Monday, November 24, 2014

Ask for the Ancient Paths

Today it is so rare to hear about holiness, except for the purely positional kind.  Yet even in the holiness churches it seems that many have returned to the world and the standard has been lowered.  We need to return to the old paths once again!  We need to ask for the old paths, as the prophet said:

Thus says the LORD, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'” (Jer 6:16).

I know that the Lord desires this for His people.  For this is the only way to find rest for your souls.  Yet so many old-fashioned, holiness preachers in days gone by have been ridiculed or persecuted or people have walked away from them on account of their message, and I think many or most preachers today have just given up on preaching the holiness message.  It's not a popular message.

I think the church has accepted the standards of the world.  The Church has said of the ancient paths, "We will not walk in it!"  Many Christians have made the grave mistake of classifying certain things as not sinful, which are in fact sinful in God's sight.  They convince themselves that some things are not sin while knowing the truth in their hearts. They care more about pleasing the world and themselves than they do about pleasing the Lord. That must change, because Jesus is coming back soon, and He is coming for a pure and holy Bride.  There is a place in hell for people who classify certain sins as not sinful.

We need to once again warn people that sin will take them to hell, if they don't repent, and name specific sins, such as compromising, not keeping Sundays holy, watching secular TV, women wearing trousers, jewelry, artificial things like wigs and fake eyelashes, and/or make up, tattoos, smoking cigarettes, addiction to drinking alcohol, worldliness, masturbation, immoral practices on the marital bed, divorce, abortion, using contraceptives, idolatry, rock, rap, and reggae music, dancing that does not glorify Jesus or the Father, embezzling money and accepting bribes, gossip, abortion, keeping boyfriends and girlfriends, failing to evangelize, as well as witchcraft, video games, movies, art that does not glorify God, and secular cartoons. We need to preach the whole counsel of God, not just the parts of the Bible we like. We need to wake up the Church before it is too late. We must rescue souls who are headed for hell. We need to return to evangelizing the lost, which is the duty of every Christian. For there is even a place in hell for those who do not evangelize. (Note: Each of the links in this paragraph leads to articles of mine that cover the corresponding topics.  Before you dismiss any of these as legalism, you owe it to yourself to use the links I've provided to research it thoroughly.)

Some people repeatedly commit "little sins," or things they consider trivial, as Ahab did (1 Kings 16:31), but no sin is little. All sin will take you to hell, if you don't repent!  When some people once asked Jesus about a certain group of Galileans, who had died a horrible death, and whose blood their governor had mixed with their animal sacrifices, Jesus told them that those people were not more guilty than any one else.  He also cited another instance where a tower fell on some people in Jerusalem, in order to show them that those people were not worse sinners than others living in Jerusalem.

Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." (Luk 13:1-5)
Jesus clearly taught here that there are no "little sins."  His message was: "unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."  The same is true today as much as ever.  It is still true regardless of whether you are a Christian or not.  All who live in sin or practice sin will perish.  The difference is that it will be even worse for the Christian who walks in sin when he dies. As the apostle Peter said, "It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them." (2 Pe 2:21).  Truly, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.  The demons will torment that person even more, because they were a Christian. "The servant who knows the master's will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows." (Lk 12:47).

That is why it is high time we sought holiness and consecration to the Lord.  We need to repent, one and all. Repent of your sins and strive to enter through the narrow gate.  Ask for the lamp of the Lord to search your heart. Examine your life.  Cry out as the psalmist did, "See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Ps 139:24).

The Lord bless you with courage and resolve to do what is right.  Ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it! 

Attribution notice: Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted. The photo was originally in the public domain.

Author's note: You are invited to read Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Carrying Your Cross or Cross Dressing?, A Trip to Hell -- in pictures, Michael Shigaba's Encounter with Jesus, The Ways of Life, The Way, Will, and Word of God, Alcohol and Cigarettes -- Ten Divine Revelations, Messages from the Lord for Catholics Worshipping Idols, Keeping Sundays Holy - Part I, Keeping Sundays Holy - Part II, Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Three Divine Revelations, Tattoos and Body Piercing, A Warning for Married Christian Couples, The Straight and Narrow Path, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, and Pleasing the Lord. You may access the Main Directory for this Seeking the Lord blog for more articles like this, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Separation from the World Only the Holy -- Three Shocking Testimonies Angelica Zambrano Hell and Heaven
Baptized by Blazing Fire Taken to Hell Angelica Zambrano Second Visit to Hell
Australian Pastor Raised from the Dead Nigerian Pastor Raised from the Dead Revelation of Hell to Seven Colombian Youths

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"
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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.