Respect

There is a problem within the Christian society that has been brought up here before, but it is so very serious that it deserves more attention. I am not a Theologian, I have no master’s degree, I simply am an empty vessel, but I am willing to be used by the Lord, at His pleasure.

I believe that too many who call themselves followers of Christ have forgotten that they are slaves, they do not remember the price that was paid for them, and in the center of these two actions comes a very dangerous place to be, that of a casual relationship with the Lord God. We have forgotten that He is Holy, or at best, we have denigrated that word down to an almost human attribute, attempting to make the Most High, in a sense, nothing more than a really nice, loving, and caring God.

There are two verses that I would ask you to contemplate here, “For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:14) And “For there is no respect of persons with God.” (Romans 2:11) Those who have determined that the only attribute, if you like, of the Lord worthy adhering to, the one that helps them through the day, is love, this love has granted them, in their own minds, a type of casual relationship with the Lord, and so that first verse is one of their favorites. It helps them to feel that they are all that they could be in Christ, and so they use that verse and others like them to access this casual relationship with the Almighty, in other words, they use it as an excuse for little to no actual need to serve fully.

That God is no respecter of persons speaks of His Supreme Authority, His Sovereignty, and in this these individuals see no hope, for it lowers them in their own eyes to what they should already see, that they are, slaves.

Perhaps it is just because I have been blessed with a vivid imagination, perhaps it is due to Luke 7:47, “Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.” But what this type of attitude of casualness with the Lord does to me when I hear it is upset me, and that is putting it mildly. It is almost a religion, it allows those who will not serve as they should, in humble submission, to feel that they are good enough, that love will cover all of their sins, that what Christ did was enough, which is true, but they take it one step further, they claim a casual attitude towards the greatest sacrifice ever made. “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Heb. 10:29)

Even a blind man, when he is told that the king is in his presence, behaves himself differently, but far too many people today act no differently when He is there or when He is not, because Jesus Christ is their buddy, their pal, their friend, and friends don’t hold a grudge, or have any other adverse types of relationship issues. They are, in a sense, living vicariously through the holiness of Christ without seeing Him as such, or even attempting to be holy themselves. (1 Peter 1:16)

There is going to be a very rude awakening for a lot of people, knees that will not bow willingly now will bend forcefully in the future, many who presumed to be the friend of Christ will hear Him say, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” (Matt. 25:41) and not because they did not do works in His name, but because they presumed on that love that was offered freely. God is no respecter of persons, but I tell you this in all earnest, you had better darn well respect Him.