is it just me?

[nodak]

Am I just getting old, or are we drinking the koolaid of evil in bigger doses than we think?

When I was a kid, there were sure as shooting some doing some awful, dirty, depraved, evil things. BUT it was generally recognized by our society that they were awful, dirty, depraved, evil things. Today it seems even the saved don't know clean from filthy.

When I was a kid, Baptists did indeed disagree among ourselves, and folks of various denominations did indeed disagree with each other. BUT we were very careful to state correctly what the "other guy" taught and refute what he actually taught, not MISTATE his teachings and then scoriate him based on that. Today we seem to want to just paint others as evil, name call, and then storm off in a fit of self righteousness. No different than the world.

One of my personal devotions readings today was from Exodus, various laws. So much of it I was reading with kind of a "well, duh, of course" mindset when it occured to me that in today's world, such common sense teaching is just.....not.....common. We went over and over this stuff as kids--what constituted honoring God and loving your neighbor and what did not. I honestly think most of it would be pretty novel ideas to most of society today.

And I had to wonder--in trying to keep people in church have we stopped winning them to Christ? Have we lost our witness to a lost world because we don't live like we think sin is sin? How can people respond to a gospel if they don't know they need a Savior, and how will they know that if everyone just does what is right in his own eyes?

If the Lord lingers a while longer before returning, how big a whuppin' will He have to give THE CHURCH, not the world, in order to bring revival?

Your thoughts?

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Am I just getting old, or are we drinking the koolaid of evil in bigger doses than we think?

When I was a kid, there were sure as shooting some doing some awful, dirty, depraved, evil things. BUT it was generally recognized by our society that they were awful, dirty, depraved, evil things. Today it seems even the saved don't know clean from filthy.

When I was a kid, Baptists did indeed disagree among ourselves, and folks of various denominations did indeed disagree with each other. BUT we were very careful to state correctly what the "other guy" taught and refute what he actually taught, not MISTATE his teachings and then scoriate him based on that. Today we seem to want to just paint others as evil, name call, and then storm off in a fit of self righteousness. No different than the world.

One of my personal devotions readings today was from Exodus, various laws. So much of it I was reading with kind of a "well, duh, of course" mindset when it occured to me that in today's world, such common sense teaching is just.....not.....common. We went over and over this stuff as kids--what constituted honoring God and loving your neighbor and what did not. I honestly think most of it would be pretty novel ideas to most of society today.

And I had to wonder--in trying to keep people in church have we stopped winning them to Christ? Have we lost our witness to a lost world because we don't live like we think sin is sin? How can people respond to a gospel if they don't know they need a Savior, and how will they know that if everyone just does what is right in his own eyes?

If the Lord lingers a while longer before returning, how big a whuppin' will He have to give THE CHURCH, not the world, in order to bring revival?

Your thoughts?

Question: in trying to keep people in church have we stopped winning them to Christ?

Answer: YES!

Comfortable churches today do NOT teach you to recognize CHRIST in the faces of there bretheren....especially the least of them.

"The Word Dwells Among Us"
In the poor, in the hope of the unemployed, in the courage of the oppressed, in the presence of each other

Question: Have we lost our witness to a lost world because we don't live like we think sin is sin?

Answer: Yes.... but we can arrest & reverse it. We dont see sin as sin, we dont recognize Christ in the faces of our bretheren & we really are afraid to touch the flesh of Christ--(John20:27)

 

[Arbo]

Am I just getting old, or are we drinking the koolaid of evil in bigger doses than we think?



Go downhill, and you're bound to pick up speed.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Am I just getting old, or are we drinking the koolaid of evil in bigger doses than we think?



Go downhill, and you're bound to pick up speed.

Yes you are getting older & my vote is Sweden for giving us Uma Thurman & Ingar Stevens. Then I like the Danes for Prune Danish & Butter Cookies. I cant think of anything a Norwegian ever did that mattered to me. Dont like sardines (well Maybe Edvard Grieg & Peroxide) Then there are the Finns.

 

[Bob Alkire]

I might be wrong but I believe we have taken common sense out of the equation. We are missing the foundation in so many area of life, its all about me. We don't think how what we will do effects others.
I have found so many people who you could watch their actions and know they were Christians, you wanted what they seemed to have. They were the first to help you rebuild your barn, put a roof on your home, help with kids when your spouse was in the hospital and they were there to tell you about Christ and help you with Bible study. Everything today in a lot of churches is this program or that program and many times they leave the Holy Spirit out.
Could it be to many programs and not enough from the heart?

 

[Bro. James]

To sum the problem: we have failed to preach sin, righteousness and judgement to come which points to Jesus and Him crucified. We are in a world of ever increasing amorality--especially the U.S. of A.

This is pretty much as predicted. The love of many has grown cold.

We have no excuse for putting bushels over our lamps.

"Judgement must begin at the House of God."

"Repent and do the first works."


Even so come, Lord Jesus.

Bro. James

 

[HAMel]

If the crowd today has no fear of a vengeful God..., why should they give man's laws or societies moral standard a second thought?

Most churches are awash with little sermonettes intended to make folks feel good about themselves but this is nothing new to any of you. Needless to say there are many Christian Leaders out there seeking the heart of God but it must often seems like shoveling against the tide.

 

[nodak]

Bob--agreed!

It just seems to me as a society we've lost the discernment between right and wrong.

And Hamel--while I agree with you that there is God's wrath to face, there have been Christian groups that maintained morality without fear of a vengeful God. It is something like a family--yes, some dad's keep order by instilling the fear of their fist. But other dad's keep order because the child so loves daddy they would never want to disappoint him.

It just seems we've lost the ability to tell clean from unclean. Case in point--all the news reports and jokes last night about the state house in the state I live in now and the smell of marijuana. Really?????

Seems before we can get folks to either worry about offending a vengeful God OR not wanting to disappoint a loving Father, they have to understand what exactly ticks.....Him.....off.

And we sure seem to falling down there.

And yes, it was the witness of the lifestyle of Christians that made me want to learn more about Jesus, leading to salvation.

 

[Zaac]

Am I just getting old, or are we drinking the koolaid of evil in bigger doses than we think?

When I was a kid, there were sure as shooting some doing some awful, dirty, depraved, evil things. BUT it was generally recognized by our society that they were awful, dirty, depraved, evil things. Today it seems even the saved don't know clean from filthy.

When I was a kid, Baptists did indeed disagree among ourselves, and folks of various denominations did indeed disagree with each other. BUT we were very careful to state correctly what the "other guy" taught and refute what he actually taught, not MISTATE his teachings and then scoriate him based on that. Today we seem to want to just paint others as evil, name call, and then storm off in a fit of self righteousness. No different than the world.

One of my personal devotions readings today was from Exodus, various laws. So much of it I was reading with kind of a "well, duh, of course" mindset when it occured to me that in today's world, such common sense teaching is just.....not.....common. We went over and over this stuff as kids--what constituted honoring God and loving your neighbor and what did not. I honestly think most of it would be pretty novel ideas to most of society today.

And I had to wonder--in trying to keep people in church have we stopped winning them to Christ? Have we lost our witness to a lost world because we don't live like we think sin is sin? How can people respond to a gospel if they don't know they need a Savior, and how will they know that if everyone just does what is right in his own eyes?

If the Lord lingers a while longer before returning, how big a whuppin' will He have to give THE CHURCH, not the world, in order to bring revival?

Your thoughts?

YES, YES, YES!!!:applause:

It does not take a rocket scientist to see that what we think/feel/believe is more important to us than obedience to what God says.

We believe that our "sacrifice" that leads to what we think is Godly is better than obeying God and letting Him get it to Godly.

Case in point and I know it's a worn record. But the CHURCH endorsed that which was against God for President and there has been no repentance because the Church doesn't recognize this wicked deed for what it was.

And there is a lot of that going on in the Church. Our way is better than God's COMMANDED way, yet we will not confess our sins and repent. But we keep wondering why there is no POWER coming from those in the Church to effect the rampant evil.

 

[Arbo]

But the CHURCH endorsed that which was against God for President...

Perhaps your local church endorsed Obama, but I do not believe that the greater Church is in that business.

 

[Oldtimer]

Case in point and I know it's a worn record. But the CHURCH endorsed that which was against God for President and there has been no repentance because the Church doesn't recognize this wicked deed for what it was.

Zaac, please don't include my church in your comment "the CHURCH endorsed". Mine sure didn't.

 

[quantumfaith]

Zaac, please don't include my church in your comment "the CHURCH endorsed". Mine sure didn't.

Ditto, the church I attend did not either.

 

[Arbo]

He's just trolling with old, stale bait.

 

[saturneptune]

He's just trolling with old, stale bait.

A number of members complained about by persistence in calling this poster you are addressing to the truth, and was warned to stop. I enjoy this board and do not wish to be banned. So on the subject of this poster I have nothing to say. I will say I agree with Bob, that, although sin has always been around, an element of common sense has left us over the last few decades.

 

[michael-acts17:11]

The inability of the church to discern between clean & unclean is, in part, due to decades of sin-focused preaching. Preaching on sin, hell, judgement, etc is the same as a father constantly threatening to spank us if we do such & such. That is fine for young juveniles, but it is not appropriate for mature sons & daughters. My oldest daughter is 19yrs old. I haven't had to tell her what I disapprove of for years. She knows what I expect of her. The same is true for us as children of God. We don't need to be constantly berated about what God dislikes or disapproves of. If we know God & study His written Word, we are well aware of what He expects of us.

Christians lack discernment because they are not growing beyond spiritual immaturity. Those who (wrongly) claim to be God's representatives in their lives feed them a constant diet of sin, repentance, & judgement.


For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Heb 5:12-6:1)


And don't blame God for a pastor's sin by telling me that He won't "permit" him to preach beyond the most basic of doctrines. That is absurd. We could just as soon say that God will not allow the Church to evangelize or care for the elderly.