More on Integrity

(Rev.3-4) I think that many, if not most, of what we call the "mainline" church today are bound by the sin of indifference. You might even call it laziness. We just don't behave as if our faith is important enough to inform and impact every aspect of our lives...and in doing so, relegate Jesus to the sphere of "nice to have when we need him"

Lest we think that this is a new phenomena, one has only to look at the letters to the churches in Revelation chapter 3. The churches in Sardis and Laodicea treated Jesus with contempt. In one, Sardis, it was covered well. Jesus said, "you have the reputation of being alive, but are dead!".(1) They were essentially playing at church without any commitment to the faith that was supposed to support and uphold it. There was a remnant, but even that was at risk unless there were some drastic changes.
There are many churches in our own society, like Sardis, just going through the motions. Jesus said, "Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief and you will not know what hour I will come against you." (3)

The second church, Laodicea, is also luke-warm, but in a lot worse shape. Jesus describes them as, "wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked" (17) And this is a church community! He said, "I know your works: you are neither hot nor cold. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are luke-warm, and neither hot not cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Folks, here is a church community desperate to straddle the fence between the world and faith...desiring to belong in both, and committing to neither. Unfortunately, this is also an accurate description of many groups of Christian believers today. The message here is plain. It can't be explained away as a first century cultural thing. Lukewarm faith will result in expulsion from the kingdom...full stop!

All is not lost, though. It never is. With Jesus there is always an avenue of redemption and restoration. God is still calling these churches to repentance. He is still willing to restore them to full fellowship. There is a narrow window of opportunity which will indeed slam closed without warning...but for the moment remains open. God is inviting us in the same way to examine our journey of faith...and to see of we are lukewarm, just playing at it...and if so, to repent and return. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears and opens, I will come in..."(20). Why not consider doing just that today?
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry