Are you tolerating Jezebels?

  Are you tolerating Jezebels?

In the book of Revelations we read,

"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: 

These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.  

I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 

Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.  

I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.  

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.  

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.  

Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you):  

Only hold on to what you have until I come. 

To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations. Revelations 2:18-26.

Jesus notes that the church at Thyatira has faith and love. That they are doing more for Christ than they did at first. However Christ points out that they tolerate Jezebel. 

Some scholars believe this to be a reference to the old Testament Jezebel who married king Ahab and imposed worshipping Baal on the northern kingdom of Israel. Others believe it could have been an actual person who was leading people away from the gospel of Christ. Either way some people in Thyatira were being led astray. 

Christ warns against this. Calling Jezebel and all who follow her to repentance. If they do not they will suffer.

As for those who have not followed these false teachings Christ states He will not impose any other burdens upon them.

Today in 2021 there are many church congregations particularly I think in large churches and denominations that tolerate false teachings. Either they don’t want conflict or say it is freedom of speech an belief. This should not be so.

We as believers in Christ Jesus need to speak out against false teachers. To correct them and offer them the opportunity to repent before God judges them.

The apostle Paul writes,

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16,17.

Thus I would as you the reader. First are there false or misled teachers, (Jezebels) people within your congregation or denomination that need correction?

Secondly are you certain you are believing the true Gospel of Christ Jesus?

Pleases think about it.

Beware

Beware
The apostle Paul warns,
"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." 2Timothy 4:3,4.
The church as an institution has been around for centuries and like any institution that has been around that long, it has picked up a lot of baggage. Baggage the founding fathers of Christianity never intended to be there. That God never intended to be there.
Not only that there are many claiming to be Christians that are not.
The apostle Peter warns
"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  
Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping." 2 Peter 2:1-3.
As believers in Christ Jesus we must be careful when it comes to the pastors, evangelist and others claiming to be Christians.
We must pray, read and study the scriptures for ourselves in order to know if what the teacher is saying is correct and not taken out of context.
As believers in Christ Jesus we are called to follow Jesus, to follow God by faith NOT specific preachers, evangelist or others claiming to have the truth.
Our faith must never be in a man.
As the writer of Hebrews puts it,
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” Hebrews 12:2.
Please think about it.

The compromising Church

The compromising Church
The book of Revelations states,
“To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: 
“These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.  
I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 
Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.  
Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.  
Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.” Revelations 2:12-17.
As I have said in previous blogs many scholars say that the churches in Revelations can be taken several ways. They can represent various churches or denominations throughout history and even today. They can also be seen as speaking to individuals.
Here Christ realizes that the Pergamum church “where Satan has his throne”. That they did not renounce their faith even when Antipas a member of their congregation was put to death.
Still this church has a problem they are compromising with the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans heretical groups.
As believers in Christ Jesus we cannot compromise our beliefs. We must live by our beliefs.
Today in the twenty-first century the Nicolaitans and believers in Balaam are not much of a threat to the church but other things are. Things quite often we may not think are compromises. The big one I see is mixing politics with our faith for example. It happens it seems all the time in the United States. Christians genuinely believing one political party is “more Christian” than the other.
Now there is nothing wrong with believers in Christ Jesus getting involved with politics in a democratic society. I believe every believer in Jesus that can vote, should vote.
We must however put away the childish notion that the Governments of Canada and the United States or for that matter any government, anywhere are Christian. They are not. As someone has said they are like the Roman empire. As such they secular governments that offer freedom to believe as you wish. They are not bastions of Christian morals.
By holding the view that any government is Christian places one on a slippery slope leading to disaster.
It’s tantamount to believing as the Romans did that Emperors were gods.
God must be the centre of our lives not politicians or anyone else.
Other things that tend to be mixed with the Christian faith, is the acquisition of wealth and possessions, the job or profession we choose in life, even the entertainment we choose to watch. All of which for the most part is fine. The problem however comes when these things pull us away from our faith or causes us to dilute or compromise our faith.
We as believers in Christ Jesus must also be aware of false teachers. Remember what the apostle Paul said about teachers in the church can also apply to politicians seeking the vote of Christians. Paul said,
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4.
Within our church congregations and denominations we must also be careful that the pastors, evangelist and teachers we listen to are not as the apostle Paul puts it, gathering, “around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”
Teachers, pastors, and evangelist that are turning to myths.
It is very easy to use the bible to say what you want it to say. To take things out of context which is what the Nicolaitans were doing. This is what is happening in some churches today.
The call of Jesus to the church at Pergamum and to any who would call themselves followers of Christ Jesus is to turn away from compromise. To stand firm on the teachings of the scriptures, of the apostles and of Jesus. To as Jesus says,
“Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”
Thus the question for those who would call themselves believers in Jesus Christ is:
Am I compromising my beliefs in any way shape or form?
If so, Am I willing to repent?
Please think about it.

Clowns

Clowns
The apostle Paul wrote,
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4
Evangelist Charles H. Spurgeon said,
“A time will come when instead of the shepherds feeding the sheep. The church will have clowns entertaining the goats.” Charles H. Spurgeon.
From what I see as a Christian a believer in Christ Jesus living in North America. I firmly believe that what the apostle Paul and Spurgeon said is coming true.
There are many churches who have turned away from sound doctrine.
Sadly many pastors and evangelist are gathering people around them that are yes men who tell them what they want to hear. Men and women who are not willing to correct the pastor or evangelist when they say or do something that is not doctrinally correct.
Likewise there are many pastors and Evangelist who are simply entertaining the church. Carefully constructing their church services to attract people with music and other things that make them feel good. Even catering their sermons to attract people. Choosing not to emphasize the reason Jesus came to this earth.
Some pastors even refusing to quote the apostle John who said,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 1John 1:9-10.
Thus my question. What kind of church congregation are you in? It is a congregation that always agrees with the pastor. That even when they know he’s wrong will not tell him so?
Are you in a congregation that is simply entertaining. A congregation where the pastor is always preaching a “feel good” sermon?
Or are you in a congregation that truly does preach sound doctrine.
Please think about it.

God in our Image???

God in our Image???
The Book of Genesis states,

“So God created man in His own image; 

in the image of God He created him; 

male and female He created them.” 

                                              Genesis 1:27.

That being said I think many people today claiming to be Christians consciously or subconsciously make God in their own image.
Some make God out to be a “sugar daddy”, or a “supernatural banker” offering huge returns on money they give to Him or some ministry.
Others say God want’s you healthy and wealthy. Going as far as saying if you are not, you are not in right standing with God. You are sinning.
In the United States in particularly many think God has a special relationship with their country. Something not substantiated by the Bible.
Some more traditional false views of God are people who see God as a grumpy old man with a big stick ready to hit you with it if you do anything wrong. A God of do’s and do not’s.
A God ready to judge your every move. Ready to sentence you to hell.
The list as to how man makes God in his image goes on and on.
Some even go as far as praying to long dead saints leaving God out of the picture altogether.
While some mix their faith and politics. Claiming that God prefers one political party over another, or one politician over another.
Sadly many pastors, evangelist, and church leaders do not speak up against such errors in belief. While quick to point out the sins of the secular world, the sins non-Christians, they refuse to speak up, particularly publicly against errors in church doctrine. At the same time they are not willing to speak against the sins of men and women in leadership within the church.
The apostle Paul makes it clear what followers of Christ should be doing with respect to the world outside, and inside the church. Paul writes,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  God will judge those outside.
“Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
I believe failure to speak out against false teaching within the church leads to it’s message being ineffectual. Effectively “the salt losing is savour”.
If you claim to be a follower of Christ Jesus you must always remember that it is through the lense of your words and deed that people will see Christ.
Evangelist Charles H. Spurgeon said,
“The Bible is not the light of the world, it is the light of the Church. But the world does not read the Bible, the world reads Christians! “You are the light of the world.””  Charles H. Spurgeon.
 As Francis of Assisi rightly said,

“The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 

                                                                    Francis of Assisi.

Please think about it.

A Warning

A Warning
The apostle Peter warns,
“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  
Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.  
In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” 2 Peter 2:1-3. 
Jesus said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23.
As Christians we need to be carful who we follow and who we support. In this multi media age there are many out there claiming to be Christians who are not. They twist the scriptures to say what they want them to say. They take scripture out of context.
There are even those out there who make up things, lies in order to mislead good people.
As a result we need to find a church that is following the Bible correctly. We need to be studying it for ourselves. We should even be studying some church history and looking at the culture in the time the Bible was written. Doing so will help us to determine who is teaching correctly.
Never take any preacher, teacher, or evangelist at face value. Study their sermon and see for yourself if there is anything wrong. Anything that you don’t understand. If there is talk to others about your concerns and even approach the person who spoke the words. A good minister or teacher will explain things to you. If they don’t, have nothing to do with them.
Always remember the Bible is the word of God not what some preacher or teacher may say. Men can and do make mistakes. Men can and do lead people astray. So the word is be careful. And get to know the Bible. For in doing so you are less likely to be led away from God.
Please think about it.

Warning to Christians

Warning to Christians
The apostle Paul wrote,
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”2 Timothy 3:1-4
Later in chapter four of 2 Timothy he writes,
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4.
People in Paul’s day were deviating from the truth about Jesus. People were twisting God’s word to suit their own agenda. It is happening today. Such things are made even worse by the electronic age we live in.
Christians in the twenty-first century need to be vigilant more than ever. We need to question pastors, evangelist and teachers about what they are teaching. We need to be studying the word of God ourselves.
When we hear a sermon don’t take it at face value. Study it. Check the scriptures to see if they are taken in context. If you have any questions ask the person who gave the sermon. If they won’t answer you or don’t answer you correctly have nothing to do with them.
Don’t give to a ministry until you have checked them out. Ask them for a full accounting If you are uncertain about them don’t send a penny to them.
Here in Canada where I live our Church is required to give a full accounting to the members at least once a year. That includes listing salaries of all workers for the church. All ministries should do that.
The bulk of the money given to a Christian ministry should be going to the work of the ministry to spreading the word of God. Not into salaries.
Remember the words of Jesus who said,
“Many will say to me  on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22,23.
Included in those Jesus talks about will not only be those sitting in the pew but pastors, evangelist and teachers.
Thus the word to Christians is the same as the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, saying,
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15.
Please think about it.