Separation Issues

The sermon that aired yesterday from Grace To You ministries was pretty powerful, as usual. In the message, John McArthur retells the story of a university that was interested in him taking the helm. In discussing the future, the school shared with him how they wanted to integrate and synchronize Scripture with the wisdom of man.

Anyone see what John saw?

Indeed.

John shares his response, that on this matter he was a separatist. There is not nor can there be an integration between the truth of God and the understanding of man. The signs are obvious... at least the words are.

My ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts, declares the Lord.

What authority does the Word of God hold if it is polluted with the words of man? What good is a foundation built on relativity? Is that not the same as building on shifting sand?

Humanity is overrun with opinions which are quickly discounted and dismissed so we all search for truth. Meanwhile, no one of late seems to be able to handle the truth, and so we dilute it. But it's in the dilution that it loses both it's power and it's effectiveness.

As a result, we wonder why the issues and struggles of our life and times remain the same! Do we not notice the broken pattern of our culture and society? We believe in God, but deny His existence. We want answers, but deny any absolutes. We believe we are good, but rate evil on the sliding scale of comparison with our neighbor.

This is the day of decline. McArthur says the day the church fails to be antithetical, is the day it dies.

Our lives are in contrast and contradiction against the purity and sovereignty of God. There will be conflict and disagreement between the carnal and spiritual. This is the working out of our salvation. Man cannot be changed by human effort, understanding or wisdom. It must be transformed and renewed by the Word of God and the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. What need for the church exists in this world, if the church elevates the perspective of man in coordination with the declaration of God? Welcome to spiritual warfare.

Not only can there be "only one", but there is only One!

The gravity of eternity lies in the finality of God's Word. If that were not so because of the influence of our finite understanding, then eternity is compromised and the church is useless.

So... on that heavy note; let's pray this #deaconThurday, that church leadership would stand and remain firmly planted in the Word of God. May they keep the doctrine of Scripture clean and pure. Pray that as church leadership makes decisions regarding ministry, may the keep the perspective that humanity is to be made like Christ, rather than Christ to "fit" in with the culture. Pray the focus of ministry would remain grounded in the finality of eternity. May the decisions of the church be made as a result of prayer and the sovereign direction of God's Hand, rather than the conventional wisdom of people's flawed and finite perspective.

May we hear from Heaven
To know what He has in store.
That we would call on His name alone,
Rather than our own opinion and intuition.
Useful for the Kingdom.
Uncompromised on the Earth.
For the cause of Jesus Christ.

- PNC