Pastor John MacArthur once said, “The prosperity gospel used to be a small part of the overall Pentecostal movement. Now it seems to have swallowed it whole.” Pastor MacArthur went on to state that what many “churches” (that are not, in fact, churches at all) are offering up is predicated on the byproducts of a relationship with Christ but without Christ.
They relish the idea of gifts and blessings. They find comfort in the Bible’s hope and promises. They find purpose and acceptance in community. But there is no evidence of repentance from sin, no surrender to God-ordained authority, no abandonment unto The LORD, no humility in service, no deep commitment to anything other than self, and certainly no voluntary enslavement to Christ Jesus.
These types of so-called “churches” are nothing more than pseudo-religious community centers that misrepresent Christ, His Bride, His Word, His mission, His Father, and His Kingdom. Since King Jesus said, “Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters,” the notion that these “churches” and “pastors” shouldn’t be judges is poppycock.
Impersonating a police officer is a criminal offense. Impersonating a doctor and providing medical advice or services under that guise is a criminal offense. So why is it punishable by law to misrepresent oneself regarding things of a transient and temporal nature, yet many insist on a “live and let live” approach to impersonating churches and pastors with people’s very souls and everlasting residence in jeopardy?
Legitimate Christian churches are truly living organisms that must do more than stand for what Scripture reveals. The church must be Christ's witness through:
1) Gospel Preaching & Teaching from
2) Sound Biblical Theology that is invariably
3) Gospel Centered for the purpose of
4) Repentance unto Redemption into
5) Membership in Christ’s Body & Bride through
5) Evangelism & Discipleship, and when necessary,
6) Church Discipline, in order to produce
7) God-Honoring Unity under
8) Christ’s Sovereign Authority through
9) The Leadership of the Holy Spirit and Christ-appointed human leaders to
10) Fulfill Christ's Great Commission and Accomplish King Jesus’ Mission
Christ’s Bride is His exclusive missional vehicle of truth and grace, i.e. The Gospel. King Jesus doesn't have any mistresses or girlfriends on the side. Therefore, churches must be extensions of King Jesus Himself as His pure and spotless Body and Bride. There is certainly freedom of expression within the framework of truly biblical, Apostolic, and orthodox Christian doctrine. But there is no freedom in today’s unholy churches of culture du jour ripe with false teachings, women and transgender pastors, feel-good, consumer-minded, program-heavy, judgment-free, discernment-free, hell-free, free grace, let’s tolerate everyone and everything, prosperity gospel rubbish.
The average local church is typically more interested in human traditions or numerical growth than honoring God through the advancement of, and unity in, the Gospel. The average pastor/preacher is more interested in material blessings and the approval of men than the privilege of ministry and the approval of God. Churches are neglecting and deferring God-ordained church ministries to parachurch and other secular organizations. Churches are also neglecting God-ordained biblical leadership roles intended for men and surrendering them to amazing, talented, and wonderful women of equal value but designed for different roles. Sadly, anyone taking an overtly exegetical complementarian stand is today ridiculed, chastized, and labeled an elitist, misogynistic, chauvinistic, and sexist pig unfit for ministry.
What it all exposes is that we want the stuff God offers, but many don’t really want Him. That’s the parable of the Prodigal Son. In it, the son asked his father for his inheritance while his dad was still alive (Luke 15:11-32). What’s happening today is that we, rebellious and independent prodigals, are actually encouraged to wander, and encouraged to squander everything. We’re encouraged by the crafty serpent to remain immature, stay disobedient, spend more than we make, live high on the hog, eat the forbidden fruit because it looks beneficial and good - because Satan convinces us, “You deserve it!” Then when disaster comes… just file for bankruptcy… just wait for a government handout… just ask the local church, the one we’re neither a part of, invested in, nor have any real interest in, for some money so we can just hit the repeat button and do it all over again, and again, and again. No consequences. No judgment. No transformation.
But in the story that Jesus told, the prodigal, in the absolute depravity of his separation, hunger, and poverty, enjoyed a spiritual awakening! Luke 15:17 reads, “Finally he came to his senses…” The problem is that in today’s no-ownership, no-accountability, government bailouts, church handouts, blame-passing, everyone else’s fault contemporary culture, the enemy has figured out how to keep people from ever coming to their senses. Satan has figured out a way to keep us asleep. He's figured out how to make us okay with passing both our financial and sin debts onto our children, and their children, and their children… to a thousand generations. He’s figured out a way to make us perfectly content with our slavery to sin, our depravity, and the pods meant for pigs. In doing so, many will never experience the absolute bliss of true reconciliation with our Heavenly Father, the Father who runs to embrace us, even while we're far off, and welcomes us home again by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone - forever and ever!
The litmus test is there, but many have grown so comfortable and so complacent that they’ll never come to their senses. The enemy has dulled their senses and duped them into calling their revelry in the muck of sin's pit - far from the Father’s house - “church.” They’re calling being fed comfortable and soothing lies - “preaching.” They're calling being locked in a prison of sin - “Christianity.” They’re saying to those pleading with them to come to their senses, “You misogynistic, judgmental, legalistic hypocrites need to mind your own business!” To which we echo Scripture:
Awake, awake!
Rise up, Jerusalem,
you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord
the cup of His wrath,
you who have drained to its dregs
the goblet that makes people stagger.
-Isaiah 51:17
We shout with love, "Wake up!" Please call out to God NOW and ask Him to bring you to your senses. Turn from your sin to the Lamb of God and be born again by the Holy Spirit! When you do, you’ll immediately be welcomed into The Father’s loving arms. Then, the real and everlasting blessings you truly long for, not the transient prosperity byproducts Satan is hawking, they're awaiting you in Christ Jesus, our incarnate, baptized, crucified, resurrected, ascended, returning, and eternal King of Glory!
This is what your Sovereign Lord says,
your God, who defends His people:
“See, I have taken out of your hand
the cup that made you stagger;
from that cup, the goblet of my wrath,
you will never drink again.”
-Isaiah 51:22
Thank you for reading, commenting, and sharing!
Grace and Peace,
Kevin M. Kelley
Get your copy of UNSTOPPABLE!
"The World's Greatest Kids Book"
by Kevin M. Kelley >>HERE<<
WATCH >>HERE<<
Kommentare