In Jeremiah Chapter two the prophet Jeremiah outlined for us the four stages of national decline. Dr. Ravi Zechariahs an international Christian Apologist identified these four stages of national decline as ancestral disappointment, prophetic duplicity, national desertion and personal disavowal. To a varying degree we have seen all four stages of decline take place in our society.
The situation we find ourselves, as a society would not have been so pathetic if the church of the living God was not caught in the mist of this downward spiral. Unfortunately the salt and light of the world, the bride of Christ is neck deep in worldliness that there is no difference between the church and the world. As a result the positive influence that the church is supposed to have on the society is lost. The body of Christ looks so much like the world that it has relegated itself to the backbench. To demonstrate the church’s level of irrelevance, assume that you are watching a talk show where a lawyer, doctor, accountant, a college professor, a politician, a movie star and a preacher are asked to comment on an issue of national importance, whose opinion do you think is of least value to the panel, the talk show host or the general public? You guess it….
In 2 Cor. 6:17 the bible tells us wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. For some unknown reason the church has been deceived into believing that the only way to reach the world is to be like the world. Nothing can be far from the truth. The strength of the church lies in its uniqueness. All through the bible the people of God are always exhorted to be separate from the world. Our strength as God’s people lies in our unwillingness to be defiled by the corruptions that is in the world. John the Beloved wrote in 1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [16] For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. [17] And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. Which aspect of this passage is so difficult to understand?
It is time for the Church of the living God to get its acts together. It is time we begin to engage the culture we live in with the truth of the Gospel of our lord Jesus Christ by following the example of the prodigal son. The prodigal son woke up one day and come to his senses. The bible says he came to himself, he realized he has been living a lie, he realized he needed to get right with his father thus he instituted a transition from selfishness to selflessness, a transition from ‘give me” to “make me”, a transition from claiming rights to appreciating privileges.
We need these transitions in the body of Christ, if we are ever going to reach the world for our lord and savior Jesus Christ. We need this transitions of we are ever going to communicate the saving grace to the multitudes who have bought the lies of his age. Most importantly we need this transition if we who profess to be Christians are going to deliver our soul from the judgment and destruction that is coming the children of disobedience. The prodigal son was able to make the transition because
- He was convinced of the fathers love. God loves sinners
- He was convinced of the father’s character. God hates sin.
- He was convinced of the father’s response. God welcomes repentant sinners.
The church of God in our society will continue to be irrelevant until we as the people of God are ready to make the transition.
As we prepare for another year, the question is, are we willing to make the transition as individuals, as a church and as a nation? The solution for our depraved culture is not economic, political or social reform, it is not in the shallow declaration of change promised by self serving politicians. No. The solution is in individual soul searching, Holy Ghost fired revival backed by spirit controlled conviction that leads to regeneration through the blood of Christ.
What better way is there to welcome 2016 than to take the scriptural admonition in Joel 2:15-17 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: [16] Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. [17] Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?
Therefore let us Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. (Hosea 10:12)