What in the world is going on in Christendom today!!
The world has infiltrated the church... where is the church of Jesus Christ ? We have become the church of society..... We're the church of the affluent lifestyle..... We're the church that wants to be babied & blessed & have bulging bank accounts. Everywhere, we are inundated with prosperity messages that focus on finances and physical possessions. The "Good News" of the Gospel seems to be that God doesn't want anybody to be insolvent. Our Heavenly Father wants every believer to have a three-bedroom, 2 1/2 bath house with two cars in the garage, (one a Mercedes-Benz and the other a BMW). How many times have you heard preachers say, "Turn to the person next to you and say; God doesn't want me to be poor." Today the main message from many pulpits concerns increased income and worldly possessions.
Whatever happened to the truth of the Bible that tells us, "my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19) There was a time when Christians believed that if they, "seek ye first the kingdom of God , and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you", was a true promise of God. They walked by faith and believed that if they didn't have it, they didn't need it, because God didn't provide it. There was a time when born-again Christians walked in the mindset of John the Baptist, "He must increase, but I must decrease."
Presenting ourselves as, "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world:" (Rom.12:1-2a), has become history, archaic, a thing of the past. Sacrificial service to God in this day and age consists solely of attending "church" services on Sunday morning to find out more of God's promises which speak of affluence & abundance. Giving to the ministry of the Gospel is no longer addressed in terms of the tithe being returned to the Lord in obedience to His command. Now we have "seed faith" giving which is planted so that the giver can reap his personal harvest. "Give to the extent that you wish to be blessed" is one term; "Give in proportion to your need" is another. Biblical, godly giving is, "as God hath prospered" us. (I Corinthians 16:2) Not "of necessity"..... "God loveth a cheerful giver" (II Corinthians 9:7), not a covetousness one.
What is the spirit behind this burgeoning belief system of personal gratification that seems to be infiltrating the church? Could it be that one pastor began to preach this doctrine of the devil and built a large church? Then others who wanted increased ministries, big followings, mega-churches, bought into this vicious vision of personal prosperity. The true spirit behind this "money movement" is found in II Timothy 4:3-5. "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; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."(italics mine).. "be turned unto fables" can be interpreted as, "will turn to fiction and falsehood."
Are these the final days of the "last days" when the church is going to turn from faith in Jesus Christ? Having, "changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever." (Rom.1: 25) In the Word of God, this Scripture is contained in a dialogue concerning sexual perversion, however it is equally appropriate in addressing Christendom's perverted, modern-day doctrine of abundance and desire for personal gain. We are admonished in James 4:3-4, "... ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 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."
Mark those people who would turn you away from the truth of the Gospel! Watch out for those who would tell you that the blessings of God are for sale, to be bought by a "seed gift." Simon thought that same thing in Acts 8:18-23, "And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, give me also this power, that on whosoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity."
God calls His children, true believers, Spirit-filled saints to glorify Him and not ourselves. "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit."(I Corinthians 6:20) Our life should be characterized by service, taking up our cross and following Jesus. We cannot find where the Bible attributes affluence to the Apostles and early disciples! Matthew 19:27,"Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee;" "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common...... for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet." Acts 4:32 &34-35)
The first century church of Jesus Christ was driven by the great commission, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark16:15) The early disciples lived their lives based upon Christ's words in Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me..... unto the uttermost part of the earth." "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Matthew 16:24) Jesus said in Matthew 10:24, "The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his Lord." Jesus had no place to lay His head and when he had need of a coin for custom or tribute, He resorted to finding it in the mouth of a fish. Are we to be above our Savior? Where can we find justification for the prosperity message of abundance & wealth?!
This 21st century world needs some 1st century witnesses!! The church of today needs to become the church of yesterday!! We need to hear Paul's admonition to Timothy, " Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." We need to heed the Holy Spirit's counsel and, "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:14)