Ephesians 5:11-13 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
John Calvin once said, “A dog barks when his master is attacked.” I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent. The charge that is given to the body of Christ is to speak the truth in love. The truth of God is under attack in our nation. We are being told today that there is no absolute truth. The moral condition of today’s society is that everyone is doing that which is right in his or her own eyes. In their determination for self rule, they are bent on attacking the truth of Scripture.
Of course, they label testifying of God’s truth as our “opinions.” Beloved, the Bible is not an opinion. Jesus never said, “I think I created the universe” or “I think I created them male and female.” The glory of God and His truth is at stake every single time His Word is attacked, marginalized, or compromised. God does not need us to defend Him or fight His battles, for in the end He prevails no matter who poses themselves as His enemy. However, that does not mean that we are supposed to lie down and remain silent. It is the responsibility of the church to proclaim the gospel and truth of God in a loving and compassionate way exactly however that truth is revealed in Scripture, and let the chips fall where they may. Creation means creation. Male and female means male and female. End of discussion.
Pastor Ray,
God provides clear guidance regarding another tragic example of today’s self rule:
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.”
Psalm 139:13-16
God did not “think” he saw our substance being yet unformed. He is the truth, the way, and the life. The truth is not an opinion. Life means life. Period.
God bless,
JoseM
The saints will become a witness to their treatment at the hands of those to whom they are preaching, and their testimony will determine the fate of those people at the return of Christ.
Mat 10:18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Mar 13:9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
Mar 13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
Luk 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
Luk 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Luk_9:5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.
The temple of the tabernacle of testimony.
The testimony began to be recorded in the temple of the tabernacle of testimony at the first preaching of the gospel and will end just before the return of Christ. So it will last much longer than the 3 ½ years of prophecy of the witnesses in Jerusalem.
This temple will be opened after the battle of Armageddon and the seven last plagues will be poured out on those who have ill-used the saints – first upon Israel and then on the rest of the world.