The Babies Bathwater

Often times we wonder where it is that we strayed.  Not just personally, but collectively.  There was a time where the gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in His word the Bible was the foundation for us as individuals, families, communities, regions, states, and as a nation.  It was such an infused part of most everyone lifestyles and our overall culture that Christianity and the United States were seen as inseparable.  


Now we look around today and see all manner of ungodliness occurring and accepted as normal.  Our own leader has even declared that we are no longer a Christian nation, and he is right.  In the void left by peoples lack of personal responsibility as forged by their fear of the Lord, government has stepped into that role as God and savior of the people.  Because of peoples immoralities, government has had to make laws that infringe upon every aspect of our lives.  We as a people can no linger be trusted to do what is right.  Sadly though, those same people are in the government trying to tell us what is right.


We know the situation we are in, but we do wonder how we got here.  The last couple of weeks and a little light bulb action from above and I think I can put a finger on a least a good portion of what happened.  I've talked to a lot of different people from a lot of different churches and other beliefs as well as no belief at all.  It seems like everyone has their own doctrine, and it has gotten to the point where unless you are in lock step with what the other believes, you are a heretic, a false teacher, someone to be shunned.  The Love of God does not reside with many any longer.  The Gospel of Christ has been replaced with doctrines of men.  We are full of pride and arrogance.  We are backbiters, and lovers of self.  I say these things with great shame.


This I don't believe is an accident.  The enemy has always set about to divide and conquer.  Many of the divisions are like long lasting feuds that linger on and on even to the point where no one remembers what really started it, but they all know their talking points and have their preconceived ideas to label each other with.  It's gotten to be a free for all or a witch hunt where everyone is pointing fingers and yelling FALSE TEACHER!  


I think this goes on because we are so woefully illiterate biblically.  Many folks know the scriptures... the ones that support their church doctrine.  Show them some others that contradict that and hoo boy, thems fightin words.  Others know so much that they literally can't see the forest through the trees.  They have gone to colleges and were taught under liberal professors who sliced and diced, shaked and baked that Bible so much that it was left looking like a lump of unrecognizable slop.


This fear of false teachers is a big one.  We have whole segments of the gospel torn away because we are afraid of false teaching.  This is where we throw the baby out with the bathwater.    Many folks are horribly weak in faith because they threw out the scriptures about faith because there was a word of faith false teaching.  So as to avoid going anywhere near there, they throw out the teachings on faith.  Because we have charlatans running around with their miracle circus', many throw out completely that God can and does work supernaturally in our lives and will heal and deliver us.  People are so afraid to be under the law that they want to throw out the law completely as if it did not exist.  then there are others who throw out everything God says about prospering us in our lives because they are afraid of the false prosperity gospel.  And it goes on.


The only way to safely navigate oneself through all of this mess is by getting into the word themselves and setting aside the teachings of the church or a particular teacher and do so with a sincere heart in asking God to reveal the truth to you.  The Holy spirit will guide the sincere heart in the path to take and safely guide us through the dark and dangerous forests of doubt, disbelief, and skepticism. 


Will it be an easy journey?    No.  Friends, family, strangers, everyone might accuse you, negate you, get mad at you, deny you, abandon you...  and yes, there are times where they could even hurt or kill you for the sake of the truth of the Gospel.  Remember that it was the religious folks that put Jesus to death.  Jesus assures us that for His sake people will indeed hate you and persecute you.   He tells us to count it all joy when this happens.  The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is all that matters though.  Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life; no man going to the father but by Him.  You won't get to heaven following a church doctrine or a teaching of men.  


Read your bibles, and talk to God as you do.  Let your questions and concerns be known to him.  His spirit will answer a sincere heart.