Subject: has the church preaching remaind faithfu |
Bible Note: Ptr, A few thoughts: 1) Your statement about the condition of the Church could have been said by God’s people in nearly anytime during the last 2000 years. The "True Church" is strong and well (Elijah also thought he was the only one left; yet, there were 7000 who did not bow to Baal.) Also, your view of the church is primarily based on your personal experience while the Church universal is advancing all over the globe. You said, “When we insist on maintaining a standard of biblical truth and Godly holiness, we are often faced with ridicules.” This has always been and always will be the case. Get used to it. But don’t let it cause you to become bitter, but rather allow love to rule the day. 2) You are making some erroneous statements about the religious state at the time of John the Baptizer. The Pharisees were not the powerful rich elite. They did not have staggering growth of numbers (they discouraged Gentile converts and grew their faith mostly through child birth.) The Sadducees ruled the day and the money and the Pharisees worked with them only by necessity (Sadducees controlled the Temple and the Sanhedrin.) The Pharisee was much closer to the people of the land, particularly in Galilee where Jesus did most of his teaching, and not all Pharisees are depicted negatively in the Gospels and Acts. 3) Classifying all "seminary graduates of our day" in one category is undeniably wrong. Making a categorical statement reflects anger in your heart towards individuals who may have wronged you; rather than a faceless "group." When we direct our bitterness towards a group, we misappropriate our disgust and furthermore are unable to reconcile adequately; all of which harms us, not the group. 4) I'd suggest living your life with a "Christ-like spirit, Godly lifestyle, and maintain your faith in this age." This will prove your own words to be wrong, because you are a part of the Church, and when you stand strong on what is right, the Church is strengthened. |