I saw a bumper sticker the other day that read:
” Protect the Ten Commandments!”
What are people so afraid of?
You have to wonder if that guy even knows the Ten Commandments!
- Do we not believe the Bible?
- Do we not believe that God is in control?
- Do we not believe that we are to fear God and not the world?
The Media (” prince of the power of the air “) and the Government have Christians all stirred up about taking away the Word of God!
Does not the Bible say:
Mt 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Ps 119:89 For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.
Ps 12:6 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
7 Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
Why is it that people think that God needs our help?
To understand what is really going on with this argument we must look at a few things.
1. Where is this false message from?
a. The world and false prophets
2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
- Funny, that we can trust God to save us.
- We’re pretty sure he can keep us saved.
- But we can’t seem to trust that he can protect and preserve His own word!
2. Somewhere over time we have stopped trusting God.
We don’t really believe anymore that God can take care of our needs and therefore can’t take care of His own.
Mt 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Jesus wants us to understand that it is a promise that He will take care of us.
But Christians find it hard today because we have so much to put our trust in.
- Cars —— break down
- Homes —— get old
- Government —— lies
- Insurance —— raises the prices of medical and forces you to get insurance.
- Family —— will let you down every time.
3. We don’t fear God anymore.
a. The World does not fear God.
Ro 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:
17 And the way of peace have they not known:
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Ro 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Ps 36:1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
- We have allowed this fear of the world and lack of faith in God to taint our reputation as Christians.
- The world doesn’t take God seriously, because Christians don’t.
b. The Christians have either forgotten how to fear God, or have never been taught.
Ps 34:9 O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.
11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
De 14:23 And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always.
We as Christians have forgotten how to fear God. This Bible teaching has gone out of America’s Churches. We have learned to rely on the doctrines of faith and love. We have brought our harvest into the Church and closed the door. These Christians are not discipled. They are the sheep that do not recognize the voice of the shepherd.
4. We have left the Church and entered the courtroom.
We as the Church of God must get back to the basics and stop allowing politics to lead us astray.
a. We have allowed the politics of the separation of Church and state to change our focus.
b. We used to be on the offensive. Proclaiming God’s truth. Teaching clean living.
c. But now we are on the defensive. Begging people to come to Church instead of a clear witness. Looking at the world to dictate our lifestyle. Bringing in entertainment to replace clear preaching.
- Satan has used this argument to drag Christians into spiritual warfare where we are fighting against ourselves. In the end we only seem to futher expand the gap between Church and the role it SHOULD play in Government.
- Understand, I and we should be involved in the democratic process…
- But, if we were minding the store so many years ago. And we were in the world professing Jesus name all along…
Then maybe:
- Prayer in schools wouldn’t be banned.
- Creation wouldn’t be banned from schools.
- Taking your Bible to a school or Government building wouldn’t be banned.
- Public display of the Ten Commandments wouldn’t be outlawed.
- The Words “In God We Trust” would be coming off our money.
- The Christmas Tree wouldn’t be called a holiday tree.
- Street preaching wouldn’t be outlawed.
- Passing out a gospel tract wouldn’t be outlawed.
The words “under God” wouldn’t have been taken out of the Pledge of Allegiance.
5. What sort of message are we sending?
a. We don’t believe that God is really in control.
- We make stupid bumper stickers and signs to try and voice our cause with no faith or knowledge behind it.
b. We are looking for a fight, regardless of what’s at stake or what damage it may cause.
- We loose sight too often that there is a world to save through the testimony of our witness and our actions.
6. What’s the answer?
1Jo 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
a. We should be a faithful witness.
- The word of God clearly shows that when you do the will of God, your joy is full!
b. The salvation recipe.
- Get out the Word.
- Get ’em saved.
- Get ’em in Church.
- Get ’em discipled.
- Teach them to fear God.
- Send them out.
- Repeat as needed till Jesus comes.
7. When God makes a promise, He keeps it!
a. Whether the world or the Church likes it or not!
Ps 66:16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
He 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
- How ’bout that for a Bumper sticker!
8. How do we put it to practice?
a. Trust God
Pr 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
b. Fear God
Pr 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
c. Get back to the basics.
Ro 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us
Ec 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.