"But to those who do not believe, 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,' and, 'A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall'" (1 Peter 2:7-8). "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate'" (1 Corinthians 1:18-19).
Christ Jesus is illogical to hard hearts. Deafened ears cannot hear the Lord calling out. How can they? God is Spirit, our Comforter is the Holy Spirit. Only a receptive soul will recognize the Lord's persistent knocking at the heart's door.
Today's society is bound by flesh and worldly reason. God has truly destroyed the wisdom of the wise and the intelligence of the intelligent. God appearing as a man goes right over the heads of many stubborn people. They cannot begin to grasp the reality of our lives being a simple creation by the hands of a Creator. They believe they are self-made or evolved from lower species. How ridiculous. The arrogance of mankind in refusing to admit we are jars of clay--mere specks of dust in comparison to eternity and God's infinity--has produced a cold and abusive generation.
Populations throughout the world resemble Simon the Sorcerer from Acts 8:9-25. They are "full of bitterness and captive to sin" (8:23). They gather false teachers to soothe their itching ears and turn aside to myths (2 Timothy 4). Jesus is flippantly used as a means to financial gain by prosperity preachers. They proclaim God's Word as a means to worldly riches, prestige, and position. They have no part in God's ministry, because their hearts are not right before God (Acts 8:21).
False religions, or should I say cults, are growing. They have a form of godliness, but deny it's power (2 Timothy 3:5). They deny the power of the cross--Jesus' self-sacrifice for the atonement of our sins. Cults display many qualities of light, yet are actually deceived by deceitful spirits and things taught by demons (1 Timothy 4:1). Countless persons have abandoned the faith and are lulled into a false sense of security, because they have failed to submit to Christ Jesus. "They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us" (1 John 19). They may say Christ is the Son of God, but their merging of worldly logic with Scriptural Truth is of Satan. I mean, even demons who possessed people which Christ cast out cried, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High? I beg you, don't torture me!" (Luke 8:28). It's one thing to say and know Jesus is the Son of God, it's another to acknowledge Jesus as God and Lord of your life.
Many persons claim they are Christian, but are lost. They are blatantly deceived or too arrogant to admit their error. Love for the world--society's acceptance, power, money, ranking, pleasure--is scheduled for destruction. "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed (Jesus) remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God" (1 John 3:9). This means if Jesus is truly in our hearts, our character will be influenced by the Holy Spirit's presence. We will grow and mature in His qualities and be heavily convicted of our sins. We will have godly sorrow rather than worldly sorrow. Our sin will exact an eager yearning for change, for a life lived for God's glory rather than the world's acceptance. "The man who says, 'I know Him,' but doesn't do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly made complete in him" (1 John 2:4-5).
Cults, false religions, philosophical lives are prevalent. They cause many to fall without them even knowing why they stumble. Christ has become their capstone. Chasing mankind's arrogant ideas of existence and worship leads only to eternal separation from God the Father. "There is a way which seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25).
These are obvious truths for those who love and live for Jesus--and even for many who reject truth. Yet, countless still fall prey to lies and apostasy. These are the times prophesied in Scripture, the age prophets longed to witness. We are living in a world where Scriptural truth and prophecy are being revealed before our eyes. It is an exciting time for sincere followers of Christ, because we recognize the day of His return draws near. It is also a sorrowful time for true Christians, because of the souls destined for destruction due to their denial. I prefer to concentrate on the horizon, keeping a watchful eye and attentive ear for the trumpet's sounding and the return of our Savior.
Christians--wake up! The last times are here. Can you not feel it in your soul? Can you not feel the Holy Spirit weighing your conscience when you view the world around you? Or am I just overly hopeful? Either way, whether I'm correct or not, it's certainly time to get ourselves ready. The church must unite as one man, as one body with Christ Jesus as our Head, so we can stand strong in the gap representing God's grace to the world.
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