You cannot help but notice the drifting away from Biblical principles being manifested in the Western Church today. Decades of compromise are resulting in a Church that has little if any resemblance to the early Church we see in the book of Acts. The Church has never been perfect. Only Jesus, the head of the Church, has that distinction. But His holiness beckons each of His followers to strive towards His example.
He has given His Word to guide us in our pursuit of Him. The Word of God changes no more than the One who spoke those words and inspired men to write His message throughout the years. Culture changes. Circumstances ebb and flow. But God and His Word are timeless. We must never make the mistake of considering His Word to be out of touch with our modern lives.
The problems of the world today, and indeed with the Church today, have their root in no longer holding God’s Word as the standard of truth and morality. We’ve taken to adopting man’s ideas as gospel, and rejecting the true Gospel as outdated and irrelevant. When we start from such a backward premise, it’s no wonder so many are losing hope and trying to find something to validate their lives and give approval to their choices. As a culture, we are looking everywhere but to God’s timeless Word for answers.
I listen to a lot of sermons from preachers across the country and even around the world. There has been a disturbing trend toward preachers taking a worldly concept and trying to fit it into something useful for someone looking to follow Christ. Recently I heard someone say they were aware of the satanic origins of the tool they were promoting but felt we shouldn’t disqualify something as being useful simply because of where it came from. Brothers and sisters, it is this kind of compromise that is devastating the Church from the inside out.
Just because something is popular in culture does not mean we should incorporate it into the Church. I would argue the opposite is probably true. So many churches and believers have embraced beliefs, tools, and systems that directly oppose the Bible. As believers in Christ, we have one standard. We must consider all things in the light of who Jesus is and what He has said.
This isn’t about politics or being socially sensitive. It’s about choosing to stand with Christ and on His Word alone. John tells us if we love the world or anything of the world, we don’t love God (I John 2:15-16). He didn’t give any caveats or loopholes. Schools and churches are suddenly filled with teachers proclaiming theories and opinions that do not align with God’s timeless Word. Most of what society is cramming down our throats is the antithesis of what His Word teaches us. We must not stand by and watch this happen.
If you love Jesus and desire to live for Him, everything else must be rejected. Truth matters. Morality matters. We must choose to be known for identifying with Christ and hold fast to the truth of the Bible. There is no belief in God and anything else. There is no living according to the Bible and the thinking of culture. God’s Word is clear. His standards are the most loving and healing. Compromise is killing local churches and destroying the lives of millions.
God’s Word is not outdated or irrelevant. Jesus Christ is not outdated or irrelevant. If we want to see revival in our churches and in our land, it must begin with a refusal to buy into the lies of the world. We must stand firm and without compromise on the timeless Word of God. The souls of future generations hang in the balance.