CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A GAIME - IT IS SERIOUS BUSINESS - PART TWO

October 9, 2017

Christianity is NOT a game...Christianity is serious business! Part two

By Madeline Crabb

"The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter recalled the Lord's words, how He had told him, 'Before the cock crows today, you will deny Me thrice.' And he went out and wept bitterly [that is, with painfully moving grief]." (Luke 22:61-62 AMP)

These questions are meant only for those who call themselves Christian...How many times have you denied Christ? And if Jesus just looked at you today, how would you respond?

As we discussed in the last part of this message, Jesus Christ came to earth to demonstrate how we are to live, then gave His life in a brutal way to redeem us of our sin debt. Since then, millions of serious, faithful saints have also been killed by enemies of the Cross. 

All this shows that Christianity is NOT a game...Christianity is serious business!

There is a song that asks, "Whatcha you gonna do when they come for you?" 

Rest assured: They are coming for us if we are true Christians. 

In fact, if we aren't being mocked, ridiculed, hounded, hated, and persecuted for our faith in Jesus Christ, we need to ask ourselves if we are being the "salt and light" (Matt. 5:13) God called us to be. 

Are we just sitting around in our little church families polishing our halos, or are we actually out being witnesses for Christ, proclaiming God's Truth? The Bible tells us that indeed 

"all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Tim. 3:12 NASB 1977) The Lord Jesus said, 

"And you will be hated by all on account of My Name." (Matt. 10:22 NASB 1977) Please notice the verbiage from both the Apostle Paul and Jesus: will be, not might be!

Oh dear friends, in many of today's churches, Christianity is "sold" as nothing more than easy escapism from hell. The late A. W. Tozer contended that "we have so simplified Christianity that it amounts to this: God is love; Jesus died for you; believe, accept, be jolly, have fun, and tell others. And away we go." (Culture-The Great Test: Modifying the Truth.) This was his description of the American Church. BTW...Tozer died over 50 years ago. 

The Church has declined precipitously since then.

Judging from the biblical signs all around us, we are living in the Last Days. Violence at home and around the world will continue to escalate. Persecution against Christians is escalating – even in America! 

(That First Amendment means nothing to the evil powers manipulating our government and court system.)

And yes, apostasy within the Church will increase. 

Sadly, it is estimated from various sources/surveys that the number of evangelical Christians in America is now a mere ten percent of the population – or about 30 million people. 

Even Jesus asks: "When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8 NASB 1977) Obviously, this is a rhetorical question because the Lord already knows the answer; however, do we understand the importance of the question being asked?

Unfortunately, many of us here in America have become so arrogant that we think nothing could ever touch us. 

The reality is that God has been lifting His hand of protection from us after we have committed some of the most egregious sins against Him. 

Laws are being made against God, His Commandments, and any open worship or recognition of Him. And We the Church are responsible. We the Church are the problem. We are God's salt and light – salt that has lost its saltiness, 

and light that has dimmed to the point of going out.

But the final blow was when, with barely a whimper from most of the Church, homosexual marriage became legal in America. Talk about abominations!

Let it be known that no matter what a court says, marriage is God-ordained between one man, and one woman. Period...End of story. And ALL Christians should be able and willing to speak this truth whenever called upon to do so. 

Our silence, or refusal to speak truth, about homosexual marriage, abortion, serial marriages/divorces, fornication, adultery, and even basic lying, cheating, and stealing, indicate we approve of these things. 

Woe to us!
The following passage shows the state of our nation and much of the so-called Church, and our fate:

Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers, backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.(Rom. 1:28-32 WEB emphasis added)

Please understand that when we reach the condition described in the above passage that we are already under God's judgment. But God will also allow pressure to be applied by the world.

What will you do when enemies of Jesus Christ demand that you renounce Him or die? 

Do you love your life more than your Lord? 

Have you bought into the this-is-your-best-life-now lie, and would rather keep pursuing your selfish desires? 

Or are you willing to finally and totally commit your life to Jesus Christ? It is a life of sacrifice, one of daily working out our salvation in fear and trembling. (Php. 2:12)

In heaven, saints lay down their "crowns" at the feet of Jesus. Hello! We will relinquish all our own glory to worship the King of Glory! Shouldn't we begin practicing this here on earth? Denying self, to honor our King? Not denying Christ for temporary comfort or honoring ourselves? It's all about choices!

Finally, remember that Christianity is NOT a game...Christianity is serious business! To anyone willing to hear....
© Madeline Crabb

http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/crabb/171009