“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints. Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
Revelation 19:7-9
In today’s cultural climate, the church faces a pressing challenge: the erosion of gospel-centered objectivity. What was once a clear message rooted in Scripture has, in many corners of the church, shifted toward subjective experiences, feelings, and a focus on "how" rather than "what" or "why." This shift may appear benign, yet it seeks to undercut the power of the gospel to transform, convict, and redeem. The church risks becoming indistinguishable from the world without grounding in objective biblical truth.
This was precisely Moses' concern in Exodus 33, when God commanded him, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of the land of Egypt... But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people; otherwise, I might destroy you on the way.” Moses' realization is one that many in the church today have abandoned, “If Your Presence does not go with us,” Moses replied, “do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that Your people and I have found favor in Your sight, unless You go with us? How else will we be distinguished from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
Sadly, many believe we can profoundly impact our surrounding culture through mere biblical principles such as kindness, joy, peace, and love without God's blessing of the Holy Spirit's presence and power. Few would be so bold to overtly or explicitly state as much initially, but that's how it eventually plays out practically. Churches and groups like The Salvation Army begin shifting their focus from robust evangelism to social justice and humanitarian efforts. The focus then shifts from a call to repentance and holiness to affirmation and tolerance. Ministries and leadership invariably erode so that discipleship becomes nothing more than the folly of self-discovery and self-help. The inevitable result is a religious community of worldly conformity and superficial relationships rather than an authentic church devoted to Christ, His Gospel, and His mission.
The Biblical Call for Objective Truth
Scripture repeatedly calls believers to stand firm on objective truths. Romans 12:2 urges us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,” emphasizing the need for discernment grounded in God’s Word. Likewise, Paul warns in 2 Timothy 4:2-4 that “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching… but will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into fanciful stories.” These passages reveal the dangers of prioritizing cultural acceptance over gospel truth.
When we prioritize the subjective, focusing on how something makes us feel over what God commands, the decay Jesus warned of in Matthew 7:21-23 is inevitable: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven… I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” The danger is real: losing focus on God’s truth results in superficial belief devoid of power and integrity.
Steps for Churches to Reclaim Their Biblical Foundation
Preach Doctrinally-Rich Sermons: Ground preaching in the foundational doctrines of Scripture, highlighting God’s attributes, human sinfulness, Christ’s atoning work, and our call to holiness. Let God’s truth speak powerfully and directly.
Prioritize Discipleship: Implement discipleship programs centered on biblical literacy and sound theology. Equip believers to study Scripture effectively and to distinguish biblical truth from cultural ideologies.
Address Cultural Drift: Speak candidly about the influences of progressive ideologies and subjective truth. Engage in biblical discernment to help the church withstand these influences and remain faithful.
Strengthen Accountability: Ensure leadership holds itself accountable to the Word, creating a system that prevents doctrinal drift and prioritizes biblical faithfulness over popular opinion.
Embracing Biblical Values Over Worldly Patterns
The church can stand strong by realigning its values with Scripture and resisting the pull of worldly substitutes:
Biblical Value | Worldly Substitute |
Vision (Mission-driven) | Nostalgia (Clinging to the past) |
Truth (Scriptural Authority) | Affirmation (Unconditional acceptance) |
Holiness (Set apart for God) | Tolerance (Acceptance without discernment) |
Repentance (Turning from sin) | Self-Acceptance (Remaining as one is) |
Discipleship (Growth in Christ) | Self-Development (Personal empowerment) |
Unity in Truth (Biblical unity) | Conformity (Worldly standards) |
Evangelism (Proclaiming Christ) | Social Justice (As the main focus) |
The church can only fulfill its mission by remaining grounded in these biblical values. In John 17:17, Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” May we, as His church, embrace this truth wholeheartedly, for in doing so, we keep the gospel’s power alive and reflect Christ faithfully to the world so that the gates of Hell will not prevail against us! Hallelujah!
In the parable of the foolish rich man, we find God rebuking a fool for their complacency. “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Let us not be found lazy, complacent, selfish, and unprepared by relying upon anything other than the righteousness of Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit to distinguish us from all the other people on earth.
Are we ready? Do we want to be?
Blessings & love,
Kevin M. Kelley
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