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Pleasing in His Sight |
Dear Brethren,
The institution of the Roman Catholic Church
claims to possess infallible divine authority from God when
establishing matters of faith and morals. Do Church of God
organizations possess divine authority from God over its ministers and
members? And, does a Church of God organization possess
divine authority to disfellowship ministers who do not recognize
that alleged divine authority? "Nevertheless [even] among
the chief rulers also many believed on [Jesus]; but because of
the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be
put out of the synagogue." (John 12:42)
Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. We
all know that. We all say that Jesus is the head - but
what does that mean? It does not mean that an organization
has been given that role to head the Church. It also does
not mean that a man leading an organization is head of the
Church. When Jesus gave us the parable of the pounds
showing us how we are to grow spiritually, He equated greater
spiritual growth with greater submission to Him as the head of
the Church. Jesus is the head of the Church – It is He who
reigns over us.
"[Jesus] said therefore, A certain nobleman
[Jesus is the noble man] went into a far country to receive for
Himself a Kingdom, and to return. And He called his ten
servants, and delivered them ten pounds [measures of Holy
Spirit], and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But His
citizens hated Him, and sent a message after him, saying, We
will not have this man to reign over us... But those mine
enemies, which would not that I should reign over them,
bring hither, and slay them before me." (Luke
19:12-14, 27) We must learn to be ruled by Christ as the
head of the Church before we will be qualified to rule with Him.
We live in a world of growing religious confusion and toleration of
wrong beliefs. Too many people think that God is
pleased with every expression of religion no matter
where it comes from – including the Pope or Protestant
evangelists. God is not pleased with any false church or
teaching. Even the Church brethren are being tempted to
tacitly approve of non-Scriptural doctrine and practices by
those in other
religions who say they “love the Lord.” Let’s remember
that our God is a jealous God and all who worship Him must do so
in sincerity and truth. “Thou shalt worship no other god:
for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”
(Exodus 34:14, Deuteronomy 4:24, 5:9)
It has become politically correct to accept every form of religious worship.
It seems that no matter how outlandish a group’s beliefs and
practices are, they are quickly and openly embraced by those who
wish to demonstrate how open-minded they are. God is not
open-minded when He says, "You shall have no strange Gods
before me." Here in America there seems to be a
free-for-all when it comes to Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and
every strange god. The very fabric of our American religious
culture is being unraveling due to immigration of non-Christian
peoples. Our founders intended America to be a Christian nation
under God.
In the beginning, America was founded as a Christian nation. But
even as a Christian nation we were not of one mind. There were
basically two schools of thought on Christianity. First: Those
men who followed the Pope taught that Christian expression
extended, unbroken, from the time of Jesus Christ on earth up to
today. In other words, the Catholics teach that their religion
is the religion that Jesus taught – it is not. They believe
that the Pope has the authority from God to make any religious
decision he deems necessary. The Pope and his Roman Catholic
Church believe in an institutional / organizational church
having the authority of Christ and divine direction to rule
without error and infallibly. Therefore, they believe, because
they have a divinely ordained institution, they always judge
correctly. They believe that when it comes to faith or morals,
the Catholic Church is infallible, and cannot and should not
examine itself – for to do so would reveal a lack of faith.
The Roman Catholic Church necessarily overlooks all the
admonitions that warn God’s Church brethren of false ministers, false
doctrines, and false Gospels.
The second school of thought on Christianity recognizes that the principles of
Jesus Christ have been corrupted and man must endeavor to return
to the Christianity of the “original church.” Protestants
fall into this category, but come very short of making a clean
break from their mother church. Protestantism came out of
the Catholic Church (Revelation 17:5). The Protestants
declared that their goal was to return to the doctrine of the
“Original Church” – and yet they kept most of the Pagan
doctrines of the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church
altered every principle, law, and command of Christ and returned
to Paganism – that is where they got their beliefs – including
the Trinity, Sun-day, Christmas, and Ishtar (Easter) worship.
That system of worship is non-Scriptural – it is nowhere in the
Bible.
The true Church of God also falls into this
second category – recognizing that the principles of Jesus
Christ have been corrupted by this deceived world, and the true
saints on earth must endeavor to return to the Christianity of
the “original church.” “I exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the
faith which was once delivered unto the
saints.” (Jude 3)
The true Church of God knows the Scriptural teachings of Jesus Christ and
recognizes the obscene corruption of Christianity within the
institutional churches of Catholicism and Protestantism. There is a great dividing line between the
institutional corruption of the Catholic Church and the
faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
WARNING TO THE CHURCH OF GOD
We, as the
modern-day Church of God, are no more immune from the dangers of
error than was the early Church which was prone to doctrinal
error and apostasy. We must guard the Gospel of Christ with all
due diligence – in every way – both in the written Word and
especially, in practice. Much of the early true Church of God fell
away from the Truth of God into error and heresy (Galatians
1:6). God
was not pleased with those who left the true faith.
It is interesting that the Church of God today so clearly rejects the teachings of
the Roman Catholic Church, while parts of the Church of God
are falling prey to the
same false concept of institutional or
organizational divine authority that the Roman Church
presumes to possess. God has never given any organization of men
carte blanch – unrestricted authority – over the
Church brethren. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church
brethren.
Everyone is to apply the full spiritual meaning of all Christ's
words in every decision they make and every action they take.
Even now, it is
entirely possible to pervert the Gospel of Christ. In all ages,
especially now, to please God we
must diligently seek the spiritual intent of Christ’s teachings,
principles, and values – and apply them in our everyday lives.
If it were not possible for the church to pervert the Gospel of Christ, Paul
would not have said to the churches of Galatia, “I marvel
that ye are so soon removed from Him [God
the Father] that
called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which
is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would
pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from
heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have
preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so
say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you
than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now
persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet
pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I
certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me
is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was
I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians
1:6-12) To please God it is necessary that we earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the
saints.
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| Sermon: |
"Pleasing in His Sight"
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