Due to unwarranted circumstances, I will not be updating this blog indefinitely. Thank you for following the articles and God bless you.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Friday, November 2, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Sunday, October 7, 2007
False Worship
Worship, an act of surrender and devotion of one’s self to God. Christ described worship under the New Covenant as done in spirit and truth. As He taught the Samaritan woman:
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:23-24
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15
However, is this sort of worship still found in churches nowadays? Is this element of true worship found in “Christian” events such as the ultra-hyped Christian concerts or even found in the regular worship services of “happening” churches? Do you sincerely believe that people are sincerely worshipping and marveling at His glory in the midst of an environment specifically designed to unleash adrenaline into the bloodstream and stimulate a hyped up atmosphere? If you actually think so, then please reexamine your beliefs.
Get it right, worship is simply your sacrifice due before God; to transform worship into your ultimate source of entertainment where you revel in your musical, worship leading or singing talents is idolatry! It is idolatry when your attention deviates away from God and shifts onto yourself, when you seek a “fantastic worship experience”, you become the object of worship as you are seeking to satisfy YOURSELF rather than the One above.
The true practice of idol worship that has ensnared the Church of Christ only becomes more evident when realizing the full extent of secularism that has embedded itself in the modern worship system. In the Old Testament, the Jews were required by the Law to keep sacred instruments precisely that, sacred. The priests kept the objects separate and sanctified from common use in the temple, for objects that were defiled by the world were unacceptable in the sight of the Lord. Even the formula for the holy incense was unique. If anyone was caught using it for other purposes, the person was expelled from the nation. It only serves to reinforce the definition of holy; it was kept separate from the common; it was reserved for God alone. Now that Christ has come to fulfill the Law, the same laws of purity and holiness still apply to worship, though not in the physical but in the spiritual realm. The temple is no longer a physical structure; YOU are the temple.
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19
Do the modern worship systems which resemble secular rock concerts fulfill this criterion of worship? Is it possible to take such a worldly construct intended primarily to stimulate audio and visual excitement and fit Christ in it? Surely no! For to bring the world, and hence the devil into the church for the sake of “reaching out to the lost” violates God’s principles. Before God, in issues such as these; the means of achieving a goal matters as well as the ends. Christians are clearly not to dabble and bring the world into the Church. We expose the deeds of darkness and open blinded eyes, not barter with the darkness for souls.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. Ephesians 5:11
For one thing, true worship is one thing that a carnal Christian will never be able to engage in for the flesh is in permanent enmity with the spirit. When coming before God, one must do so with an attitude of sincerity, humility, repentance and reverence. However is this found in churches nowadays? Do people seek to exalt themselves by seeking to “feel great and uplifted by that fantastic worship” while musicians and singers bask in the glory of their talents? Worship should be more Christ-centered and less man-centered and hence by faith one should approach Christ for the cleansing of one’s sins. Then only can one begin to worship truly. Pride and other such sins will hinder one’s worship from reaching heaven. Above all things, God looks at the heart.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart-
These, O God, You will not despise Psalms 51:17
Vital to worship is purity of the heart and a clean conscience. As Christians, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, where we offer our sacrifices of praise before God. Therefore, is it remotely possible for one to worship God in a desecrated temple?
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Take a close look at the vision given to the prophet Ezekiel. In the vision, God called the worship of the elders in the temple a ‘wicked abomination’, for they were doing so in the corrupting presence of idols. We do not see Him compromising His standards to accept substandard worship. Idols compete for devotion with God, and their modern incarnations include money, looks, fame and above all, one’s self in the form of pride. Pride exalts itself against God and is the primary reason for Lucifer’s downfall.
And He said to me, “Go in, and see the wicked abominations which they are doing there.” So I went in and saw, and there- every sort of creeping thing, abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed all around on the walls. And there stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, and in their midst stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan. Each man had a censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense went up. Then He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the room of his idols? For they say, “The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land.” Ezekiel 8:9-12
Vital to the modern worship system are the modern “pop and rock theology” worship songs which promote shallow if not out rightly misguided Christian theology. Does your church worship team gobble every latest CCM song which simply happened to catch the fancy of one member for its catchy tune or beat? If yes, then perhaps you should request for more theology oriented worship songs. The songs are critical in worship as well; a song which does not seek to glorify God is worthless for worship. Songs promoting a Love-centric gospel only reinforce the belief of Jesus as your celestial boyfriend among Christians. Who do you truly perceive Jesus Christ as? Is He your lover whom you can twist around your finger or a pushover buddy who will cater to your every whim and fancy?
On the other hand, there are those who engage in worship purely out of obligation or ritual. This sort of half-hearted worship is undesirable as well, for our God is a jealous God who requires nothing less than full devotion to Him. Furthermore, this sort of worship is indicative of one’s lukewarm approach towards the faith, an attitude strongly rebuked by God. This, by far and large could arguably be the largest obstacle for Christians in worship.
Therefore the Lord said:
“Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths
And honor Me with their lips,
But have removed their hearts far from Me,
And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men
Isaiah 29:13
To worship in spirit and truth simply means making a transition from the carnal into spiritual. It is not an overnight transformation but it is a journey which necessitates turning ones back onto the world and heading for the cross. It involves being continuously sanctified by the blood of the lamb and walking on the narrow path. The fruits of doing so are sweet indeed as promised by the bible, which is to experience the peace of God and to taste His fulfilling joy. In short, to worship in spirit and truth is to come before God with a sincere and humble heart and acknowledge His sovereignty as the Lord of the universe!
So Christian, which shall it be, will you worship God “in spirit and in truth” or “with your lips but remove your heart far away”? Are you living a defeated lifestyle and your temple defiled by the presence of idols? Will you disregard your duty as a Christian and deny your Father His due? If you do, repent then.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Me Worship
Cool... We Christians just love an uplifting, heart-pumping, glitzy and ultimately entertaining worship session don't we? The louder the amplifiers, the more pyrotechnics and dazzling lights, the more complex the dance choreograph, the more we proclaim Christ, isn't it guys?
Friday, October 5, 2007
Persecution
Christianity is ALL about living in peace with mankind and loving thy neighbour, isn't it?
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Hiatus
I will be away for the next fortnight or so.
Before leaving, I have transferred The Watchfire to a new Gmail account, and I can now be contacted via email: thewatchfire@gmail.com. The use of my previous (somewhat long and cumbersome) Gmail account (thyreontoupisteos@gmail.com) will henceforth be discontinued.
In the process, I have altered my screen name from Thyreos to Thureos, due to a minor transliteration error. For the curious, it is a Greek word meaning shield, and is derived from Ephesians 6:16 in reference to the Shield of Faith.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Harry Potter Evangelism
Christian themes in Potter books make good evangelism tools, some say
Harry Potter Evangelism. A mild biblical oxymoron or downrightly blasphemous? Read the following bible verses below or you could simply do things the old-fashioned way and flip through your bible and decide for yourself.
The Harry Potter series revolves around "magic" which is little more than a screen for the biblically condemned practice of sorcery and witchcraft. Think that conjurations and incantations are harmless practices? Think again then. Your bible condemns witchcraft and places it on the same level as idolatry!
Sorcery is an evil which is an abomination before God. How can it not be so, when sorcerers are directly tapping into demonic forces? Incantations, wards, charms are all works of Satan. The Bible has made it exceedingly clear in the Old and New Testament that witchcraft is an abomination that no Christian should even be associated with.
Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. 2 Kings 21:6
A man or a woman who is a medium, or who has familiar spirits, shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones. Their blood shall be upon them. Leviticus 20:27
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
He also has rejected you from being king. 1 Samuel 15:23
And I will come near you for judgment;
I will be a swift witness
Against sorcerers,
Against adulterers,
Against perjurers,
Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans,
And against those who turn away an alien—
Because they do not fear Me,
Says the LORD of hosts. Malachi 3:5
Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. Revelation 22:14-15
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you[b] are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“ I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
Therefore
“ Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you."
“ I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the LORD Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-17
And the Church has the audacity to repackage this great demonry and proclaim it as Christ's? What do the works of God have in common with the works of Satan?
[Time will tell whether Harry Potter can be used to promote Christianity, but the record 8.3 million U.S. copies the series’ final installment sold on its first day indicate that the Potter market will continue for a number of years.
It’s the “greatest evangelistic opportunity the church ever missed,” Neal said.]
If the modern church sincerely thinks itself bold enough to disregard God who has condemned witchcraft, and wise enough to wield demonic forces to extend the Kingdom of God, then the modern church is truly Laodicean; wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
Repent, Christians.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Entering The Narrow Gate
Will all who call themselves Christians be guaranteed entry into Heaven? The Scriptures clearly says NO. Simply calling yourself a Christian will definitely not be sufficient in the eyes of God. Your salvation is not a once in a lifetime event, attained at the point when you prayed the Sinner’s Prayer. It was basically your starting point in your journey back to Christ, not the end. Many Christians are in serious error when they presume that Heaven’s door is a wide gate that admits in just about anyone who applies the self-adhesive label of “Christian”. Christ has clearly warned through many parables that He Himself will weed out the false Christians.
Ponder on this. Why did Jesus keep warning against lawlessness and sin in the church unless it was a severe threat? In fact, Jesus clearly stated that MANY will do great works in His name, but yet they will be denied entry into paradise. The reason for Him to do so will be no other than because they never truly repented and gave up their sinful ways.
Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ Luke 13:23-27
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:21-23
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:47-50
Among you there may be some so familiar with the image of the Loving and Suffering Savior and little else that the following verses may come across as barely digestible, but that is what YOUR bible says. As Christ died for the sins of all men, He will stand as judge of mankind. After all, He has every right to deny entry to those who reject His sacrifice on the cross. Do you find yourself squirming and resisting the thought that it is your all-loving Jesus, not the Father, who will cast unrepentant sinners into the lake of fire? If you do so, then your understanding of God’s nature is inaccurate.
For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son. John 5:22
I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Revelation 1:18
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:41,42
Moreover, it would be a mistake to believe that as one matures in Christ that he develops an immunity to sin. The bible clearly states that as long as we exist in the flesh, we will be in perpetual enmity with the spirit. Becoming a Christian does in no way mean an eradication of sin for the nature of the flesh is and will always be sinful. Being a Christian simply means that one has decided to strive to exchange his sinful nature for Christ's perfection. It is not being sinless that sets the Christian apart from the non-believer, it is that when he sins, he repents, renounces his sins and resume his journey on the narrow path.
In contrast, a Christian living carnally will find himself caught in a perpetual sin-repent cycle. Praying the Sinner's prayer is not an end by itself, it is only the beginning of a journey back to God. This journey of salvation entails taking on His traits in exchange for one's sinful nature as one matures in Christ. Hence, if you are living in a semi-backslidden state by indulging in your sinful nature on weekdays but playing the holy hypocrite on weekends, you are most certainly NOT pleasing God. His call to Holiness requires that the Christian exchange the world for Him. If your conscience bothers you on certain issues of sin, listen to it rather than obtaining ‘advice’ to remedy your guilt. For by doing so, you may actually be searing your conscience against the guilt of sin.
Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened,
That it cannot save;
Nor His ear heavy,
That it cannot hear.
But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
So that He will not hear.
Isaiah 59:1,2
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:6,7
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2
For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 1 Peter 4:3
...bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5b
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 1 John 15,16
This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:17-24
So long we live on this earth, our sinful selves will never be perfect, but we must never stop pursuing after righteousness.
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1,2
I am not saying that you will not enter heaven, but you must be absolutely certain of your salvation. There is for a very good reason why walking with Christ is called walking on the narrow path and the door of Heaven the narrow gate.
Repent, Christian and leave your secular ways for the cross. For there is no other way to God.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Grooving 4 God
This is not satire. This is for real.
Grooving For God? Groovy.
First of all, fantastic theme and an equally fantastic bible verse to support it, nevermind that the verse quoted is incomplete. I’ll post the complete bible verse here.
And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. Ezekiel 44:23
Why are they hiding their true agenda which involves letting people know the difference between holy and unholy, clean and unclean? By inviting Christians to indulge in secularism, it certainly gives them a taste of the world; Christians now will know through personal experience what it means like to be wallowing in unholiness and uncleanliness!
On a serious note, the gospel of Christ CANNOT be repackaged into a secular medium. You cannot reclaim any secular medium and use it for God, for God is holy and the secular world is in permanent enmity against Him. There is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY that you can reclaim for God worldly objects or beliefs dedicated for the worship of Satan. The fact that they used the phrase ‘reclaim street dance from the world’ shows that they are well aware of the filth associated with street dancing. I do not have to explain why street dancing is ungodly, they have admitted it point-blank! Can you 'reclaim' drug abuse for Christ and weave in the Gospel? After all, the Bible does not state explicitly that drug abuse is a sin. The sheer audacity of Christians to mock God and present filth before Him!
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 2 Corinthians 6:14-15
Can one purify an idol of an Egyptian god and assume that it is ‘reclaimed for God’? No, this clearly contradicts the Bible. If you attempt to ‘reclaim’ worldly objects and bring it into the church, the following results:
So I went in and saw, and there—every sort of creeping thing, abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed all around on the walls. And there stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, and in their midst stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan. Each man had a censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense went up. Then He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the room of his idols? For they say, ‘The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land.’” Ezekiel 8:10-12
The elders were worshipping in the temple of God which was defiled by the presence of idols! Does the same not apply when Christians bring the world into the church and call it godly?
They dare claim that they can proclaim the Most Holy God through a secular medium like street dancing. Can we now proclaim Christ through radical mediums like Christian Erotic Pole Dancing? By the way ladies, are you interested in serving ministry by being a Hooker for Christ?
Christ fashioned a whip to drive the world out of the temple. Dare you defy Him by bringing it back in?
Repent, Christians.
Drive-through Church
I found this video on Extreme Theology.Though based in the US of A, this video could very well apply to the churches of Malaysia. Find yourself disagreeing? Think again.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
The Fatal Flaw: Sin
Another area central to the faith often overlooked is that of sin. It is of little, if any consequence to the victorious Christian, is it not? No! It is so essential that every Christian be made fully aware of the fundamentals of sin. Sin is not just a little dirt that every human being happens to gather due to our flawed human nature. Sin is our imperfect human nature, and also far more than that. The direness of sin is such that God will cast those tainted by sin into the lake of everlasting fire. Essentially, this comprised all of humanity save none. It is for this specific reason that Christ descended from His heavenly throne and suffered on the cross to spare us the horrors of His judgment.
As established in a previous article 'The Love-centric Gospel', our God is a Holy God who absolutely cannot abide in the presence of unholiness. In the eyes of God, all sin is abominable regardless of its magnitude. Before God, all of man's goodness and purity of heart are but filthy rags. The only remedy for this uncleanliness is to be washed by the blood of the Lamb. Although the judgment meted out by God as witnessed in the Old Covenant may seem harsh, but it serves to reflect the severity of sin.
As the blood of Christ was not yet spilled at that point of time, the sins of the people were usually met with swift retribution if they refused to repent. As indicated in Exodus, God threatened to leave the Israelites and allow them to enter the Promised Land without His presence due to their sinful ways. It is also important to note that God did not intend to withdraw His presence from them simply because of their sinful ways; if He accompanied them He would have consumed them in His judgment of their sins.
“Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people” Exodus 33:3
A quick study on the seven churches of Revelations addressed by Jesus Christ will reveal that five of them were rebuked by the Lord for their sinful ways. While He did acknowledge their positive aspects (except the Laodicean church), He never once permitted their good works or traits to outweigh or justify their sins. Instead, He warned them to repent immediately or face impending judgment.
The analogy of “a white paper with a small blot is still clean on the overall” and its variations that have been making inroads in churches border on heresy. It may appeal to human logic, but it is precisely that; fallen earthly wisdom. Rather, know that His righteousness will immediately consume any impurities before Him! Under the Old Covenant, physical purity was an absolute necessity for anyone seeking God, be it the priesthood or layman. The seemingly stringent rules as found in the Mosaic Law only serve to reflect God’s abhorrence towards sin; the Law handed down to Moses was intended to keep the people away from impurities.
On the other hand, the blood of the Lamb of God represents the ultimate triumph over sin. Where the Law failed, the blood of the Lamb redeemed. Nevertheless, the transition from the Old to the New Covenant in no way indicates that God’s nature has changed. He is still a Holy and Righteous God and His revulsion against sin remains unchanged. It is for this specific reason that we have to be covered by the blood of the Lamb prior to entry into heaven. The Lamb of God is the perfect sacrifice which has turned away the Father’s wrath and instead brought abounding grace. Even so, the grace of God should never be abused as underlined by the apostle Paul. Abusing God’s grace reflects one’s lack of true repentance.
Yet another reality blurred among Christians is the watering down of God's judgment. The belief among Christians that sin is little more than a moral imperfection found in every human being does little to reflect its severity. In truth, sin is a direct rebellion against the Almighty. However, most Christians who are far too coddled by a love-centered gospel find it hard to reconcile the concept of judgment and hell with a loving and righteous God. This erroneous view arises because people are for the most part unaware of the severity of sin in God's eyes and God's Holy nature.
The grace that His sacrifice brought around is no excuse to view sin as a minor problem! In fact, many Christians have been deceived into assuming that a little sin is perfectly fine. Even the “little” sins are not to be overlooked for the apostle Paul likens sin to leaven. It does not take much leaven to affect the entire loaf and similarly even the most “insignificant” of sins can wreck havoc in your life, both physically and spiritually. It will leave the Christian in a defeated and wretched state of existence if left unchecked.
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 1 John 3:4
Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. 1 Corinthians 5:6,7
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. James 1:14,15
Abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:22
It is at this point where the love of God steps in. Standing before Him, all of us are like filthy and diseased degenerates, from the most hardened of criminals to the purest of hearts. Why then would a Holy God of Righteousness tolerate the persistent presence of filth? The answer is love; instead of consigning the whole world to a fiery death He chose instead to send His only Son to suffer and die for the sins of the world. This is the beauty of salvation, that God redeemed mankind from sin and restored to them the glory lost when Adam fell. Christians ought to celebrate this ‘agape’ love, not the sort of vague ‘celestial lover’ romantic love that churches so often preach nowadays.
The true gospel of Christ preaches that which people NEED to hear, not stuff that they WANT to hear. The real intent of the gospel is to convict people of their sinful nature and bring them to repentance. The Gospel of Christ ultimately reconciles man to God. If you feel the stirring of warm and cuddly feelings upon receiving the gospel instead of sheer conviction, you must be either sinless or rejoicing at His abundant love for others or are receiving a false gospel. Since the former is pretty unlikely unless you happen to go by the name of Jesus Christ, then you are simply having your itching ears tickled by a perverted gospel.
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Acts 2:37-40
Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Luke 3:7-9
A few side questions to ponder on; is it possible that an altar call, issued at the end of an adrenaline-laced and blood curdling screaming “Christian” concert (and other such entertainment gimmicks), is capable of informing people of the severity of sin? With hearts pumping wildly from all the hype, is there sufficient somberness in their hearts to be convicted of their sinful nature? Likewise, would you consider an admission of repentance elicited from someone in the midst of a drunken stupor as genuine?
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Sunday, September 2, 2007
The Myth: The Myth of Satan
Of all the deceptions that has been carried out since antiquity, fewer could be more ingenious than this: that the deceiver himself is fictional. In the case of the church, Satan has pulled this ruse off by convincing the bride of Christ that he does not exist! Denying the fundamental existence of God’s primary adversary is a serious deception that has blinded the eyes of many in the church. This is one error that Christians cannot afford to make, but by committing this error, it only reflects the depths of deception that has penetrated the church.
The modern love-centric gospel church is more inclined towards preaching abundant blessings, grace, purpose and prosperity but little more. In the process, it is more inclined towards neglecting teaching its members the more somber but nevertheless pressing portion of reality; that Satan is a cunning enemy prowling around. Instead, such warped theology implicitly leads its members into believing the devil to be a concept, very much like how sin is embedded within every human being. Likewise, this false doctrine gives way to believers perceiving Satan as a concept or principle of evil stemming from an imperfect human nature, rather than an actual spiritual entity. Meanwhile, the traditional view of Satan as a fallen archangel is dismissed as a medieval folklore. Yet, the bible clearly states that Satan exists as a real personality and is actively at work, as he has been since Creation!
Satan is no myth; the bible has made it exceedingly obvious that Satan is a very dangerous and potent threat that must be reckoned with. The bible clearly outlines his origins as an angel that incited and led a revolt against God and was casted down onto earth with his followers. Ever since then, Satan has been roaming the earth working to tear apart God’s plan by wrecking chaos among His creation, principally man.
And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12:7-9
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” Job 1:6,7
Even among churches that still believe in Satan’s existence, their Christians are barely equipped with the knowledge of his existence and his activities. Instead, Christians are lulled with messages of love, grace and blessings. Naturally, Satan becomes a distant and abstract enemy that is causing havoc “somewhere out there”, when in reality he has legions of demons present here on earth to do his bidding. Furthermore, the rosy picture of God being in perfect control of this world as advocated by churches is a serious doctrinal error. Firstly, it is crucial to understand that the world and all its systems are currently in the hands of Satan. He is described as the “prince of the power of the air” and “god of this world”. Whether you like it or not, everything of this world that is not of God lies in the hand of Satan and this comprises all things of secular nature. It is critical that this junction of awareness be reached by every believer, for failing to understand the enemy’s plans grants him a free rein to manipulate and deceive the church.
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. Ephesians 2:1-3
Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you,Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” Matthew 4:8-10
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. 1 John 5:19
Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 2 Corinthians 4:4
Some will argue that this is a bleak picture of pessimism and doom but it is the reality that each and every one of us faces. Others will counter that the notion of God not working for the good of mankind as violating His omnipresent and omnipotent nature. All these romantic notions are veils that the enemy has draped around the eyes of the church. One must understand His nature and the severity of sin. To put it clearly, God’s Holy presence cannot abide when sin abounds. Hence, if sin abounds in the church and repentance is nowhere to be found, it is not grace but judgment that waits.
Furthermore He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel commits here, to make Me go far away from My sanctuary? Now turn again, you will see greater abominations.” Ezekiel 8:6
However, when the church of Christ plays the harlot and welcomes secularism into its arms, this opens wide the doors for Satan to storm in. The church that does not truly repent of her sins and submit to Christ is an easy target for Satan to deceive. How does the church welcome the ways of the world? When the church tickles the itching ears of its congregation instead of preaching the truth; when the church opts to entertain its members with secular demonic entertainment; when the church turns a blind eye towards sin; when the church becomes a cold institutionalized money-churning corporation; when the church forsakes God for the world. Satan and his minions are actively at work seducing people into committing sin and enslaving them within spiritual bondages. Even the church is not exempted from falling into this snare of sin, more so if it stops watching and praying.
Among the central tenets of biblical doctrine neglected by the church is the perpetual warfare of the church against the unseen rulers controlling this world; namely Satan and his legion of fallen angels. This is an expected result of downplaying the threat of Satan, for if the church has become largely unaware of his designs, then the urgency to counter them is lost. It is a tragedy that the church has been blinded against the existence of its foe which is bent on its complete annihilation. Additionally, a Christian that is not on constant guard against the enemy makes himself an easy prey for the devil. Be warned, for it is another error to believe that God grants the church supernatural protection against doctrinal errors regardless of its spiritual state.
Satan has set out to battle against God for the eternal destiny of human souls, right from the moment when he tempted Eve. He has sought to deceive mankind ever since by creating counterfeits to blind their minds. For instance, Satan has deceived the world with counterfeit gods. The gargantuan muddle of religions, cults and beliefs of humanity today stands as a testament of Satan’s success. Satan also seeks to deceive the church by producing counterfeit gospels, Jesus, worship and etc which he hopes to ultimately sever the church from God. However, the bible has warned that many, Christians included, will succumb to his offensives. He strives to manipulate and seduce mankind into committing sin, which drove an insurmountable wedge between man and God. Eventually, it took nothing less than divine intervention to reconcile man back to God in the form of the blood of the Lamb.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8
Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 12:17
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 1 Timothy 4:1-3
Jesus Christ has saved us from the enemy, but His intention was never for us to indulge in this world and become complacent Christians. One must understand that Christ established His church on earth to withstand against the gates of hell and prevent souls from passing through it. If the church were to repent, subject itself to God, equip itself with His truth and engage in spiritual warfare, the works of the enemy would crumble before the church. As the church is the body of Christ on this earth, which rightfully functions to tear down this demonic kingdom, the church should constantly be engaged in warfare with the devil.
Whereas the bible advocates pacifism in the flesh, it explicitly emphasizes the need for militancy in the spiritual realm. Simply because as Christians, we must recognize the fact that the true battleground does not lie in the physical realm; Jesus Christ did not descend onto earth to save our earthly bodies which will perish and ultimately return back to the dust. He came to save souls from the second death, namely being casted into the lake of fire. Likewise, the church must engage in this spiritual warfare at all times, which entails perpetual prayer, possession of solid knowledge of His Word and unwavering faith.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6: 11-13
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7
In short, Satan is a very real foe that we must contend with in our daily walk as Christians. A Christian in no way can afford to be blinded against this reality. A Christian must be vigilant and strive to walk on the narrow path without deviating an inch. It is worthy remembering that with Christ within, no demonic power can prevail against His child!
Saturday, September 1, 2007
The Love-centric Gospel
A prevalent error that has resulted in many Christians finding themselves caught in a bind is viewing God in a wrong light. It is truly appalling that churches are preaching a perverted gospel of incompleteness or half-truths; they preach of God’s overflowing love and grace but little else. Yes, the Almighty is a God of love, it is because of His overwhelming love for mankind that He sent His only Son to pay the price of our sins, but love is not His sole attribute. Many believers find it unacceptable to view Jesus Christ as anything else other than a demure, passive and loving Saviour. However, is this an accurate view of Christ as advocated by scripture?
One of His primary attributes often overlooked by the church is His Holiness; His perfect immutable nature and absolute intolerance of sin. Truly, the church has lost sight of the majestic holiness that He radiates from His throne. Rather, Christians prefer to embrace the concept of a warm and loving friend, minimizing His Holy aspect for fear of developing a legalistic attitude towards God. Christians summarily reject emphasizing on God’s Holiness out of the mistaken belief and fear that in doing so the perception of God as an austere and wrathful deity will arise. In fact, His death on the cross is not just a triumph of God’s love but also of holiness over unholiness. It was His death that sanctified man so that man could step into His Holy presence.
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
1 Peter 1:13-16
His Holiness demands that sin be judged. It is also due to His Holiness that the ultimate place of judgment, hell exists. Despite being reiterated many times in the bible, the mere mention of such concepts induce fidgetiness among Christians. Why should it be so? A child of the Most High should not fear such judgments if he were truly covered by the blood of the Lamb. Furthermore, Christians find the concept of judgment and hell ‘too cruel’ and feel that it violates their fancy perception of God as a loves-struck God. The concept of sin and hell are regarded as medieval, nevermind that all sin regardless of its magnitude constitutes a direct rebellion and conceitness before God. The realization of the consequences of sin which is eternal damnation is lost among the modern churches. Consequently, the urgency to preach the true gospel of Christ has been largely diminished. This is the great deception within the church as people do not realize that the world is no friend but a foe.
Unsurprisingly, many Christians develop a romantic notion of Jesus Christ as a lover God as a result of receiving an imperfect gospel. So, some will argue, is there a problem with treating God as your celestial boyfriend/girlfriend? Yes! It would mean placing God on equal standing with you in terms of your personal relationship with Him. In reality, such a belief is blatantly wrong and no sound basis for it can be found in the scriptures. The proper relationship that one must maintain with God is that of a father and child. God is a loving father that will care for His children, but will not hesitate to chastise them if they were to go astray. Your dad may be your best friend, but there are dynamics in the relationship that must be adhered to such as obedience and reverence. God is not your nice tame buddy that you can push over; to regard Him as such is to mock Him for it implies that He has few, if any standards.
““For whom the LORD loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?” Hebrews 12:6-7
Preaching a love-centric gospel produces spiritual brats who perceive God as a Santa Claus who attends to their every whim and fancy. Such a gospel loses the true focus of God’s love and renders it senseless. The core of the gospel that Jesus Christ came to preach is that of repentance, and the call to holiness was issued even before He began His ministry. The focal point of the true gospel is a call to repentance, and this theme is echoed in the epistles and verified in the Acts of the Apostles.
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
Matthew 3:1-2
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38
And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Acts 16:30-31
I’m not discounting God’s love; rather I am saying that His love must be viewed in an accurate relation to His character as a whole. The perverted gospel of modern times goes along the lines of “God loves you so much, He desires your soul and wants you to dwell in His kingdom forever. God wants to bless you abundantly as His grace is overwhelming”; it mentions sin on a superficial basis and thus waters down the true significance of Christ’s death and resurrection. It makes no direct attempt to call sinners to repentance, or may just encourage them to do so through mere lip-service instead out of sincere conviction. Resultantly, many people who respond to the altar call could be doing so with a shallow understanding of the cross, and may be responding for many reasons save the right one. Churches preach John 3:16, but not the verses following it. Jesus Christ did not come to die so that Christians can lead easy, prosperous, indulgent and self-fulfilled lifestyles!
A doctor who breaks the news to a patient who faces certain death does not do so in jest, but rather pores over the patient’s options and prognosis in all somberness. Similarly, the gospel of Jesus Christ dying on the cross to pay the penalty of our sins is a solemn issue revolving around eternal life, or death. Hence, it was never intended to be parceled together with the worldly circus racket that features on a regular basis on Sundays in churches. The gospel cannot be injected into secular entertainment to form a holy concoction; the gospel cannot be prepackaged into “Christian” rock concerts, Manga comics, Hollywood blockbusters, figure action toys, adorable cartoon characters, etc. To do so is to mock God for it implies that the good news is somehow “not good enough”. For example, I have heard a sermon being preached on the virtues of “Luke Skywalker and the Force” to draw parallels with Jesus Christ! To say the least, is the preacher ignorant of the fact that the Star Wars’ mystical concept of “the Force” was drawn from Hinduism, and that he is indirectly promoting syncretism, which is basically a fusion of religions. The gospel must be preached per se, with no reinventions or embellishment.
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? 2 Corinthians 6:14-16a
The gospel in its fullness can be summarized as “God loves you so much despite your sins that He sent His only Son to die and wash you clean of your sins. His suffering and eventual death on the cross has set you free from sin and its penalty: death“. Note the difference from the incomplete gospel above. It is the failure of the church to realize the severity of sin in God’s eyes that has led the church to believing the lie that “some blots are fine, no one is perfect”. Hence, sin is permitted to go on a rampage in the church as Christians ignore its true consequences. While it is true that no one is perfect, we must never cease in striving to imitate Christ. God’s grace is no license to justify sin.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Certainly not! Romans 6:14-15
To view God in a distorted manner will in turn result in a distorted relationship with Him.
Think on it, if the gospel is not preached wholly, to what extent is it possible for people, Christians included, to fully attain salvation?
About The Watchfire
The Church of Jesus Christ has opened its arms wide and welcomed the ways of the world, defiling itself in the process. The original gospel of sin and repentance as commissioned by Christ Himself has been exchanged for a variety of anthropocentric (man-centered) messages. “Gloom and Doom” pastors have been given the sack for the want of theatrical skills in favor of the more nurturing psychologist, the mystical New-Age Guru, the comical clown, the inspiring self-help motivator and the sensational rock star. Like it or not, this is not pessimistic or cynical thinking, this is reality unaltered.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 2 Timothy 4:3,4
This blog is not aimed at condemning anyone. Rather, as its name suggest, The Watchfire serves as a lookout for activities of the Enemy be it day or night. Like it or not, the Enemy is actively prowling around and scheming against the Church of Jesus Christ! If you should find yourself offended, examine yourself closely to see if the person has judged you or was merely pointing out your errors.
This blog is intended to function as its name suggests, a watchfire; to keep a lookout and raise the alarm when enemy activity is detected. As the Apostle Paul said, behind all the preaching and evangelizing, we as Christians are waging the true war on the spiritual front. Our true enemies are not believers with secular or liberal leanings or those outside Christianity who seek to annihilate it. Rather, it is the “spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” that we are engaging in battle against. It is these demons which bind, blind and hold people, even Christians captives to sin.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. 1 John 5:19
Our Lord Jesus Christ succinctly listed our task as His servants:
To open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. Acts 26:18
*All bible verses are quoted from the New King James Version unless stated otherwise
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
