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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Jude, #9
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. (Romans 13:1,2—NIV)
We in America are accustomed to calling our most highly placed leaders by their first name or their nickname. In this manner we hope to bring them down to our level.
This is an abomination to God. God is ever a lover of government. We do not please God by rebelling against secular or ecclesiastical government.
If God has called us to pioneer truth, or to do something else outside of the accepted order, we had better make certain we are hearing from God.
When members of a church do not agree with the doctrine of their church, they can meekly bring their point of view to the elders of the church. Having done that, if they cannot bring the elders to their point of view they should go elsewhere. The church will not grow in a wholesome manner while there are people who are attempting to undermine the authority of the church.
Sometimes a believer feels he or she has been called of God to bring about division in a body of Christians. I have never, in more than fifty years as a Christian, seen anyone prosper in God who had set himself to rebel against the authority of a church.
God honors government, whether secular or religious, until that government commands us to disobey God. This does not happen very often. What is more commonplace is a Christian with the spirit of Korah who is seeking to control the church.
These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. (Jude 1:12,13)
Can you imagine Christians having love feasts and such people being in their midst! It was true then and it is true today—in our Christian churches!
They are shepherds but they feed only themselves. They are completely self-centered, working so every benefit accrues to themselves regardless of how other people fare.
They are clouds without rain. They give the appearance of being a source of blessing, but there is no blessing in them. They leave us hungry and thirsty after they have preached.
They are blown along by the wind. They espouse every new doctrine just as long as it makes them popular and rich.
They are autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted. They are as trees in the late fall in northern climates. They have no fruit or leaves but are as bare skeletons against the sky. They may appear to be fountains of blessing to their followers, but the Lord sees them as they truly are. You will get no nourishment from them.
They have no roots in God.
They are twice dead. They were born in sin, as is true of all of us. But now they have died again by their behavior, turning the grace of God into an excuse for immorality.
To be continued.