Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Although I don’t completely agree with all of them, most of the church oriented articles I read from time to time in a favorite Christian website, (crosswalk.com) are very enlightening and informative. Nevertheless, after reading the article I often check the reader’s comments section to see what others have to say about it. Almost every time that I do, however, and regardless of whether others share my same view or not, I am saddened and distressed to see how so many of these supposedly professing Christians express themselves.
In the end, this current trend should neither shock nor surprise me when I take into account what Paul warned Timothy about in his letter to him. (2 Tim., Chapter 3) He described the general character of people living in the last days, including those who would pass themselves as God’s people. Verse 5 reminds us that they will have a form of godliness but their actions and words will plainly deny the fact. Among other things, they would be boastful and proud, and love themselves more than anybody else. Reading some of their unkind posts, you should quite easily identify these character traits in them. Paul added that they will consider nothing sacred and although we cannot consider any human being as being sacred, to say disparaging remarks about a servant of God who has proven over time to be faithful is to speak against the sacred work God has called him or her to do. If we are commanded to support and pray for all who are in authority or in positions of leadership, (see Romans 13) this most certainly will apply to God’s servants as well. None of God’s servants is exempt from error and although they may be wrong in their stand or in the application of His word, they do not deserve the accusations or name calling many of these so-called Christian respondents make.
Can we seriously take into account the opinion or position expressed by people who are cruel, vindictive, and slanderous? Can we really think that others will believe us when we share the gospel with them if we are acting more like the children of the devil than of God? As I have said in previous articles, there are many out in the world who constantly talk about the love of God, yet you never see it in their own lives. Again, in verse 5, Paul told Timothy:“From such people turn away.” You do the same. If you ever find yourself in a Christian forum and you see some respondents being very unchristian, don’t take them seriously and don’t permit them to ruin your day or put a damper in your walk with Christ.
Memory verse for the week: (Psalm 34:10 KJV) “The young lions do lack , and suffer hunger : but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.”
