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REPENTENCE, ZEAL, AND THE REFINING FIRE
In America, we have a lot of Bible teaching on a great many useless things, but few hearts who know what "first works" is. Our country is full to the brim with nominal Christians. Shallow, incomplete conversions produce shallow, incomplete Christians. Of those who are wealthy, no one challenges them lest they leave and find another place that will tickle their ears, lest they leave and reduce the numbers sitting in the pews, and lest they stop giving their money! As a result, our fellowships are not run by the Lord's standards, but by the lowest common denominator. This shallowness is the expression of the compromised Church, locking us into a gridlock of ever stagnant and putrid water.
How will the Lord answer this? How will He address it? If we do not heed, just what can He do to save us from ourselves? Those who want to be a reigning king in our churches can do so too easily. Equally immature Christians, who cry out for entertainment and not substance, surround them and support them with their dollars. With such loyal followers, what need do they have to change? Will He remove all of these false leaders, as some have prophesied? No. God never promises to deal with all the evil on the earth until the end of the age. Although some, no doubt, are carried away by their own self-destructive behavior and others by judgment, there is no game plan by God to rescue the stiff-necked away from their deceivers. In fact, remaining deceived is part of their judgment, so that both may "fall into the pit" (Luke 6:39).
I am sure Jesus was thought to be a ‘madman’ when he made a whip out of cords and violently overturned tables and coins at the religious marketplace, but His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me." (John 2:17) As for those who rebuke in our midst, God would indeed look upon them in favor instead of disfavor, because passion against evil and sin is from the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 8:13). The only time God would look upon those who have passion in disfavor is if they have left their first love like the church in Ephesus. This would be evident by their failure to love God, as well as their hatred against their brothers and sisters as they walk in darkness (1 John 2:9-10).
As for idols and other useless distractions, how can one cut away what they secretly want to keep it? How can we repent with lasting results if we cannot convert with lasting results? Aren’t they similar to one another? God’s refining fire is the only way to deal with locked in apathy:
Jesus is building His Church, if we will but let Him, and if we will but participate in humility and obedience to His ways. Wisdom calls from the streets to turn us from our ignorant ways, if we will but hear her (Prov. 1: 20-33) All is not lost. If we turn from our sin of apathy, we can be redeemed from being found no more, but we must accept His rebuke and discipline (Rev. 3:19). Our faithfulness in seeking God and His ways will move Him to empower and intervene, in His own unfathomable grace and wisdom.
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