I don't have a kingly nature, either and I do many things like a bull in a china shop. Although I can be very diplomatic when needed, when it comes to things of God, I too can be brutal in my approach.
God doesn't need protecting, but he does use people from time to time who can cut to the chase and tell it like it is. Jehu was anointed my the prophet Elisha to perform a certain task: to rid the nation of witchcraft and idolatry.
Have I been anointed to rid the church of the same thing? I'm writing this blog to find out. I have a simplistic way of interpretation of the Word of God. As this blog continues I will share these thoughts with you.
Well, here it goes....
The Folly of Legalism in the Modern Church
Part One: Thou Shalt Not!
First and foremost, I am not against rules and regulations. The 10 Commandments are the finest set of rules that we have received, and all of them are just as important today as the moment God penned them in stone. But rules that God made are not rules that man makes. Man has a way of interpreting thing to suit his/her own needs, rather than how God intends them to be carried out.
Let me take a commandment like “Thou shalt not kill”, and use that as a launching pad for some personal argument against self defense (or gun control laws), and the notion that we should “Turn the other cheek”, to anyone who wishes to do violence. This is utter nonsense. First, the word ‘kill’ is literally translated to ‘murder’, and read in that context, it makes perfect sense. “Thou shalt not murder.” It’s these types of interpretations from the ‘church’ that throws everyone into confusion and dissension about what God is trying to say. Don’t get complicated. God hasn’t. If someone breaks into your house with the purpose of doing you and your family harm, defend yourself! What testimony is in “Well, the whole family was beaten, tortured and died when the robbers burnt the house down, but at least they turned the other cheek.”? Isn’t it a better testimony to say, “Someone broke into our house last night, but we were able to stop the perpetrator. Thank God, we’re all safe.”
One thing that the Spirit of Jehu cannot stand is for mere humans to put words in God’s mouth. Adding to or taking away from the Word of God is a blasphemy and is warned about at the end of Revelation. In the Garden of Eden, you can read that God’s word was manipulated to serve the human condition, and look where that got us!
Part Two: You Have To. God Commanded it!
Another topic that the Spirit of Jehu is against is reverting back to the law when it’s convenient to gain something. That’s another Blasphemy, and we just HAVE to have things our way. It seems that the general attitude is, “Well, if we’re going to do this God thing, then we need to….” Then fill up notepads, and write documents and constitutions declaring things like what “the initial evidence of being baptized in the Holy Spirit is…” and other such nonsense, like we have a handle on something that awesome as to dictate terms.
There are good rules and bad rules. Jesus summed up all the good ones with love. Problem is, that seems to be the one thing modern day people lack.
Just look at the Law in the New Testament. We still should strive for perfection, but it is not longer the requirement of God. Jesus fulfilled the requirements. Faith puts us in the “requirements fulfilled” column.
The truth of the matter can be seen here.
“Neither circumcision nor non-circumcision means anything. It’s the new Creation that counts.”
Gal 6: 15 NIV
Law is law. One regulation is as another regulation. Time and time again in the New Testament we see that there are two dispensations; law and faith. This is the essence of every writing Paul sent to the churches. IF you want to obey the law, then you will be judged by it. If you don’t want to be judged by the law (the whole law for, it is one) then you need to start believing. I think it funny in 1st Corinthians it says this:
“Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. `Keeping God’s commands
is what counts.” 1Cor 7:19
Well. Wait a minute! If circumcision is the law, then how can this make any sense? It’s simple! If you are going to living under the New Testament, then God’s Commandment to you is to be a new creation!!
Forget all this nonsense about deeds that need to be performed to be good in God’s sight. If you are a new creation then you ARE good in God’s sight. That’s why tithing was replaced by free will offerings in the early church. The Law of tithing died on the cross. Now you give freely to all those in need. And the Spirit of Jehu says, if that’s not the way you see it, I do not have a law and obedience issue, you have a new creation issue.
Part Three: I Don’t Agree!
For centuries, the church has been the cornerstone of what Christianity is in the world. It has survived countless attacks, splits, wars and doctrinal changes, and for the most part, it remains the place to go for communion with god, for assembling ourselves together and for outreach to the lost. I love the church. I don’t want the church to go away. I want the reality of God’s word back into church. Jehu, loved his country, and he knew that only a “violent take it by force” method would work. The scripture even states that he didn’t do everything right, and I doubt perfection will be on my headstone. But watch the news for fives minutes and tell me that the hour is not soon for Christ’s return! It’s close, and the church isn’t ready. You know it. You can feel it in your bones; a conviction that if you see his face today you would know that the church hasn’t lived up to its name, The Called out ones.
You don’t have to agree! That’s the great part of freedom in Christ! You don’t HAVE to do anything, but don’t think that you’ll skip all judgment. There is the judgment seat of Christ that no man, Christian or pagan will be able to avoid. For it is Jesus the Lamb only that is worthy to open up the Book.
(I can’t wait to tear down and rebuild the definition of the word prosperity in my next blog.
