There are very few churches today that are preaching Christ, they are adamant about how a Christian should live, about the news of the day, about the needs of the congregation or even the community that surrounds them, but not about the person of Jesus Christ.
It is a very slow process, the drawing away from the Savior while attempting to portray Him, and it is so subtle in nature that few even recognize it. Good works done for a good reason are not worship, they are earthly, and they have been the prevalent cause for quite some time now, what has been forgotten is the second part, the most important part of Mark 9:41, “For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.” There are many religious organizations, and just as many evangelical churches, perhaps more, that do excellent good works, food trucks, blankets, meals, counseling, the list goes on, that the recipients greatly appreciate, but all they know is that “The church down the street” was responsible for their temporary reprieve from the turmoil’s and troubles of the world, they did not hear “in my name,” the did not see Christ.
I will not say that it is a waste of time to perform even the least of these deeds, what I will express is the lack of an explanation behind them, an almost “That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly,” (Matt. 6:4) continuing mentality, a “just invite them to church” and let the pastor take it from there ideology. It has become a works-based system, when it does occur, and even that is becoming more rare. The Sunday morning service is a weekly catchup time, if you will, a “did you hear” before and after the service.
The name and person of Jesus Christ is rarely glorified in many churches today across the planet, instead the service is about us, how we should act, how we should behave, how we should portray ourselves in front of others, not that each person that meets us should be meeting Christ. And even in that respect, the fullness of Christ is rarely expounded upon, rather only His “finer” attributes, love everybody all the time, no matter what, far from who the Lord of Glory is. Most congregations are being taught how to be polite and kind, not holy and righteous, how to never seem offensive, not how to reprove and correct in love, how to be a better version of the world, not how to be Christlike. They have become a Sunday morning training class on how to be liked by the world, how to come across as humble without any true humility, with a confidence in He whom we serve.
As I said, it is so very subtle, but it has been working quite well for a very long time now, and it has produced exactly what it was intended to by our adversary, weak-willed Christians who only stand for Christ when it is time to sing the next song.
There are many followers of Jesus Christ, but there are few who are willing to share in His passion, in the suffering that comes along with the glory, they want the crown of righteousness, but not the one of possible shame and retribution, and so they are taught not to stand, but to be polite, they are no longer taught to “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him,” (1 John 2:15) but are prompted to become friends with it, then invite it to church.
“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matt. 24:24) You did not think that the deceptions of Satan and the delusion of the Lord were going to begin next Tuesday at 4:15 in the afternoon, did you. Slow and subtle, that is always the best way, they will not notice you when you move slowly and subtly, ask any lion of the forest.
