October 14
John 7:1-9; Luke 9:51-56; Matthew 8:18-22; Luke 9:57-62; John 7:10-8:20
If the Bible clearly says something and society says something else, every time the Bible is correct and society is wrong. When the majority puts forth an unbiblical viewpoint which is largely accepted by society and the minority or remnant puts forth a biblical viewpoint which is largely rejected by society, the majority is wrong, while the remnant is correct. Is this over-simplified? I don't think so. We live in confusing times because people have lost their source of truth. Wanting to be accepted and liked they latch onto popular movements and deride those who chose not to. People now proudly push forth being "woke". In fact, there are many churches and pastors who have jumped onto this movement. But there is absolutely no biblical basis for this. There is one race, the human race. We have all descended from Adam, and as such the differences in the pigment in our skin do not define us. Trying to shame people for "whiteness", claiming they are inherently racist, need to repent for their being white, etc. is just as wrong and offensive as the many years of white on black racism. God sees no divisions based on the color of one's skin. Do black lives matter? Of course they do. Jesus died for them just as He did for everyone else, and every soul is precious in God's sight. Does the BLM movement matter? That is a separate question. I would state, no, since everything they do pushes an unbiblical narrative. If you disagree, just look at some of the viewpoints of their founders and what they as an organization stand for. Whether it be the racial divide, the LGBTQ movement, abortion, the response to the virus, the cancel culture, everyone must make a choice. If you continue to follow the masses and get your direction through the godless media and the politicians, you might be liked and accepted, but realize this is coming at the expense of moving in a godless direction. Intentional time in the entirety of God's word, counsel from those rooted in God's Word offers clarity, but often at the expense of popularity and social acceptance.
We read in John 7:12-13, " There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, “He’s a good man,” but others said, “He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.” But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders." Jesus, the Son of God, spoke forth nothing but truth. But many were afraid of being "cancelled" if they accepted His teachings. There is a sense of snobbery. Whether biblical or not, if one latches onto the majority, they feel that must be right, as we read in 7:14-15, "Then, midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and began to teach. The people were surprised when they heard him. “How does he know so much when he hasn’t been trained?” they asked." Jesus told the masses to seek the source, not the leaders, as we read in 7:16-18, "So Jesus told them, “My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies." Jesus instructs them further in 7:24, " Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”
Could all those people really be wrong? Yes!! One of my patients, after discussing one of these viewpoints, said that she was shocked, because she thought only uneducated people covered in tattoos and smoking cigarettes held to my view. So much for the lies pushed forth from the majority and socially acceptable circles. And yes, many of those who didn't go to college and who are covered in tattoos I proudly call my brothers and sisters in Christ, and I have more in common with them than I do with those in academic circles. One of the worst trends has been the woke movement within the church. They might be filling the pews, but they are filling their heads with popular sounding unbiblical information. They will leave these sheep worse off than if they had not gone to church at all. Truth is truth, plain and simple. I don't get to decide what truth is, neither do they. God alone gets to decide what is true, as He is perfect and all-knowing. We read in John 8:31-32 (NKJV), "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” If you want to know the truth, don't take my word for it. Commit to spending time in God's Word daily, in it's entirety, with open eyes, open ears, and an open heart, not with pre-conceived ideas, but with a willingness to let God's truth speak forth to you through His Holy Spirit.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: