Month: May 2024

Are you sick of scandal in the church?

I find myself very discouraged these days. The church seems to be full of scandal. It doesn’t matter what denomination you belong to, Protestant or Catholic, the scandals are all around. Unfortunately, just as in the time of Jesus on earth, the religious leaders of today are full of hypocrisy. Both Jesus and John the Baptist called them out for their hypocrisy back then, (“Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'”) Matthew 15:7-9. It seems that not much has changed. 

It is hard to watch these kinds of things happen, especially, when they are from people we have listened to, learned from and trusted. Sometimes I find it hard to wrap my brain around how these men or women can do the things they do.  They live one life on stage and another life in their off hours. How can we make sense of all this? We know that Jesus is not fooled by these people. In Matthew 7:22, Jesus talks about a coming day, a day when these people will stand before Him at the judgement seat and He tells us the scene from that day. They stand before Him, arrogantly proclaiming their own righteousness, proudly tell Him about their accomplishments, all done in His name. He is not fazed or swayed by their pride. “Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” I cannot imagine standing before the Almighty, and not being afraid, no, terrified for my life, knowing that He has the power to throw me into hell. Yet these people are not afraid. They are not ashamed of their hypocrisy. But listen to what Jesus says to them in Matthew 7:23: “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” They practiced lawlessness. They said one thing and did the opposite. 

But notice something else about what Jesus says to them. He says “I never knew you”. He doesn’t say, “YOU don’t know me”, no, He says, I don’t know you and I never have. “I never knew you”! That statement is very important, because it gives us some insight into what really happened here. 

The prophet Hosea actually gives us some understanding about this situation. I know it’s not a book often read these days, but I want to show you some things that God teaches Hosea, that will help us to understand what is going on in the church today. In Hosea 2:2-5, the Lord talks about Israel not being His wife, nor Him being her husband (anymore). The Lord tells Hosea that Israel has committed harlotry or spiritual adultery because of all the idols that she worships. He goes on and tells Hosea that because of this idolatry, her children are children of harlotry. At first, this seems confusing. What is the Lord talking about here? Clearly, He is referring to spiritual things, not physical. But bear with me. 

Let me put it to you in modern terms. Any person that considers themselves a Christian, and brings forth a ministry that is born out of anything, and I mean anything, other than intimacy with our Lord, is creating a child of harlotry. This distinction is very subtle and very hard to discern, because only the Lord knows our hearts. If this upsets you, I understand. Many wonderful ministries and organizations have been born out of a heart of giving. What we would call philanthropy. But here’s the kicker. Anyone can be a philanthropist. You don’t have to even be a Christian, you can just be a kindhearted person and start a great ministry, a successful ministry that helps other people. Is there something wrong with this? Not necessarily. 

But let’s  go back to all those people who had great ministries, who healed, spoke prophecies, and cast out spirits. Listen to what Jesus says to His disciples right before He tells us about these people. He says: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (Matthew 22:21) Jesus told His disciples on the night of His crucifixion “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” John 15:4. If we want to do the will of the Father, we have to abide in Him, spend time with Him, read His word, listen to His voice, and most importantly, obey Him! 

Ministries, for want of a better word, are spiritual children, spiritual fruit. They are born out of two places: Intimacy with the Lord, or intimacy with idols. That idol could simply be self. 

An example of this would be someone who has been wounded from past hurts. They struggle with self worth and self esteem issues. Much to their delight, they discover that when they help others, they feel better about themselves. It makes them feel like they have value and worth, which is not in and of itself a bad thing. They help more people, develop their talents or gifts, and begin to have an impact on their world, i.e. the church. The problem however is that they cannot feel good unless they are helping or doing. It is a constant struggle for them because, like an addict, the only time they are feeling “high” or good, is when they are actually doing ministry. To the people who know them, they appear to be mature leaders in the church. They are walking in their gifts, how could they not be? 

But what is really going on in their hearts? It’s not about loving Jesus. It’s about loving self.

Jesus told Peter in John 21:15-17, if you love me, you will feed and take care of my lambs (baby Christians) and my sheep.  And you see, that’s where we have to examine ourselves. Why are we starting a ministry? Is it because it makes us feel good? Does it make us look kind and caring to others? Does it give us power, authority, and perhaps a good income? Or are we doing it because we love Jesus and He is asking us to do it. And that, my friend is the difference. Are we being led by the Holy Spirit or our own spirits, or worse, an evil spirit using us to lead others astray?

When I look at these failed leaders, who upon examination, lived double lives for decades, it is quite obvious, at least to me, that their ministries were never born out of abiding with Jesus and obeying Him. These ministries were nothing but children of harlotry. 

Sadly, their hypocrisy reflects badly on the Lord and in the end, people become disillusioned with the church, and rightly so. Let me encourage you if this is you. Look to Jesus. If you belong to Him, realize that He will never lie to you or deceive you.  He is faithful. These evil leaders do not represent Him nor do they work for Him. Do not allow them to steal your faith and your walk with the Lord. 

Are we living in dangerous times?

When you read the word perilous, what immediately comes to your mind? I know I think of the word danger. If you look up the word perilous, the words that are used to describe it are hazardous and extreme risk or danger. It is a word that could easily be used on a warning sign near the edge of a cliff. And yet, Paul uses this very word in 2 Timothy 3:1. “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:” Notice that I left the colon, because Paul then goes on and uses 19 or 20 adjectives to describe what the world will look like in the end times. 

Here are the words he uses in verses 2-5: “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

Does this not describe our world today? Sometimes when I’m having a particularly hard day, I read this passage and for some reason, it gives me strength. Perhaps it encourages me that I’m not alone. I remember that there are others out in the world who are experiencing similar difficulties. 

What I do find interesting about this passage however, is that Paul, who no doubt was sitting in a Roman prison, dealing with an empire that was killing Christians for entertainment, certainly persecuting them, never mentions any physical dangers. He never mentions that in the last days we would be persecuted, or thrown in jail, or tortured for our faith, perhaps even killed. That was already happening in Paul’s day and has continued throughout the ages. No, what Paul mentions here when referring to the last days, is entirely about the way people would behave and treat each other. And, if you look at verse 5, he tells us that this is people in the church! (having a form of godliness but denying its power”). I could perhaps handle this passage a little easier if it was just unbelievers who behave in selfish ways. That would actually make sense to me. But Paul warns us that it will be believers who have a form of godliness, that will act this way. I would suggest, that what he is referring to is hypocrisy. 

Sadly, Paul goes on to tell us that we should turn away from such people.

I could go on to describe what this kind of person looks like in today’s world, but I’m sure, if you are still reading this, that you have encountered them yourself. It makes me sad. 

Jesus tells us in John 15:12: “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” Yet, when I read the adjectives that Paul used in the above passage, I see absolutely no love. The world tells us to love ourselves. The world suggests that you are enough. There are songs that suggest that self love is the greatest love of all. Yet, when I’ve met people who believed those things, I saw only selfish, and often narcissistic behavior. 

So why am I writing this you might ask? I’m writing this because I want to encourage you. If you read those adjectives and like looking in a mirror, you saw yourself in those words, repent. Ask the Lord to forgive you, to give you a new heart and a new Spirit. He is gracious and forgiving. 

If you read those adjectives and you see those behaviors and attitudes all around you and it grieves your heart and mind, then take heart, you are not alone. We are in the last days on this earth as we know it. 

Jesus tells us in Luke 21:28, after describing what the world will look like in these last days, “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Soon, very soon, those of us who are His will see Him in the clouds as He calls us home. Paul called it the “blessed hope” in Titus 2:13. He tells us that we should be  “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”.

So take heart, our redemption draws near. And when the darkness envelopes you, when you  feel overwhelmed by the amount of evil around you, look up and smile. Jesus told us to keep watch: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” (Matthew 25:13) Remember, there is a day and an hour! He will not tarry.