by David Brenneman
We normally associate the word consensual to sexual actions or activity. My Dear Reader, put it in a Spiritual context and you might gain understanding in regards to people calling themselves Christians yet are practically indistinguishable from the world.
We would indeed see exactly what Jesus was referring to several thousand years ago when He asked the question: Would He find the faith when He returns?
Are you one of those who are doing whatever you can in life to get the most out of it for you, rather than what you can be doing for Jesus?
Are you spending hundreds of dollars, hundreds of hours, a week on activities that have absolutely no possibility of doing you or others any Spiritual good?
Are your thoughts drifting towards things that if you're honest, are selfish, self-centered?
We are living in an increasingly subscription-based world. From software to entertainment it is the new money pit. We can get enticed into those things and then get guilted into remaining because we spent money in the first place.
Satan loves it when Christians play with fire. He loves it when we do the work for him in regards to not obeying God's Word.
We make it so easy for our sin nature rather than living a life that contains it.
We fail to consider what is God's plan for us. What He's done and is doing. "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21 NASB.
Lot struggled greatly in a world that lived out its idolatry in self-indulgence.
Living where we do now, we are exposed to more Amish people than we had been while living in the Columbus area. It doesn't escape our notice that even they have changed considerably in recent years. They've compromised a lot, at least those we see, in regards to their acceptance of things of this world into their culture and lives.
Quite often the Bible refers to the rebellion of mankind, of the relationship between the nation of Israel and the world as adultery. Of them turning their backs on God, on their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. He proved time and time again of His love and devotion to them and still they were enticed into their adultery with the world.
We live as Lots in this world. Temptation is so prolific that we don't even need to leave the relative safety of our house to be immersed in it beyond our necks.
We are so easily drawn to the pleasures of this life. So easily. It takes but a minor suggestion and Church attendance becomes optional.
The so-called churches of today are filled with adulterous people who flagrantly flaunt their desires to go after what the world offers. There is no true devotion to a life with Jesus Christ. What is seen are vast groups of people who come together to be only puffed up. People given sugary bowls of cereal and are sent back out into the world. No commitment to a life with Jesus is taught. Nothing is brought up concerning the depravity of sin. Nothing that might offend someone and make them not want to come back.
Notice that those are the same basic things associated with consensual sexuality?
Jesus's commands are not taught in a great many of these so-called churches. People supposedly calling themselves preachers yet they do not teach the whole counsel of God. They indeed only say whay people's itching ears want to hear. Just as the Scriptures say would happen.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 NASB "For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths."
What does all this lead to? A culture that will readily accept the lies of Satan in regards to the Rapture of the Church. It creates a culture that will readily accept worshiping a world leader who promises great things.
It creates a culture that is devoid of Biblical truth. A culture that does not teach the faith. A culture that indeed is what Jesus looked ahead and caused Him to ask that very question about finding the faith when He returns.
It's a significant rarity to find churches who teach the whole counsel of God. It's a rarity to find churches who teach the need to come to Jesus for salvation.
Hell is far from overflowing but indeed it's getting its fill of deluded people. Remember there two major groups that are there. Those gnashing their teeth at God's judgment concerning their rejection of Jesus and then there's those whom this post is about. Those who are living a supposed life thinking God's ok with them only to wake up in Hell discovering that they got it wrong. That they only then discovered the reality of their lives was a that of a lie.
There in those same Scriptures we read of being sure of your salvation. We read of committing ourselves to Jesus Christ. Of taking up our own cross and following Jesus. Of setting our minds on the things that are above and not on the things that are of this world. Of loving the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and spirit. To love our neighbors as ourselves.
To live lives that are lived in such a way that people see our good works and glorify God in Heaven. A fully dedicated and devoted life to Jesus Christ. A life lived in faith.
I challenge myself as well as you to look at how close you are living to this world. How much "love" you are expressing in your actions. I was reading something yesterday about when you see people's actions you rarely need to hear their words. There's an element of truth in that.
We are pretty much expressly told to love not the world nor the things of this world. For those who love this world the love of the Father is not in them. 1 John 2:15-17.
People today have the greatest difficulty in acknowledging sin in all its sinfulness. If acknowledging that stumbling blocks exist. That they have indeed been caught up in sin that so easily entangles.
Nobody who comes to Christ for salvation should be living lives that indulge in sin. Salvation is not some "Get out of Hell" free card to enable people to live for themselves after accepting the offer of salvation in Christ Jesus.
The challenge is easily clarified in your life and mine. Look at where your time goes. Look at where your mind goes. Look at it individually and as a whole. Look at what God says is sin and see if you have the same way of thinking concerning it as God does. Look at your prayer life if you even have one. Look at your desire to please God if it exists within your life. Are you living a consensual Christian life with this world or are you living a life of taking up your own cross and are following Jesus?
Your actions and activities will say much more than your words. If you can see you doing far more with this world than you are in Christ Jesus then you have your answer. If learning more about Jesus isn't appealing to you then there is another part of your answer. If you aren't becoming more like Christ then you're in danger my Dear Reader. Great danger.
A life in Christ is going to be opposed to the god of this world. Isreal has been called an adulterer by Jesus. Jesus has shown and taught throughout His Word of God's unfailing love for mankind. He's taught us what it means to be a Disciple, a Christ follower.
What would it profit you to gain the whole world and yet lose your soul? That too is asked of you by God's Word.
My soul was greatly disturbed by my seeing how much I was entangled by this world. I sometimes wonder if I still haven't come to grips with how much deeper it goes. I knew so many useless things, participated in so many useless things. Things that did absolutely nothing to grow me in Christ Jesus.
God still shows me a still better way to live life. But to borrow a movie quote there is difference between knowing the path and walking it.
I am an observer of people in social gatherings more than a talker in them. I listen to what people are the most passionate and excited about. I often am disappointed and saddened to discover their love of God isn't what it first appeared to be. Because their obvious first love is this world. The most disturbing are those who are way more offended by a sport's team that is maligned than they are about God’s Name. They know far more about those teams and players than they do the lives of the Believers around them. Same goes for people and movies, actors and actresses. Singers, world renowned people. Their love of Christ Jesus is that cold.
Is your love of Christ Jesus at all even lukewarm? Newsflash: Jesus hates lukewarm lives. He spits them out. He will separate those who are saved from those who are not. There's no middle ground.
The challenge remains: Look at how close your relationship is with Jesus and how close it is with the world. If you're still breathing then there's still hope to turn it around and return to your first love: Jesus Christ.
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