“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (Matt. 5:6)
To hunger and thirst for righteousness you must be shown unrighteousness, and I firmly believe that most people, Christians included, will do all they can to avoid any consciousness of unrighteousness. They may see it on the television or their cell phones, they may even witness it in public, but they will not ponder it, contemplate it or spend any significant amount of time thinking about it. It is far too depressing, far too trying on the soul for them.
This is one of the reasons our adversary a few decades ago started recognizing that if he could get the born-again believers to spend the majority of their time on their own walk, and thereby on self, that the love of many would grow cold, and that tactic has worked perfectly. Keep Christ to yourself, or at best in church where He belongs, change the channel when iniquity rears its ugly head, perhaps complain about it a little, and then go ahead with your self-perspective, making sure that you are doing all you can to be the best Christian you can be.
Iniquity is abounding, the love of many has grown cold, the apostacy is here, and the judgment of God has fallen upon the nations, because we would not love our neighbors as ourselves.
There is very little denying this anymore, the protests of the last two years or so has proven it, the lack of the truth from the churches across the planet with the same vehemency has set this truth in stone. The unrighteousness is witnessed, and the people of God are silent.
Possible personal retributions are more important to the “average Christian” today than standing for the truths of the Word of God.
There are some of course, the Almighty always keeps a remnant for Himself, but they are few and far apart. They are ostracized by the average church, condemned as too zealous, too adamant, and the possibility that the truth, if spoken too loudly may bring the wrath of others upon the whole congregation. And so, they are asked to tone it down some, to not be so contentious, to go along with the crowd so all are not punished for the words and actions of a few, or the one.
I presuppose with no Scriptural evidence that a verse in Hebrews is not completed yet, “(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” (Heb. 11:38) The man who thirsts and hungers for righteousness, who face is set like a flint for the glory of God, whose life, even unto death, belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ will find himself on that list, and he will never see himself as being worthy to be there.
“Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?” (Psalm 94:16) You have read that verse many times in these poorly written letters as of late, along with Revelation 12:11, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” I will add another one that fits the context here, “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:16)
There are no rewards in heaven for good intentions.
My lovely wife and I were discussing at diner tonight about how many in the crowds of the Colosseum at Rome, watching as the Christians sang, and then screamed, were converted to the Lord Jesus Christ because of those believer’s testimony in the moment of their deaths. They no longer thirst and hunger but are today filled. Are you thirsting and hungering, or are you turning your head?
