TO LOVE OR NOT TO LOVE

Fixing Church Culture  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  44:43
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1 Joh 2:15-17
In this study of Fixing Church Culture, I want to look at some the cultural buzz words that are not easily defined because they are ever changing in their meaning.
I also want to be able to look at our response to some the key issues in society - how we should view some things and how we should answer others or not answer.
I want to Biblically define Bible words and truths that have been misappropriated or misdefined.
One of the things the church and the Christian must always do is beware of this old world and wicked world.
We are supposed to be able to be in the world, but not of it.
We are supposed to connect with them in order to reach them, but not to be unequally yoked with them.
It is quite a challenge.
So as a church where do we draw the line. As a family or an individual, where do you make your stand - where are you separate from the world?
Churches today are seeking to become with the world, to impress the world by being like the world.
Our world is in a process of degenerating. Rather that advancing into a great civilization, our world today is fast declining.
Terms are being redefined and truths are turned upside down.
They are taking things, much like cults do, and maligning, redefining or replacing them.
Then there is a whole new vocabulary that we can barely keep up with and, yea, perhaps should not be known very quickly.
Today I’m going to look at defining some things. I want to look at Bible Words and what they really mean how man’s religion has taken them and redefined them.
I want to give the biblical view of wicked issues in society.
Today along with giving this introduction, I want to look at “A Dark Agenda.”

I. SATAN HAS A MULTIFACETED ATTACK MACHINE

He has been honing his skills since the Garden of Eden and before.

A. His Attack on Truth

Just on a basic level - Satan’s oldest tactic he has used since the Garden of Eden is still what He uses today - only He has expanded and refined it.

1. He questions

This may not sound like it is something that is popular to say - but you should not question this book.
This book is to study, to understand, to be verified, to be believed, but not to be questioned.
Doctrine can be questioned - but the books veracity and perfection should never be questioned.
Genesis 3:1 AV
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2. He lies

John 8:44 AV
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

3. He replaces

4. He redefines

Again, we take that first verse we looked at:
Genesis 3:1 AV
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

5. He uses it falsely

Truth is truth except when you use it to manipulate, selfishly, or to abuse.
Revelation 12:10b (AV)
...for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

B. His Abuse of Unity

That almost goes along with my former point, of abusing truth - but abusing unity means here to call us to unity for the common good of everyone while sending division to the world.

1. Unity of thought with the world

We have heard this statement a lot lately - “We are all in this together.”
That is what the world wants. They call for, not only that you tolerate their antics, not even to just accept their beliefs, but to celebrate them.
If anyone speaks against they are called dividers and jusdgmental.
But what did Christ say:
Matthew 10:34 AV
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
So, between the world and the church or a believer, we are not obligated to unity in their affairs thought is tabled as being a good citizen today.
The other thing he does here in his abuse of unity is:

2. Dividing churches

What is it that divides churches especially?
It is what we believe and it is philosophy of ministry.
Yes, some churches divide over the color of the carpet - that is a very immature church.
But Satan loves to divide us over truth. So He will use our truth to divide us even.
God is not the author of that. He will find some small point, and allow it to consume us and upset us.
Ephesians 4:26–27 (AV)
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.
C. His Image Makeover

II. Satan has many useful idiots

The meaning of a useful idiot is One who is seen to unwittingly support a malignant cause through their 'naive' attempts to be a force for good. It is something like Soviet sympathizer in Western countries, from the perspective of the political right.

A. Media

1. Written & Printed

2. Broadcast

3. The Internet

Social Media
Now it will be Meta-verse.

B. Entertainment

Obviously the things mentioned before, but now man has addiction to being etneretqained.

1. Music industry

rock N roll, to country music, to Contemporary Christian Music.

2. Amusements

Amusement parks
Video games

3. Sports , clubs, and hobbies

I read something a few months ago and I didn’t save it, but it went something like this:
I wonder how your coach would take it if you told him that you were missing the game for church. Yet, you excuse yourself to God and your pastor for the game.
The God, the religion of this world is sports. Satan is using it.

C. Opportunities

We all love opportunities, both financial, for promotion, for ease in life.
But careful of the many opportunities that we have do not get us away from God.
Over time, a careless approach to good opportunities and our lives are overrun and the things that suffer are our walk with God and relationship with our church.
Satan knows that and uses that.

D. Education establishment

“A study of the first American educational institutions will reveal a commitment to spread of the Gospel via Christian academics. One-hundred-six of the first one-hundred-eight colleges formed in America were formed by Christians and built upon Christian principles. Before the Civil War (1861-1865), scarcely half a dozen colleges were established without a commitment to biblical and Christian principles, and most of the presidents of Christian colleges were clergymen.”
But we don’t live in an era that is like that any longer. God has been kicked out of most public and private colleges and universities.
Most of what is taught and promoted is against the teachings of God Words, and we sit back and give honor and respect to it and then have our kids or our even help our kids to pay these universities 10’s of thousands of dollars.
We are promoting and submitting to at best a godless institution and more likely a Satanic institution.
2 Timothy 3:7 AV
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

E. Government

Government officials are under the powers that be of Satan very often. How do you get to
Proverbs 29:2 AV
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
Ephesians 6:12 AV
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

III. We must be on continual guard

A. Be vigilant

1 Peter 5:8 AV
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

B. Be watchful

always awake, always considering all things
2 Timothy 4:5 AV
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Mark 14:37 AV
And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?
Luke 12:39 AV
And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

C. Quit wavering

James 1:6 AV
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

D. Walk by faith

2 Corinthians 5:7 AV
(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
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