Old Time Religion or just Old Fashioned?
Visited a church that I had never been into before this last Sunday, it was an eye opener to say the least.
I commented on the experience to someone I know, her response, she called me ‘old fashioned’, what did she mean by that?
The preacher spoke on Exodus 20:12
“Honor thy father and mother; that thy days be long upon the land which the Lord thy GOD giveth thee.”
It was a finely presented counseling session about breaking the cycle of disrespect in generation after generation but . . .
My question was what happens if I don’t honor and respect my father and mother?
There was no consequences for failing GOD’s commandment. No talk of Hell, of GOD’s wrath. No talk of GOD’s grace, Christ’s suffering, the cross or His blood that washes us clean. No talk of Judgment Day.
“They will never accept Grace. Until they tremble before a just and holy Law.” C.H. Spurgeon
I enjoyed Old Time Religion when a preacher spoke and shouted the Word of GOD without worry of offending. Political correctness has taken the zeal, the message, perhaps the faith, right out of church.
These days churches break apart over the color of the carpet, the type of music, naming the church something that ‘fits’ into the community while sounding ‘all inclusive’. My definition of an all inclusive church, saved by grace and lost souls for there is none other. You fit into one or the other. PERIOD.
Not ALL, but the vast majority of the denominations have lost their zeal. Praise the Lord that there are still ‘remnants’ of those on fire for the Lord. I am not picking out any one particular denomination. All are busy about church business, few are busy about the business of THE Church.
The Business of the Church is Salvation of Souls
The above statement was true, is true, will always be true, no matter what you have been told or what you have experienced.
Has church in America today become a competition to see who has the best coffee and donuts, the loudest music, the ‘best time’, so that they have forgotten, forgotten the One who died and rose again?
“The chief danger of the 20th century will be religion without the Holy Spirit, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without GOD and heaven without hell.” William Booth
Romans 3:10-18 tells us;
“As it is written. There is none righteous, no, not one. . . . . . .(v18) “There is no fear of GOD before their eyes.”
Paul went on to describe the law and being justified by His grace through Jesus Christ. The law and the results of breaking the law was clear. The Bible speaks throughout of the wrath and love of GOD. Both Old and New Testament state it clearly. Has the American church of today reached the point where the preacher has no fear of GOD before his eyes?
“Scratching people where they itch and addressing their ‘felt needs’ is a stratagem of the poor steward of the oracles of GOD. This was the recipe for success for the false prophets of the Old Testament.”
R.C. Sproul
II Timothy 4:3,4
“For a time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
Enduring sound doctrine does not mean that men of God have to come up with a gimmick to preach, to draw in the lost with incentives like gifts if you pay your tithe, or the best cup-of-joe at any church in town.
The gospel, the Word of GOD, the Truth remains the same, so does the sinful ways of man. We need men of God able to preach the Word, not put on a show. The Apostles of the early church had no gimmicks, no disco lights, no sound mixer, no small groups coordinators. They had large and small groups of sinners giving their lives to Christ. Not for one minute should we ever think that the Apostles coddled and promoted anything that wasn’t the true Word of GOD.
“Some evangelists (preachers) are prepared to be anything to anybody as long as they get somebody to the altar for something” L. Ravenhill
The message last Sunday was correct in that we are to honor our parents, but it desperately stopped short of calling it sin, and missed the mark as far as repentance and judgment are concerned.
There was no altar call. They left right at the stroke of noon as if reservations were in urgent need of being kept at the local restaurant. All their faces smiling as if there was no regret, no hint of guilt by what the pastor had spoken. No fear of pending wrath at the hand of GOD. Dry eyes one and all. No one still kneeling and weeping at the altar. The pastor and associate pastor nowhere insight.
Okay, call me old fashioned, I was after all the only person there in a suit and tie including the pastor who was casual cool in his attire. Gone are the days of respect. Where are the men of God who wear a dark suit, a white shirt and a tie that is of a color that doesn’t hint of feminism? Called of GOD, carrying a well read, worn out, dogged eared, well ‘thumped’ King James Bible or even a Scofield.
Gone are the days when bars would close up because the patrons had all been convicted by an evangelist on fire for GOD, who spoke it plain, spoke it boldly, who believed every word that the Holy Spirit dictated to come from his mouth. Gone is the conviction, because there is no consequence preached in most churches today. Replaced by connection cards, follow us on facebook, be sure to like us, be a member, get a gift for giving, listen to us on our podcast or get our app, we only need 1,000 more followers on youtube to reach our goal.
“Heavenly Father, Creator. You are the One who holds my next breath, my next heartbeat in your hand. I repent of my anger towards these ministers who know not of Your Law and Grace. I thank you for the discernment You have given me to see the false teaching. Thank you for not letting me be lured away through the false hopes preached in churches today. I thank you Heavenly Father that I can remain strong in my faith, secure in Your Son.
I ask that the fear of Your wrath fall upon these churches, these ministers who are falsely leading people down a path that is all goodness and love to their eternal damnation. Wide is the path that leads to their destruction. Send to them the Word through a Spirit filled man of God that will awaken them and show them the straight and narrow path that leads to You through Your Son Jesus Christ. Open the doors for me and others to speak out and not be silent in our anguish for the lost. I pray this in the name of my Savior who suffered and died for me. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”