New finding in a survey by the American Worldview Inventory survey of 2020 found that only 6% of US adults have a biblical worldview. Also, Barna Research found that Christianity had declined 12% in the US between 2009-2019. Alarming statistics and begs the question: Is the Christian church impacting the existential secular culture for Christ and godly biblical living by making disciples for the glory of God? Or is the culture impacting the Christian church, reducing it to near insignificance in a godless, humanistic society?
Bold and godly preaching on sin and redemption reminds and inspires me ... and everyone who hears the proclamation of full gospel truth. Simply, Sin is the root problem and cause of our society breakdown and the key issue in our culture. But, Holiness and righteousness before a just, holy and sovereign Creator is, by and large, forsaken and mostly not even in the thoughts of a unbelieving humanistic world around us. In John 3:17-20, Jesus explains that Atheist love their sin and live in the darkness of unbelief, therefore do not want a Lord to be accountable to. So, they say there is no God to which they have to explain their thought, words and actions, and must give an account of their sinful rebellious life. But, there are also those who have a fear of the reality of Hell and want a Savior, but not a Lord. Jesus is a “Get out of jail free” card but nothing else. He pays for their ongoing sin lifestyle (drugs, lust, immorality, hate, lies, coveting, idolatry, you name it). There is no conviction of sin, no repentance or following in obedience to God or His holy Word, Will or Way. They would say that they love God, but not enough to stop willful and deliberate sinning against Him.
Repentance is the goal and it starts with the church (the body of Christ). The Lord wants to restore sinful people to an upright position and have nothing between their face and His face, so we walk in the Spirit knowingly with Jesus as our Lord. But, what is that “upright” position (righteousness, godliness, holiness, purity, and piety). What is “right” in the eyes of the Lord?
· Righteousness is defined as: Purity of heart and rectitude of life; conformity of heart and life to the divine law. Righteousness, as used in Scripture and theology, in which it is chiefly used, is nearly equivalent to holiness, comprehending holy principles and affections of heart, and conformity of life to the divine law. It includes all we call justice, honesty and virtue, with holy affections; in short, it is true religion.
· Godliness is defined as: a religious life; a careful observance of the laws of God and performance of religious duties, proceeding from love and reverence for the divine character and commands; Christian obedience.
· Holiness is defined as: the state of being holy; purity or integrity of moral character; freedom from sin; sanctity. Applied to human beings, holiness is purity of heart or dispositions; sanctified affections; piety; moral goodness, but not perfect.
· Purity is defined as: Freedom from guilt or the defilement of sin; innocence; as purity of heart or life.
· Piety is defined as: a compound of veneration or reverence of the Supreme Being and love of his character, or veneration accompanied with love; and piety in practice is the exercise of these affections in obedience to his will and devotion to his service.
What comes between His face and ours, blocks our vision and distracts our focus? Sin. Evil is abounding in the nation and the world, trying to destroy and eliminate the light of godliness, holiness and righteousness. Will the Christian church body stand against it, or continue the Pseudo-Christian “social gospel” ministry of focusing on interpersonal relationships and making friends with sinners but leaving them in their sin, that got us to this decline of the Christian church situation? Some may say, they don’t care what you know until they know that you care, but the reality is that sinners don’t care about God. Christianity-lite doesn’t work. Who is afraid of sin or fears God today? Social ministry numbs us, not changes them, because it doesn’t center on God. The Bible says that friendship with the world is spiritual adultery; unfaithfulness to God. James 4:4confirms, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
In Christ, Brian
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