to allow all to express themselves in anyway that makes them feel better, expect them to believe the lie that man’s free will can supersede the will of God, but I caution you here to not expect that everyone you meet who says they attend a church, or goes to a Bible study, or says they are a Christian are actually a child of the Almighty, saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Many of them have also believed a lie.
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” (1 Peter 3:15)
Instead, the excuses, then defenses, then hatred will come your way. They do not want to face the truth within themselves, but if you love them, you will reveal it to them.
Your responsibility to the Almighty is to reveal His truths to them, if they rebuke you, so be it. Jeremiah did so for over twenty years, how long will you last?
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Gal. 3:9)
