HOLD TIGHT WHAT YOU HAVE, SO NO ONE WILL TAKE YOUR CROWN !
Sakkie Parsons
Someone wrote to me, and the person is concerned about things that happen in the church and things that don't happen in the church.
I have already written about some of the things that people in the church wonder about, but I would like to share with you again about the church of Christ – but from a slightly different angle.
First, I must understand and have understanding for it, that the church consists of people – and that there is a satan, the god of evil.
When I think back to the church's existence, I remember that the church started with 2 people:
MAT 4:17-20
17From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The First Disciples18As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He noticed two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19And He said to them, “Follow Me [as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men.” 20Immediately they left their nets and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example]
Then the church of Christ grew and later there were 12:
MAT 10:1-2 The Twelve Disciples; Instructions For Service
1Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority and power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
2Now these are the names of the twelve apostles (special messengers, personally chosen representatives): …
Later, the church of Jesus Christ grew so much that Jesus could send out 70 of His disciples two by two:
LUK 10:1 The Seventy Sent Out
1Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them out ahead of Him, two by two, into every city and place where He was about to go.
Then things went very well with the Church of Christ because:MAT 11:2-6
2Now when John [the Baptist] in prison heard about the activities of Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3and asked Him, “Are You the Expected One (the Messiah), or should we look for someone else [who will be the promised One]?” 4Jesus answered, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5the BLIND RECEIVE [their] SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed [by healing] and the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. 6“And blessed [joyful, favored by God] is he who does not take offense at Me [accepting Me as the Messiah and trusting confidently in My message of salvation].”
But then satan put the church of Christ under great pressure.
Because they see their Lord and Savior hanging on a cross and He says:
JOHN 19:30 30When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and [voluntarily] gave up His spirit.
They look at a dead body on a cross and the church of Christ, forget the true gospel of Christ and by their actions and life preach a gospel – but not the gospel of Jesus Christ.
They preach a gospel of being fearful and hiding behind closed doors:
JOHN 20:19 Jesus among His Disciples
19So when it was evening on that same day, the first day of the week, though the disciples were [meeting] behind barred doors for fear of the Jews…
But then Jesus came and raised His church, His bride, from the dust of fear and trembling :
JOHN 20:19 So when it was evening on that same day, the first day of the week, though the disciples were [meeting] behind barred doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.”
They then do what Jesus told them to do – and now read what happen to the church of Jesus Christ. They multiply by 3,000 in one day:
ACTS 2:37-41 The Ingathering
37Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [with remorse and anxiety], and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what are we to do?” 38And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39“For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and for all who are far away [including the Gentiles], as many as the Lord our God calls to Himself.” 40And Peter solemnly testified and continued to admonish and urge them with many more words, saying, “Be saved from this crooked and unjust generation!” 41So then, those who accepted his message were baptized; and on that day about 3,000 souls were added [to the body of believers].
But do you know –
The church then again – because they looked at the people in the world and wanted to be like them as far as possible but still wanted to preach a kind of gospel of Jesus Christ – came to a place, where Jesus wrote a letter to the seven congregations in Asia and with 5 out of the 7 congregations, to put it mildly, was very unhappy.
You can go and read it from Revelation 2:1.
Likewise, the church of Christ, His bride, is today at a low point in her history. Because again we bend over backwards and more and more abandon and lay down our principles and instructions what the Word teach us about how His church should function – to meet man in the world, just like most of the congregations in Asia at the time.
Yes, unfortunately the church, the Bride of Christ, is becoming more and more equal to the world. Just as 5 of the 7 congregations at that time in Asia made evil distortions of the gospel of Jesus Christ and introduced them into their congregation –
Similarly, the church of Christ is doing it again today, because again history repeats itself.
Today, the church of Christ again distorts the Word of Jesus Christ, as He had it written in His New Testament for His church, with the following evil distortion in one form or another:
“Times have changed.
Yes, we know it is written like that in God's holy Word, but times have modified.
They did things that way back then, but today you no longer have to do what is written in God's holy Word for the Christian, because times have changed.
This is how they did it at the time and how Jesus had it recorded for His church, but fortunately we know better today. "
Therefore, there will be many, many people, where the following conversation between them and Jesus will take place:
MAT 7:21-23
21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to Me on that day [when I judge them], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’ 23And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME [you are banished from My presence], YOU WHO ACT WICKEDLY [disregarding My commands].’
This is the great tragedy – but do you know what is so wonderful to know?
You and I don't have to be part of the majority.
Jesus Christ will save His church, His bride, from the clutches of satan – and you and I will be part of this glorious great truth, which we read in His Holy Word:
REV 7:9-10 A Multitude from the Tribulation
9After these things I looked, and this is what I saw: a vast multitude which no one could count, [gathered] from every nation and from all the tribes and peoples and languages [of the earth], standing before the throne and before the Lamb (Christ), dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands; 10and in a loud voice they cried out, saying,
“Salvation [belongs] to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.
You and I are now in the minority and yes, sometimes also those who are made fun of – but I remember what our Lord also had written for one of the 2 congregations, out of the 7 congregations – who stuck to what they have, which they received from His Precious gospel, and I close this writing and encourage you today with it:
REV 3:10-11
10‘Because you have kept the word of My endurance [My command to persevere], I will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial, that hour which is about to come on the whole [inhabited] world, to test those who live on the earth.11‘I am coming quickly. Hold tight what you have, so that no one will take your crown [by leading you to renounce the faith].
Greetings,
Sakkie