Although this blog has done its share of bad-mouthing the clergy, I must apologize to a few of the clergy that are not in the category I described. I am referring to those who truly desire to teach and live as described in the New Testament. They are the ones that ought to get their hands and eyes on this blog. They, more than anyone, will recognize that most of the words written herein are seminal words of God that often transcend the material world. If you recognize that there is something extremely different in this spiritual material, let your church leader know about it. You will be blessed for it. Maybe! But I must give a warning: If one preaches according to this blog, if even to a small degree, church membership will drop.
Let me tell you that God receives more glory and joy from ten people who are willing to change whatever in order to conform to His ways than ten thousand stiff-necked people who go to church as a matter of duty, or to show off their holiness and piety. Now, for the rest of the people-pleasing clergy that believe big numbers mean spiritual success, they will laugh this blog off as the words of a frustrated lunatic. If they didn’t, I would believe I am also nothing but an ear-tickler.
Remember, one can be extremely religious and still not be in the least bit spiritual. How so? A religious person will worship “god” while concerned about worldly matters and self-interest. A truly spiritual person lives in a way that displays the truth according to what the New Testament dictates and lets the chips fall where they may; and they will fall. Click on # 2: “Hard-Edged Bible Verses.” That post will put to shame all atheistic clergymen/women who claim to preach the Bible.
As hard as we have it in going the “straight and narrow,” Jesus had it even harder. He was the forerunner. His only role model was the invisible God. Our role model is human and showed us the difficulty of going the right way. Never forget the word “few,” as in, “Many are called but few are chosen.” Are you and I one of the few? I would love to say yes about myself, but most likely not. We may think because we know Christ better than the next person, and because we paint ourselves pretty, we make ourselves believe we are one of the few. Once we think that, we naturally slack off, allow secret pride to set in, and are most likely doomed.
Here is a good example: If our goal is to possess only a million dollars and no more, would we continue to struggle to get that million once we have that million? Common sense says absolutely not. There are dozens of Bible verses that say to seek the Lord, seek the Lord, seek the Lord. It never once says that once you have found Him, you can relax and go into your easy chair.
To sum things up, complacency in religion is the serial killer of billions of naively religious people. It appalls me to think that many millions of “Christians” are not aware of the fact that Jesus had to earn His righteousness by living the perfect life. Through belief, however, we are given our righteousness (actually, Jesus gives us His righteousness). All we have to do is believe we possess the goodness of Jesus Christ and actively make every effort to live up to that very same status.
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