Jeremiah 7:9-11
Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’ — only to go on doing all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:9-11...14
Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD and because of his holy words. For the land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land mourns, and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right. “Both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in my house I have found their evil, declares the LORD...But in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his evil; all of them have become like Sodom to me, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.”
Hosea 4:1...7...12
Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land...the more they increased,the more they sinned against me; I will change their glory into shame...My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles. For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have left their God to play the whore.
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I apologize for the lack of coherence in this post.
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There are no Christian believers. Only Christian disciples.
I posted this on facebook some time back. To the Christians who visit this blog, I'd think that this would be a perfectly normal statement. Its true. Duh. No shit sherlock.
Yet how many Christians who saw it when I posted on facebook would agree with me?
The thought that so many people who call themselves Christians arent really so frustrates and saddens me greatly. And these are the majority, a large number of people. Look at the school I come from, that is one clear example. Its not just limited to there too, I was excited when I heard that one of my friends belong to a bunk in the army which was 70% Christian, I wonder about the possibilities of making a difference, but he told me later that he could only find one who was committed to the cause of Christ. Disappointment doesnt quite express it right.
It dawns upon me, that amongst those who are termed Christian in statistical counts, most of them are used more by the devil than by God, and dont even realise it.
What do we believe as Christians? I dont pretend to know everything, I dont pretend to understand all the mysteries of God, but it is depressing to find that so many Christians believe in utter rubbish, things which are completely unsubstantiated biblically. Myths which become to be regarded as truths in Christian circles. Nonsense. Culture and tradition seep in, superstition corrupts the faith.
What is an idol? What is an evil spirit? It seems that many Christians here in this land understand these terms only in the Singaporean context. Yet when these words were penned down in their original language, the connotations it had are not how we define it today. Baal was an idol in the old testament, but baal did not contain an evil spirit, it simply wasn't anything. Why do we believe that taoist idols have evil spirits in them. Why do we believe that we cant get too close to buddhist temples and their altars. Are these beliefs not but a subversion of superstitions regarding idols and evil spirits in general, twisted to appear to fit in a Christian environment?
The prosperity gospel. What happens when we hear that? We slam it, Christians in Singapore know its not right. Yet, too often, Christians make the mistake of slamming that particular diseased branch of Christianity, seeing it as the wrong gospel, and not realising that their own version may not necessarily be quite right either.
What is God's blessings? Christians will agree its not all about wealth and success, which the prosperity gospel preaches, but they still get it wrong. If I were to get the position I desire in yale nus, that is not necessarily a blessing. Thats saying me getting what I want is God blessing me. God's blessings come when he directs my paths in a way that is best for me, and that may not necessarily be yale nus. It may not necessarily be anything 'good' in the world's definition of good. God's blessings can come more like bitter medicine than like chocolates and candy.
Interestingly, challenges and difficulties mold us and makes us stronger people, but peaceful times may corrupt us. It seems then, that the devil would be more than happy to let Christians have their 'blessings' if only it would make them fall subtly into the trap of greed and power, into becoming lackluster beings, into apathy. Who says all bad things are a result of the work of the devil. Where is that shown biblically? He is the accuser, the deceiver, the tempter, not the one who gets you into car accidents. Maybe he does, but the devil fights more in the psychological realm, not so much in the physical.
A sample, from The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. To the uninitiated, this is written from the perspective of the demon screwtape.
Of course a war is entertaining. The immediate fear and suffering of the humans is a legitimate and pleasing refreshment for our myriads of toiling workers. But what permanent good does it do us unless we make use of it for bringing souls to Our Father Below? When I see the temporal suffering of humans who finally escape us, I feel as if I had been allowed to taste the first course of a rich banquet and then denied the rest. It is worse than not to have tasted it at all. The Enemy, true to His barbarous methods of warfare, allows us to see the short misery of His favourites only to tantalise and torment us--to mock the incessant hunger which, during this present phase of the great conflict, His blockade is admittedly imposing. Let us therefore think rather how to use, than how to enjoy, this European war. For it has certain tendencies inherent in it which are, in themselves, by no means in our favour. We may hope for a good deal of cruelty and unchastity. But, if we are not careful, we shall see thousands turning in this tribulation to the Enemy, while tens of thousands who do not go so far as that will nevertheless have their attention diverted from themselves to values and causes which they believe to be higher than the self.
So it is then, that temporal sufferings can be blessings.I dont know what to do. I hate it that Christianity is so distorted, that people who profess in it arent believing in the truth. It angers me, even more so when I try to speak to them but they dont listen.
And I ask the Lord, what shall I do? I am at a loss. And He reminds me that through it all, I must remain loving, He reminds me to be patient, something which I have not been. He reminds me of the extent of my own deviation from Him, how little I know, about His ways which are much higher.
I still dont know though. It humbles me and clears me of any spiritual pride I may harbour, but the issue still remains very real and I still dont know what to do.
The world doesn't need more Christian believers, it needs more Christian disciples.
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Matthew 7:13-20
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
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