May we all be warned. REPENT now and live HOLY lives. Our kingdom futures depend on it!

As we look around the world today, we can see how this is coming about throughout the 'ministry world'. From the rich and famous, worldwide ministries, to the local church on the corner of your town, God is purging His church.

Interestingly, Jesus saved His harshest words for the Pharisees and scribes, who were the religious leaders of His day. In summary, in the gospel of Mark.....

Warning against the teachers of the law      

38 As he taught, Jesus said, ‘Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the market-places, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.’  (Mark 12:35-40)   

The detailed criticism is found in Matthew 23, headed, Seven woes on the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. We all know these but I would like to offer something a little different, my idea and paraphrase of what Jesus could have said had He been ministering here today.    

1. Woe to you ministers, you preach a feel good gospel designed not to upset the people. Both you and they will be excluded from the kingdom. You prey upon the susceptible and make long prayers. You will be condemned. (23:13-14)

2. Woe to you evangelists. You travel everywhere preaching a low cost gospel of forgiveness without responsibility and life change, committing the both of you to hell. (23:15)         
3. Woe to you ministers, you teach, rules, regulations and theology that takes people's eyes off me and focuses them on you. (23:16-22)  

4. Woe to you ministers, you preach tithing to the people and reward yourselves with power and lifestyles out of the sacrifices they have made. (23:23-24)

5. Woe to you ministers, to make money you sell books, prayer cloths, holy incense and other indulgences that falsely promise to make followers spiritual lives better, while your own lives do not live up to the illusion you are trying to sell. (23:25-26)     

6. Woe to you ministers, you wear robes and beautiful clothes to make your people look up to you, but your personal lives do not live up to the image you create. (23:27-8)   

7. Woe to you ministers, you lift up on a pedestal the founders of your denomination, then fail to live yourselves the revelation and obedience they displayed in their lives. (23:29-32)   

You hypocrites, I am now sending those who are prepared to speak about and live the truths of my kingdom. You ridicule and reject them. Therefore you will come under My judgement both now and upon My return! (23:33-39)       

For Jesus is returning for a pure and holy bride. Purging of unholy elements starts at the top! 

Are you convicted? I am!

As a modern church we have placed an unbalanced emphasis on GRACE, with many preaching and teaching that grace over rides all else. That God's grace is so all encompassing that we can simply say the (unbiblical) 'Sinners Prayer', thereby earning our 'ticket to heaven' which is unconditionally redeemable at the (unbiblical) 'Pearly Gate', irrespective of the life we have lived after making our verbal commitment to Jesus. An exaggeration? Sadly, no, amongst many evangelists and in many churches today. 

This has led to a church where 'Shades of Grey' are turning darker by the day. A church where so many unbiblical behaviours are being accepted in the name of grace and love. I don't need to expand - especially in light of recent events!

A church in which the biblical life of holiness has been relegated to the bottom of the pile or discarded entirely!

Let's consider some New Testament scriptures..... 

Instructions for Christian living    

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (all emphasis mine) (Ephesians 4:17-24)         

Surely a very clear instruction. 

Warning against idolatry   
14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[b]? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ 17 Therefore, ‘Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.’ 18 And, ‘I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’ 7 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1)

In fact we are told that if we want to see the Lord, we must live holy lives.....

Warning and encouragement       
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17 Afterwards, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done. (Hebrews 12:1417)

Jesus, through the apostle John, called the churches of Asia to repentance, when they fell into ungodly ways. To the church at Ephesus....

4 Yet I hold this against you: you have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.  (Revelation 2:4-5)     

The church at Pergamum.....
14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: there are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (Revelation 2:14-16)   

At Thyatira.....    

20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. (Revelation 2:20-23)        

At Thyatira.....   
20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. (Revelation 2:20-23)        

And at Sardis.....
I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. (Revelation 3:1b-3)