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Come Before Winter It is said that Scottish Presbyterians cast long shadows, referring to the heritage of the Scottish Covenanters in the Reformation era. These dedicated Christians went through severe persecutions—even death, because they wouldn't conform to the compromising church of their day. It makes me wonder if the "long shadows" goes beyond just their dignity and commitment, but even to the shadows that they cast as they hung from the gallows. But that was hundreds of years ago—what about more recently? …Clarence Edward Noble Macartney, the seventh and last child of a Scottish preacher, became one of the greatest Presbyterian leaders of the 20th Century. In 1924, he was named the Moderator of the General Assembly, but was a staunch conservative in a very liberal time. When those around him would deny the authority of Scripture, he thundered, "A deleted Bible results in a diluted gospel. Protestantism, as it loses faith in the Bible, is losing its faith." One time he said, "We can decaffeinate coffee and de-nicotine tobacco, but we can't de-Christianize Christianity." Sad to say, that is precisely what so many in our society today are doing. Rev. Macartney's exhortations to purity and holiness didn't go over very well in the midst of the liberal mindset of his day, and, I can tell you from personal experience, it doesn't go over very well now, either. Why is that? Well, first of all, God's people were always called to be separate from the world, and thereby, be "a light to the Gentiles."(Isaiah 49:6) Even in the days of the New Testament, Paul said clearly, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Cor. 6:14) This text goes on to make clear that this is not just talking about marriage, but all of the Christian life—"I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (vs. 16b) His next exhortation is to…"come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (vss. 17,18) Believe it or not, herein lies the problem. The heightened liberal mindset in our times rejects all of this stuff about "thus saith the Lord." Many today insist on being their own boss and don't want to hear anything about His control, His Kingdom, and His rule over the heart and life. Now, I certainly can understand this when we see this in the world, for they don't have the Lord and His life-transforming power…but in the church? Yes, it has often refused to shine the light of Jesus in the darkness, and opted, instead, to be like the world in order to be liked by it. Much of the church today is determined to walk arm-in-arm with the world's liberal philosophies, somehow thinking that this "buddy-buddy" type relationship is going to draw people into the Kingdom of God. No, it is just the opposite—it keeps them away from it! Let me show you through three of this country's liberal agendas, just how much of the "church" is deceived. This society is undeniably based on self, pleasure, and pursuing a life of ease. It is all about self-actualization and feeling good, even at the loss of the truth. Now, as I said before, I most certainly understand the world buying into this, for being without Jesus, they really have nothing but themselves and their own fulfillment. But Jesus said clearly, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?…"(Mt. 16: 24-26) And yet, many sermons today are nothing more than pep talks on how to get a more pleasurable life, with sin hardly being mentioned. So-called "seeker-friendly" churches often survey the "unchurched" of the community to find out what they want in a church, and then provide bowling alleys, spas, athletic courts, locker rooms, and even Starbucks and McDonalds franchises—all to lure people in. One church's "Purpose-Driven" theme is void of the true gospel and is leading millions astray. Oh, sure, we have a purpose, but it isn't going to be pyschotherapeutic self-help programs and "feel-good" theologies. These aren't supposed to drive us anyway; the true Christian is Spirit-led, not driven. It would seem, that when it comes to marketing Christianity, that anything goes—the ends justify the means. Not as far, however, as God is concerned—"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."(Prov. 14:12) Remember—"A deleted Bible results in a diluted gospel." And I would add to that—If you dilute it, you pollute it! Secondly, consider an absolutely tragic result of this obsession with "self". For decades now, many in this nation are absolutely determined to murder the unborn. The current rate is about 4,000 babies every day—not year—DAY! When it was legalized in 1973, a big part of the argument was the safety of the mother and her rights, but it has clearly escalated into a matter of convenience. God desires to protect the innocent, but liberalism doesn't care about that. The true church of Jesus Christ most certainly will! Several years ago, I stood up in a large "church" meeting and emphatically shared God's heart on all of this. In the back of the room, a rather liberal pastor stood up and said, in effect, that the Bible was only a history book, and we don't have to follow its directions anymore. The end result?—recommending that pastors and their churches shuttle women past the protesters so they can get their abortions. Absurd! Both Martin Niemoller and Dietrich Bonhoeffer were Lutheran pastors who came to understand the necessity of standing against their church's compromise during Nazism. Niemoller once said, "First they came for the socialists, but I did not speak up for I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, but I did not speak up because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, but I did not speak up for I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, but there was no one left to speak for me." The implication here is obvious. As it would turn out, Rev. Niemoller would spend eight years in concentration camps, and his friend Dietrich—only a few days before Europe was set free—was hanged for standing on the truth of God's word. "Protestantism, as it losses it's faith in the Bible, loses it's faith." Thirdly, much has been in the news recently about "same-sex" marriages and unions. This, of course, is the result of a liberal agenda that is specifically intending to disagree with God at every turn. Come on now—it doesn't take a rocket-scientist to figure out that homosexuality is a perversion of God's intention for men and women. Scriptures, such as 1 Cor. 6:9-11; 1 Tim. 1:8-11; Rom. 1: 24-32; and many others, condemn it, but also call people out of it—proof that it is a choice. Hundreds of testimonies concerning deliverance through the power of Jesus also prove that God didn't "make" people that way. Also, are you aware that there is a move within Congress, led by ultra-liberal senators, to redefine our nation's understanding of hate-crimes? If passed and signed, it will become illegal to speak against homosexuality. What will be the punishment? Fines? Imprisonment? Hanging? Praise Jesus—may God's true people stand on the One who is Truth, and all to the glory of God! Remember Rev. Macartney? Back on October 18th, 1915, he preached a message entitled, "Come Before Winter." His text was 2 Timothy 4—Paul, writing from prison, declared to young Timothy, and to us, the absolute necessity for the true church to preach the true word of God, whether it is liked or not. At the end of the chapter, Paul exhorts Timothy to come to be with him before winter. In this, Rev. Macartney stressed the need to repent and seek the Lord today, and not wait. He said, "The Holy Spirit, when He invites men to come to Christ, never says, 'Tomorrow,' but always 'Today.' If you can find me one place in the Bible where the Holy Spirit says, 'Believe in Christ tomorrow' or 'Repent and be saved tomorrow,' I will come out of the pulpit and stay out of it—for I would have no gospel to preach." By the grace of God Almighty, I make the same pledge! These are truly perilous days in which we live, and the choice is before us. Many think things are going to get better, but God said, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived."(2 Tim. 3:12-13) God's call is to turn from these liberal and worldly ways, and seek Him alone. Everything I have written here is God's heart, and our decision must come before winter—yes, even today, for today is the day of grace and salvation. This Thanksgiving, turn from the de-Christianizing of Christianity, cast a very long shadow, and thank God for Christ, the living Word! Copyright (c)
2004, 2005 Christ Our Rock Bible Church. |
