2 Chronicles 26:16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. 17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: 18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honor from the LORD God. 19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. 20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. 21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
Israel IS God’s chosen people. Yet they don’t always live up to God’s standards. Throughout the Old Testament we find laws that God gave to them, and which all nations should follow. At one point God had to smack them down for charging exorbitant amounts of interest rates that actually caused financial slavery to those who borrowed (Sound familiar to those who go to get loans on their checks? ) in fact Proverbs 22:7 states, “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.”
In the selected text We find Uzziah, king of Judah, burning incense in the “House of God”. Well, why not? He “felt” like God would honour him for doing something that he “felt” he should do. After all, since he “felt” that he should do it, and he was trying to please God, God SHOULD honour it, right?
Isn’t that how those in the Body of Christ think today? “Well, I FEEL that God should accept the things I do because I FEEL that what I am doing in the right thing!
OR, “Surely God would not want me to be in a “bad” marriage, since I have now found my “soul” mate?”
OR, “We should “Friendship” or “Relationship” evangelize, since that is a lot less stressful for the Christian.”
OR, “We should always show “Grace” to those who are erring in their Christian faith.”
OR, “Well, this “Christian” entertainer wrote songs that touched my heart, and was at the forefront of the Christian rock movement, and still puts out Christmas CD’s every year, so, we should just accept she stole a married man from someone else while she was still married, because, it makes me feel good.”
OR, “I know I should not do this, but, God is my pal! He won’t accept the same behaviour from others, but he is my friend!”
OR, “It is fun to look at my horoscope, what could be wrong with that?”
I could go on and on about this. We in the Western Church have accepted mediocrity as normal. But God does NOT accept it. He paid a HIGH price to allow us to become his children. The death of his Son, JESUS CHRIST. To accept mediocrity is to trod upon Jesus’ blood sacrifice for us. THAT makes the FATHER angry.
We do not hold some key position with God that allows us to continue in our sin, in fact, the Bible condemns this type of thinking:
The NIV puts 2 Peter 2:14 this way~ With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed–an accursed brood!
and 1 Corintians 15:34 it states~ Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God–I say this to your shame.
Wow, that knocks out 3 of today’s Church assumptions I named above.
STOP SINNING, sure does not sound like today’s philosophical view from the Church. And we wonder why the church is loosing membership? Well, some of us don’t wonder, we know why. God is cursing it, just like he did Israel when they followed after their flesh or other god’s.
But, you say, the Church is not following other gods. No? Then why do some have Yoga going on in them? You say, “Yoga is an exercise.” NO, it is meditation to Hindu gods:
You CAN’T Christianize those things that pertain to other gods. God condemns these things, and just because YOUR church does it and YOU are “IN” with God, does not mean he will CHANGE HIS VALUES TO MEET YOURS, you have to change YOURS to meet GOD’S!
Church’s WILL NOT DISCIPLINE those who refuse to give up their sin’s. Even though it is clearly laid out in 1 Corinthians for the Church to THROW out those who are living in sexual sin after the 3rd admonition to stop, Pastors are cowering at the $$$ money trough. In Acts, when Ananias and Saphira were KILLED because they lied about holding back a little of the money from selling a property, FEAR ran through the church, a HOLY FEAR. HOLY FEAR is a good fear, we should have a HOLY FEAR of God for sin, instead, “Christians” are flippant about their lives, and pastors are PROVOKING God by not dealing with sexual sin in the church.
The “Christian Entertainment Industry” is full of “Christian Artists” who do not have much in common with Christ. They are celebrated, in fact there are a few that are notorious about their sexual sins. On man recently “Came Out”, and in his “Coming Out” statement, said that God was now pleased with him for finally not living the “lie” that he was not “gay”. That God is pleased with him for being “true” to himself and his fans. “Christian” websites still display his songs today!
Another “Artist” was toying with another woman’s husband while he still lived with his wife. His wife found “love notes” from this “Pioneer of Christian Rock” in her husband’s golf bag. This while she was still married herself.
God HATES divorce, yet “Family friendly Christian” stations celebrate this adulteress, family wrecker, even having her on their stations to interview her, to celebrate with her. Something is wrong with the Church. God is giving the church over to lasciviousness until she is broken, or could it be we are in the last days?
Luke 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Some will object that the “Gates of hell will not prevail against the Church”. They need to re-read Matthew 16:
13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Jesus was NOT referring to the Church there, he was referring to Peter’s statement of WHO HE WAS/IS. The gates of hell WILL NOT PREVAIL over the fact that JESUS is the son of the Living God and the Christ. This FACT is set in STONE (rock).
Jesus stated that HIS method of telling others who he is should be to “GO AND TELL”, and that the hearers are to REPENT of their sins, not to keep them around to play with when they want. Repenting of sin is NOT “asking for forgiveness”, repenting is NO LONGER SINNING, turning away from your sin.
Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Am I saying we will no longer sin while we are alive? Sinless perfection? NO, as long as we are alive we will sin, but OUR MINDSET should be that we will SIN LESS, that we will be like Christ and HATE THE SPOT OF SIN in our lives so much we will turn away from it.
Someone will say, “You are judging me.” Well, YES I AM, but you retort with, “Thou shalt not judge,” but Peter says:
1 Peter 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
We are to be above the world, the Church is to judge among it’s members if they are living in sin and provide correction with the word of God.
You say, “Well, you are not showing grace, like Jesus said to do!” (are you judging me by thinking that? just a thought! 🙂 )
Well you got that HALF right.
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Don’t forget about the TRUTH part. The truth is, if we say we love Jesus, but do not do what he says, WE DECEIVE OURSELVES AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN US!
John 14:15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” NIV
The TRUTH is:
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Finally, just as God brought judgement on his Chosen people Israel, when they followed after their own deceitful hearts, GOD WILL JUDGE his Church in the same way. If fact, if we are caught living for ourselves instead of HIS Christ, he will spew us out of his mouth, because we make him SICK.
I say these things because I love you, and I want God to bless you.
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