The Cultural Christian / The Cultural Pastor Part 2 of Many
Maybe this movement has "good intentions". Maybe they see this as becoming all things to all people in order to save some. Maybe they see no other choice but to dumb down the message and the service (substance and style), because everything about everything is being dumbed down in all aspects of life today. As "good" as the intentions may be, let the Word of God shed light on what is falsely called light; on what is actually Satan's greatest tool, the Cultural Christian/Pastor movement.
"And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."
(1Co 2:1-5)
Cultural pastor, your cunning, crafty, "intelligent", culture-soaked worship may bring up the number, but it's not the number of souls saved that are rising. Stop relying on your wisdom, the wisdom of men, the wisdom of the world, and rely on God to prick the hearts with the unadulterated Gospel message that Paul vowed only to teach. Do not be ashamed to stand up and speak truth, the Gospel. Accept that God did indeed choose the foolishness of preaching to save His elect.
"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
(1Co 1:18-31)
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"Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you."
(1Jo 3:13)
"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
(Joh 15:18-20)
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
(Rom 12:1-2)
"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began"
(2Ti 1:8-9)
"So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth."
(Rom 1:15-18)
To be continued...
"And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."
(1Co 2:1-5)
Cultural pastor, your cunning, crafty, "intelligent", culture-soaked worship may bring up the number, but it's not the number of souls saved that are rising. Stop relying on your wisdom, the wisdom of men, the wisdom of the world, and rely on God to prick the hearts with the unadulterated Gospel message that Paul vowed only to teach. Do not be ashamed to stand up and speak truth, the Gospel. Accept that God did indeed choose the foolishness of preaching to save His elect.
"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
(1Co 1:18-31)
------------------------------
"Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you."
(1Jo 3:13)
"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
(Joh 15:18-20)
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
(Rom 12:1-2)
"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began"
(2Ti 1:8-9)
"So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth."
(Rom 1:15-18)
To be continued...
4 Comments:
At 6:34 AM, JavaMama said…
AMEN!!!!
At 7:49 PM, Anonymous said…
AND AMEN!
mama kat
At 12:09 AM, Mister Jason said…
But, Rick? Obviously the Spirit is moving in the words of Mr. Osteen. I mean, look at all those people who show up! Reminds me of that great revival not too long ago back in Salt Lake City, Utah. The numbers! My, the numbers! That Brigham Young was as powerful as today's Joel Osteen! And that Joseph Smith! My how he could wield the Urim and Thummim. Oh, and let's not forget that there are more people in the world that are not Christian than there are that are Christian. So, numbers don't lie Rick. Obviously, the Spirit is moving bigtime amongst the unbelievers. There are so many of them! How could you deny that the Spirit is working, bro! Your blog makes me want to put on my clown suit, or should I say FOOL suit?
At 2:26 PM, Brandon said…
You are the most cynical person I know, Jason! Well, at any rate your little response made me miss you… a lot!
BJ
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