“Many people go to church, not to learn the truths of God’s Word, but to get an emotional high.” – John MacArthur
Sadly Church over time has become soft and flabby here in the UK and across Europe when it comes to God’s word, it has exchanged the truth and tough teachings of Scripture for a worldly lie that exchanges knowledge for emotions, no I am not calling us to be emotionless robots, please do not misunderstand me. However this is not to say that their are not Churches flourishing and remaining faithful and obedient to the preaching and living out of God’s Word.
When looking at scripture, people tend to stick to the lovely verses, the encouraging verses, the easy verses, and tough verses softened, but when it comes to the verses we wish Christ had never said the questions asked are, What will I get out of it? How will it make me feel? Will it divide? Will it offend? Will it require sacrifice? These questions have replaced, Is it true?
For example look at both the commissions by Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8, is this a daily practice for us or has it been replaced by programs, rota’s, outreach events or put solely on the Pastor to do. These are the stabilisers that support the bike, the great commission and are good things to accompany daily Christian living. However we cannot make the stabilisers the main thing or the means by which we carry out the commission of christ. We are pushing the commission off onto other people and things, instead of each taking responsibility as Christ followers.
How can we grow as believers and put into practice the truths of scripture unless we are informed by them and know them? To live out the Christian life faithfully we must first know the principles of God’s Word.
2 Peter 3:18 says, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”
Peter understood the importance of ‘knowledge’, thats why he wrote it, you see knowledge of the Almighty, Sovereign, Friend, Father, Son, Spirit, Lamb, Lion, Loving and Fearful God head, and what He has put in His Word is what informs and develops our Christian walk, our doctrine and our understanding of Salvation. I think we put a lot of trust in those preaching, and rightly so, but unless you are daily seeking the knowledge and truth of scripture, as well as a living relationship with Christ, how do you know what they are saying is true?
Growing in the understanding of the Gospel Grace God has given us as a gift through redemption in Christ (Romans 3:24) and in knowledge about Christ is the best thing anyone could do as it informs all aspects of your understanding and living, it grounds and stabilises the believers faith.
Lord keep us humble, keep us hungry for you, keep us passionate, keep our lives aligned with your will, help us remember that you are the Creator and we are the created.
Help us remember that it is you that “must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30
Read more here: A Prophetic Word That Did Come to Pass – ChurchPlanting.com
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