February 1: “HARSH AND UNYIELDING”?
He . . . presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs . . . speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Acts 1:3
We believe that Jesus is alive, but too often are consumed with activities and pursuits that do not pertain to His kingdom. And while certain sins are regarded as abhorrent, others have ceased to be regarded as sin. Jesus came to free us from the tyranny of all sin because it hurts and harms the objects of His love (people!) and leads them toward the second death (Revelation 20:14), the death from which there is no resurrection. Ever since His resurrection and ascension, Jesus is out of His number one adversary’s reach—or is He? It is through harming people that the enemy continues to cause pain in the heart of Jesus.
The most far-reaching harm—worse than all earthly war crimes combined—has resulted from compromising Biblical truths. Leading leaders to compromise is the devil’s specialty, and has led to outright contradictions of the written word: contradictions that are even elevated to “church doctrine” status. Is it any wonder that every vice known to man is running unchecked through churches that claim to go by the Bible? Genuine victory over sin is seen less and less, and churches are rendered powerless to truly help their members avoid demonic traps. Many perceive the words of Jesus as harsh and unyielding, yet in order to aid us in escaping the snares laid out for us, He gives us the unchanging words of eternal life (John 6:68).
Satan’s initial lie denying the reality of death has mushroomed into a multiplicity of other unbiblical ideas: reincarnation, consciousness of the dead, seances to communicate with the dead, ancestor worship, universalism, praying to dead saints, “new age” spiritualism, worship of relics and statues, purgatory, sorcery, and the “soul that cannot die” which leads directly to the never-ending fiery torture of unrepentant sinners. These last two on the list—combined—lead to the manmade doctrine of infant baptism. None of these ideas have a legitimate place among God’s professed people. And none pertain… to the kingdom of God. However, these things do aid us in recognition and identification of religious corruption.
Jesus is patiently calling His people out of false worship and confusion, which is why the religio/political world of the last days is called Babylon (Revelation 17, 18): “Come out of her, my people…” (Revelation 18:4). Paul’s thankfulness that he had been called out of error added power to his manner of speaking and writing. He, along with the Lord, has often been called harsh and unyielding. But never forget, it’s a matter of eternal life vs. the second death.
What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?... For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 1 Corinthians 4:21; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5