SILENCING THE WORD OF GOD
Isaiah 58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God
1 Corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
It is extremely important to individuals to feel accepted by those around them. Some will try to prove themselves. Some will put on false airs. And some will try to force their acceptance.
People debate, argue, insult and slander over the choices they and others make with their lives
Sadly many who call themselves Christians suffer from this need for approval from the world along with everyone else.
I believe mankind was made for fellowship and relationships. It is the way God designed us and one of the ways we are in His image. But the greatest need is to have fellowship with and 'in' God and with those who are His.
For a true, born again child of God, the relationship with God should be the priority.
If, as a Christian, our allegiance is to God above all else, the acceptance of those of the world should become of far less importance.
We should know and understand that to love God and belong to Him requires us to take up our cross and follow Him; it means to walk a path of death to self and the ways of the world.
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
We should know that choosing God means turning away from sin and the god of this world. This puts us in opposition to the world and the god that it blindly follows.
2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
We can neither accept the ways of the world, nor condone them. Thus, in turn, the world will not smile sweetly on our way of life.
James 4:4 ... know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God
Even in the church world, it seems that people justify rejecting the words of this verse of scripture, for an idea they deem superior.
The idea is set forth that we are to be friends with those who are living in sin, including those who embrace a lifestyle of rebellion to God, even those who show great disrespect and disdain for Him, in order to win them to Christ.
But too often this being a 'friend' does not simply mean being considerate and doing what is kind and what is best for them, but instead involves maintaining close fellowship.
The question is, can you, as a person whose life is wrapped up in the Savior of your soul, have a close relationship with someone who is involved in the ways of the world and yet have no fellowship with the world itself?
There are those who have not been born again, but who try to live moral lives. You may have such a 'friend'. You are to love your neighbor, which is a person who would be there for you in time of need, whether he is a saint or a sinner.Yet your fellowship with an unbeliever will have it's limits, for they do not understand the ways of the Lord you serve. You cannot participate in any activities they may involve themselves in that are contrary to God and His Word, nor can you approve or encourage them in those things. You are never to function separate from the influence of the Holy Spirit although they neither have Him in their lives nor do they know Him.
There is a difference in loving someone and maintaining close or intimate fellowship with him. We are told to love our enemies, but we know we cannot have close fellowship with them, for they are against us.
However today the pressure is on to do more than love and care for the unsaved, but to show acceptance, not only of them as individuals but also their lifestyle. This pressure is on to a tremendous degree where it concerns the homosexual lifestyle. Christians are being pressured to not only give their approval to this sinful lifestyle but to smile at it, accept it as normal and bring both the sinner with his sin into their lives with open arms.
Further we are to keep our mouths shut and never speak against such sin, or preach the truth found in the scriptures concerning them. We are to be silent and in so doing -
SILENCE THE WORD OF GOD!
We are not to tell our children the truth concerning these things, but public schools are to be allowed to teach children that this behavior is completely acceptable and normal.
For the most part, it is okay if we speak up and say that lying is wrong, that cheating or stealing is wrong. And it is understandable if we do not want to hang out with a liar, cheater or thief. But woe to the individual who will speak the truth about homosexuality, let alone be uncomfortable in the company of a homosexual!
If we refuse to support this sinful lifestyle, not only may horrid and hateful things be said about us, while we are labeled in many an insulting and derogatory manner, but this will include being accused of being unloving and un-Christ-like. Then too, we may find ourselves on the wrong side of the law!
Such intimidation has had it's effect on people who find acceptance and approval of men to be very important and who fear the law of the land. Also, the pride of the heart, resists being labeled in an unpleasant way!
While some want to profess their Christianity they do not want to look bad to the world. Yet if we are embarrassed to identify with Christ and His teachings, how can we say we love Him and are honored to be His child?
Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Some may say they do not want to run off the sinner, having been misled to think that to be Christlike, is to always make the sinner feel loved and comfortable. We can show him love but we cannot determine whether or not he will receive that love and it is not our job to make him comfortable in his sin.
Surely when the Bible tells us -
2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
we should not take it to heart! Right? But aren't we told this is Wrong!
How could such instruction fit with the 'make everyone feel valued and acceptable so they will be drawn to God by love' philosophy? How can you reach someone if you separate yourself from them?
Let me ask you to give an honest answer to this one question. What are we to do with this scripture? Shall we erase it from our Bibles?
We are also being told by the world, that you can be homosexual and still be a Christian. Never mind that God forbids it. Never mind that He told us how he created the man and woman and His own purpose. The scriptures made plain what marriage (the union of two individuals) was to be.
Matthew 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Mark 10:7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
Ephesians 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Still – even so – Never Mind! We can bypass this and do something altogether different, as though God's instructions, design and purpose are not that important and still be Christians - right?
I think not!
The word Christian means - Greek – ; a Christian, i.e. follower of Christ:--Christian.
How can you be 'following' Christ while you do, in your body, what is in opposition to His own design and purpose? How can you be following Christ while you go against His instructions?
But we are told that if we do not accept those living this lifestyle to be Christians, we are judging and that this is against the Word of God.
How many times have you heard it said that the Bible tells us not to judge?
In other words, if you speak in agreement with the scriptures; if you say what God says, you are, at the same time, going against Him? So shhhh …. keep it to yourself. Does this make sense?
Something is very wrong here!
We have been lied to about judging and many have believed the lie.
Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Judgment has already come to -ALL– men.
John 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Jesus came into this world for judgment and His judgment is true!
John 8:16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
1 Corinthians 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
Brother and sister, can you answer this question? Are you not worthy to judge the smallest matters?
1 Corinthians 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
Does this verse actually say that the children of God are to judge things that pertain to this life or are our eyes playing tricks on us?
NO! There is no trick here. These are words of scripture.
NO! There is no trick here. These are words of scripture.
John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Dear Brother and Sister, judgment has already come, as we are told in Romans 5:18 (above)- “...judgment came upon all men to condemnation.”
God Himself has judged and his judgment is perfect and just. Jesus came into this world for judgment and His judgment is true. It is the judgment of Himself and the Father.
How is it then we are to judge “things that pertain to this life?” (1Cor, 6:3 above), and yet are told not to judge, as we have heard so many times? Does the Bible contradict itself?
Never!
We judge according to the judgment that God has already made. We judge by agreeing with God and His word.
What we are not to do, is to judge of our own judgment, outside of the Word God, which God has established. We are to judge, not by how it appears to us (John 2:24 above) but judge righteous judgment.
What is righteous judgment? It is the judgment given and established by the one true, living and only just God! It is His judgment and cannot be adjusted to accommodate the desire of the unsaved.
We are not to mete out condemnation of our own. Jesus didn't even come to condemn. But the Word of God tells us (John 3:18 above) that whoever does not believe on the Savior is condemned already.
Folks the condemnation has already been determined and the judge has passed His judgment. We cannot change it or adjust it.
Those who have not been born again are already condemned. They greatly need to know what the judgment is that God has passed on those He has condemned, in order that they might understand the importance of the salvation Jesus brought, that is able to free them from sin and condemnation; that can save them from the death penalty
Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die....
Death is the penalty for sin.
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
We are doing no man a favor if we pretend he is okay in his sin. There is no love in such behavior. It might be the easier thing to do and a way to protect ourselves from his anger and rejection, but it is not love.
There is only one way to come out from under the condemnation and judgment of God and the world needs to know this.
How are we able to live without condemnation? Only by being 'in' Christ and walking in the Spirit of God, so that we will not be led ignorantly by our flesh.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
In reverse, if we are not 'in' Christ, we are already condemned and we do walk after the flesh.
To be 'in' Christ is far more than claiming Christianity. To be 'in' Him, we must have repented of our sins and be living in obedience to Him. Not turning from His ways to our own.
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand
Repentance is the message Jesus preached. Yet Satan wants to silence His message!
What was Jesus' reaction to those who would not repent? It was not a cuddly, warm 'Oh that is okay. I accept you anyway,' spoken with a syrupy sweet smile!
Matthew 11:20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
This word 'upbraid ' means
What were Jesus' actions toward those who took advantage of others in the temple and did not respect God's house?
John 2:15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
Satan has offered the world a whitewashed gospel and many have accepted it hook, line and sinker. But it is not the true gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the gospel (so-called) of another god.
2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
The message that the god of this world has set forth in order to prevent the true judgment of God from being known and to blind the minds of them who do not believe, has spread and taken hold even in the church world.
So-called Christians proudly proclaim their tolerance of those embracing a sinful lifestyle that perverts the image of God as well as lies concerning His righteousness and the salvation for which He paid a great price to give us! They are puffed up in their own pride, as were the Corinthians who Paul spoke to concerning one who was called a brother (Christian) but who had been committing fornication in one of the most evil ways -
1 Corinthians 5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
Notice the words 'taken away from among you,' - not embraced. “Come out from among them and be ye separate....”
How many so-called Christians today would find this scripture repulsive and would be unable to make it conform and harmonize with the message of love and tolerance they proclaim?
It is time for those who claim to be Christians, to truly follow Christ, His Words and His teachings. If you are to preach another gospel that is not His own, please have the courtesy to call it by another name!
The majority who claim homosexuality as their identity practice sex outside of marriage and this is fornication or what the Bible calls whoring.
Psalms 106:39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.
Whoring = (Hebrew) zanahzaw-naw' a primitive root (highly-fed and therefore wanton); to commit adultery ...--(cause to) commit fornication, X continually, X great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish.
Their fornication defiles them. It does not get acceptance from God.
1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
Do you hear the Word of the Lord?
If you are living a homosexual lifestyle and say you have a relationship with God – you are lying - whether or not you have realized this fact!
If you say you have fellowship with God but you are walking in darkness, (which you are doing if you are living in fornication, whether heterosexual or homosexual,) then you are lying!
And any true child of God should never give in to your pressure to agree with your lie.
If, dear brother or sister, you do not live this lifestyle, but have been afraid not to accept it and give it your stamp of approval to it, then your eyes are not focused on the truth of the Savior, nor are you agreeing with His already established judgment!
1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat
.
1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
1 Timothy 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
Satan does not want us to know these scriptures. He does not want us to respect nor honor them. And he definitely does not want us to repeat them or live by them. He wants to silence the Word of God. He knows that a little leaven will leaven the whole lump.
(Speaking of fornication) - 1 Corinthians 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
Leaven is a substance, typically yeast, that when added to dough, will ferment and cause the dough to rise. It only takes a small amount for it to spread throughout the entire dough.
It only takes a small amount of fornication, including homosexuality, left in the body, to affect the entire church. Therefore the enemy of God and of our souls wants to be sure that this leaven is left in the body of Christ,unchecked, until it is able to defile the entire body.
A little leaven has been spreading just as Satan knew it would.
But the church too often prides itself in its tolerance, as if this tolerance will enable them to reach the lost. They are puffed up with pride instead of mourning and having it removed from them.
1 Corinthians 5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
You will not reach souls 'for' Christ by using a technique that is in direct opposition to His Word!
Psalms 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
Jeremiah 14:12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
Micah 3:4 Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.
John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Jeremiah 6:10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.
This is true yet today. For many - “ the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.
And yet we must love the sinners who Christ died for, who we once were.
Dear reader, you cannot reach the lost on your own, in your own way! It is the Spirit of the living God who reaches, convicts and draws to salvation. And He does not do it outside of the perimeters of God's Word, His holiness and His judgment! The lost will not be reached, even if you say all the right words, if the Holy Spirit is not at work in you, and He will not work in you if you are not surrendered to Christ, His will and His way.
This does not mean we are not to love the sinner, be kind to the sinner, be considerate of the sinner and seek his salvation. But if we love them, we must speak the truth in love.
Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Listen to the instruction of God's Word, even if it is not what men are saying, for God's Word is established and is the only Word that is sure.
We must keep ourselves separate from the things of the world, where the god of this world rules in opposition to the eternal God who created heaven and earth.
No matter how much you may love someone who is involved with the works of darkness, you cannot participate in any ungodly deed and be in right standing with God. You cannot compromise holiness, righteousness or truth. You cannot laugh at those things that are unclean nor pretend that ungodly things are acceptable, in order to have the approval of man.
Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Reprove = - Greek – egchoel-eng'-kho - of uncertain affinity; to confute, admonish:--convict, convince, tell a fault, rebuke, reprove.
Confute means - (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/confute)
1.to prove to be false, invalid, or defective; disprove:
2.to prove (a person) to be wrong by argument or proof: .
3.Obsolete. to bring to naught; confound.
Here is another verse that does not come into agreement with the mindset of many today. For many believe that to tell another his fault, even though he is walking in darkness, will only turn him further away from God. This too will be classified as judging. Satan wants us to think that we can never speak the Word of truth. He greatly desires to SILENCE THE WORD OF GOD!
To actually rebuke someone or to 'confute,' would be a repulsive idea considered un-Christ-like. And yet this is the instruction given in the Word of God.
To confute is to prove a thing to be false, invalid or ineffective, even to prove to be wrong by argument or proof. Yet the goal of doing this should be to make the truth known, with the hope of a change of heart and true salvation. We should not argue out of pride, wanting to prove ourselves superior, nor a desire to hurt another person. Nor should we enter into debate with a person whose apparent goal is to stir up confusion and strife, with no real desire to learn what is true.
1 Timothy 6:20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
2 Timothy 2:23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
Profane = - Greek [bebhloV] bebelosbeb'-ay-los - from the base of [basiV] - basis 939 and belos (a threshold); accessible (as by crossing the door-way), i.e. (by implication, of Jewish notions) heathenish, wicked:--profane (person).
Vain babblings = Greek [kenofwnia] kenophoniaken-of-o-nee'-ah; from a presumed compound of [kenoV] - kenos and [fwnh] - phone; empty sounding, i.e. fruitless discussion:--vain.
Foolish = Greek [mwroV] morosmo-ros'; probably from the base of [musthrion] - musterion; dull or stupid (as if shut up), i.e. heedless, (morally) blockhead, (apparently) absurd:--fool(-ish, X -ishness).
Avoid fruitless discussions with the wicked, and opposition that is given as science, when in reality it is not. Avoid foolish and unlearned questions. There are those who will attempt to strike up conversations with the intent of making us look foolish or making the truth appear to be unattainable and unknowable. Avoid all of this. When they ask questions, but do not want answers but rather to make themselves appear to be learned teachers of science, while seeking to make you look foolish and to elevate themselves, do not play their game.
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
But let us walk in the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
1 Peter 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Titus 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
It appears that there are many who do not see how that love and rebuke can be reconciled one with the other. And Jesus has told us to love. God is love.
Dear Reader if love and rebuke cannot work together then our children must be raised without being corrected and without ever being told their fault. This is a lie. If we love our children we will correct them for their good, so that they might abandon the things that will hurt their lives and hold onto what is right and good.
Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
The truth needs to be spoken, yet spoken in love. It should be love for others that motivates us to reach out and tell them of their need for the Savior and that His salvation is available to them.
Still, no matter how much love we show, we may be rejected because of our telling the truth. No one yet has ever loved like Christ loved and yet He was despised and rejected by those He came to die for. He did not hold back the truth to keep the approval of men. He loved them too much to do that.
John 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
In the Bible we see Christ having few actual friends, though He loved all mankind. He spoke words of wisdom for all who would hear, but to those who really wanted to understand, He gave greater explanation. Those whose motives were not to serve Him did not understand.
Matthew 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Matthew 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
He rebuked Pharisees and told them the truth about their condition, even though His words stung and were not complimentary. He stated the truth, but He did not involve Himself in lengthy so-called intellectual debates with those who thought themselves superior or wished to catch Him in a fault.
He even rebuked one of His disciples when it was expedient. (Mat. 16:23)
He took time to make a whip out of reeds and went into the temple, where He overturned tables, used His whipped and drove the money changers out. (John 2:15)
He reproved the world and, at the same time, loved every man enough to give His life for them and take the punishment they deserved.
John 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
Reprove – Greek [elegcw] elegchoel-eng'-kho; of uncertain affinity; to confute, admonish:--convict, convince, tell a fault, rebuke, reprove.
Sometimes love must be tough, sometimes for the sake of those who need to face the truth, sometimes in defense of the one we love the most.
True love will not coddle a person's addiction. Sometimes it takes tough love with brutal honesty to shake one we love out of the life that is killing him.
Pretending a person who is headed for eternal destruction, is alright and his life is totally acceptable, is not love, but selfishness. It is a means to keep the other person happy with us, to keep them accepting us, but it is not for their good. Those who believe it is, are deceived.
God loved the sinner enough to die for him. This is a good thing to let the sinner know. But He loved them enough to bring the way for them to be free from their sin; to be cleansed from the thing that is killing him and leading him down a path to destruction.
When God's love is demonstrated, so is His rejection of sin.
How bad did God consider the sins of man? Bad enough to suffer torture and death in order to free us from it; not to leave us in it!
An alcoholic must first admit he is addicted before he can be delivered from his addiction. A sick man must admit he is sick in order to get treatment for his illness. A sinner must realize and admit he is a sinner before he will come to the foot of Jesus and receive cleansing and forgiveness.
It is time for those who claim to be Christians to stand up and truly be followers of Christ, speak His words unashamedly, and trust the results to God!
It is time to speak the truth of Jesus Christ in love and to cease from trying to gain the acceptance of those who are in the service of the enemy of God!
DO NOT SILENCE THE WORD OF GOD!
Search it! Study it! Learn it! Surrender to it! And speak it forth loud and clear!
Proverbs 4:20-22 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Isaiah 58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
An article by Rebecca R. Brown 6/21/2015
