I am sometimes told I should not share my understanding of the Bible with certain issues — because it could very well offend friends and others. It is surely a well meant warning. Loved ones do not want others to reject loved ones. It is just so easy these days to offend others because of opinions. What is going on!?
These conflicts between folks is going on all across America these days. I think it is part of the effect of the spirit of “the end days” when folks will only want to hear what they want, only what pleases their ears.
when they will not endure sound doctrine;
but wanting to have their ears tickled,
they will accumulate for themselves
teachers in accordance to their own desires
– 2 Timothy 4:3
This spirit of deception and unbelief has crept into the daily conversations across America, to the extent that friends can no longer openly converse, lest they “offend” with how they see things, with what they believe to be biblical. Do you see that yourself? As was said of the children of Israel:
Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and
seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
For the heart of this people is waxed gross,
and their ears are dull of hearing, and
their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart,
and should be converted.
– Acts 28:26-27
On national news outlets even, I hear tales of lost and broken friendships because one or the other could not abide with the spoken opinions of their friend, now a former friend. Has this affected you too?
These conflicts are not due to a lack of tack, nor a failure to communicate. These conflicts are not due to “the way you put it”, nor because of you being unkind or unloving or “in a bad mood”. Nor is it because you are bull-headed and brutish and a thick lunkhead. It is not because you are a bad person, or not a loving person, nor because “you just want what you want – you’re selfish”.
What is right and proper
There exists in the world today an overwhelming consensus telling us what they say is right and proper. Unless you’re a Kaczynski hermit type, the modern sense of morality pervades your every day life. This pernicious consensus influences you no matter where you live. You do not have to concede to it, but it will hit you from all sides.
[Consensus takes in: a general or widespread agreement, the general opinion, majority opinion, common view, harmony, concurrence, accord, unity, unanimity, solidarity; concord. – dictionary.com and google.com search]
What is right and proper, according to this modern consensus, goes something like this:
What we think is: the way it should be. What you think, if it is not what “we” think, is a bad “think”. Don’t express your own “think” if it is contrary to our consensus of thought. We know what is right and proper – not you. Blend-in with our consensus. Don’t make waves with your misled, out-dated and unacceptable opinions.
If you do not agree with “us”, you will be rejected, scolded for speaking, ridiculed – and we will even take you to court – even make you lose your livelihood for speaking your opinion. We are the new irrefutable truth. And we won’t put-up with your …think. Our consensus is without error, truly inspired in every way. Just as Christians used to think they had the Word of God, we now know it is “we” who know what is right and proper. Not them.
This new propriety has slowly seeped into all levels of Christianity and popular culture. It is inescapable. You may even espouse such “think” yourself.
The Spirit of AntiChrist
What is happening across America (and the world) springs out from a spirit of evil, from the Prince of Darkness. It has been predicted by God, condemned by God, and by God it is upon us already today through His plan of the ages. This moving upon the earth by the Evil One actually started before today’s year of 2017 – but it is visibly seeable by our eyes today. It is right before our eyes!
Discern between good and evil
The thinking in the world around us is (1) contrary to the revealed Word of God, (2) is opposed by Creator God, and (3) should be opposed by all who follow Christ and His Way. Don’t be fooled by this Spirit of Antichrist. He is different from Christ.
We should be reading the Bible in order to discern between good and evil. Know the Bible to discern by God’s standards. Know the Bible. Know the difference.
Improper ways
The Bible warns us that in the end times a deceiving spirit will pervade the world, drawing folks into dark and improper ways. Are you willing to be a part of that? Are you being deceived? Do you truly want to be a part of “improper ways”, or do you want to be “in Christ”? Condemnation comes eventually to that Prince of Darkness, and it will eventually come down upon those who concur with him. With what are you concurring?
Beloved, do not imitate what is evil,
but [imitate] what is good.
The one who practices good
[exhibiting godly character, moral courage and personal integrity]
is of God;
the one who practices
[or permits or tolerates]
evil has not seen God
[he has no personal experience with Him and does not know Him at all].
– 3 John 1:11 Amplified Bible (AMP)
[Concur: to accord in opinion; agree; to cooperate; work together; combine; be associated; to coincide. – dictionary.com] I would add: to concur is to vote for and support….
He who is not with Me is against Me;
and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
– Matthew 12:30
It is no small thing to be concurring with the Devil. In these end times — be careful with whom you concur.
His winnowing fork is in His hand
to thoroughly clear His threshing floor,
and to gather the wheat into His barn;
but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
– Luke 3:17 (John 15:6)
Turn from our ungodly ways (“repent”)
We are born again when we (1) acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God, (2) confess our sins to Him, and (3) turn from our ungodly ways (“repent”). As we grow little by little into more and more maturity in Christ, we will learn to little by little repent of our ungodly thinking – mindsets that are contrary to God’s ways.
We are not saved because we think correctly, but IF we are saved, our works and our thinking will begin to concur with what we are growing to understand “in Christ”. We will begin to do more “in Christ.” We will reject sin in our life.
appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
so that each one
may be recompensed for his deeds in the body,
according to what he has done,
whether good or bad.
– 2 Corinthians 5:10
FOR MORE:
The Entrance Into The Eternal
Entrance Granted Into The Eternal
Jesus Only Always For All Times
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