When times get tough, when the church gets cold and boring, when God's people are prospering and have plenty to eat, they begin to look for a golden calf.
In the book of Exodus, Moses had just led his people out of bondage. They were free. They were blessed with the wealth of Egypt. God was with them protecting them with a pillar of fire at night and directing them with a pillar of cloud by day.
Their leader was asked by God to take some time away to commune with Him. The leaders left in charge of the "congregation, " Aaron and Miriam, suddenly had a revelation. We needed something tangible that the people can see, touch and feel to point them towards god.
You know the story! God has furious and he threatened to annilhilate them in the wilderness - save the pleadings of Moses on their behalf.
Today in the 21st century, the church in America, having endured the growth of mega churches and ministries and the prosperous years of the 1990's are once again as was the Church in Laodicea - sick and tired of their blessings and are now looking Christ in all the wrong places.
Colossians 2 (Read this passage carefully)
For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels (New agers) , intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,and not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; which all are to perish with the using); after the commandments and doctrines of men?
Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
Colossians 3:1-3
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. For yet are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
From the Life Application Bible:
The problem Paul was combatting in the Colossian church was similiar to gnosticism (from the Greek work for "knowledge"). This heresy (a teaching contrary to biblical doctrine) attacked Christianity in several basic ways. 1) It insisted that important hidden knowledge (revelation) was secret from most believers. Paul, however, said that in Christ we see all we need to see of God's provision for us. 2) It taught that the body was evil; Paul countered that God himself dwelt in a body - that is, he was embodied in Jesus Christ. 3) It said that Christ seemed to be human, but was not. Paul insisted that in Jesus we see one who is fully human and fully God.
In verse 2:8 Paul writes against any philosophy of life based only on human ideas and experiences. Paul asserts that when we know Jesus Christ, we don't need to investigate other religions, cults, or unbliblical philosophies as the Colossians were doing. Christ alone holds the answers to the true meaning of life, because Christ is life. He is the unique source for the Chirstian life; therefore, no Christian needs anything he has not provided. (End of comments from Life Application Bible)
When man's philosophies and traditions start to trickle into the church, we should remember the words of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior and see what he thought of that particular idea.
Matthew 15:1-9
Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem saying, why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
But he answered and said unto them, "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your traditions? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, it is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free? Thus have ye made the commandent of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you saying, "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me." But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandents of men.
Let's continue to look at what Paul said in Galatians 5:1-4
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I, Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
There is a danger to go back to the traditions of man looking for the reality of a relationship with Jesus Christ, because it isn't there. Paul said the traditions of man, which in his case was from jewish traditions, were only a shadow of things to come.
Once Jesus Christ came he fulfilled those traditions and even so stated on the cross when he cried out, "It is finished." The heavy veil in the temple that separated mankind from a holy God in the Jewish tradition was rent in two.
Let's be careful as we intercede and pray and gain more wisdom and knowledge of natural and supernatural things that we don't forget the last commands of both Jesus Christ before he ascended to the father and of Apostle Paul before he was execute.
Jesus Christ: "Wait for the promise of the Father which year have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence...But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:4b,5, 8
Paul: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kindgom; Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of they ministry."
The Church needs strengthening. The Church needs Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith! The Church needs revival.
The message of the gospel of Jesus Christ has endured centuries of attack, of compromise, of tradition, of heresy! But the genuine message of the Gospel has withstood every attack from the enemy.
What is the gospel: "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotton son, that whosoever would believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
John 3:16
It's that simple! We don't need a golden calf if we have Jesus!
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