For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. Titus 3:3-11
The current thing. It doesn’t matter where we are in history humans are so easily led astray by the latest ‘current thing’. And the institutional Church usually follows along as to be ‘relevant’ with the culture. So where does the latest ‘current thing’ come from? Who is it’s source? Does it come from God or the fallen? Does lust come from God? Does sexual depravity come from God? How long have humans been led away from God’s ‘good gifts’ to the beckoning of extremely brief pleasure trap, or greed, or selfish desires, and snare of the enemy? How many are led astray into religious legalism and control? Using the ‘law’ to beat people into shame and guilt? Who brings the teachings that repentance is no longer needed? The ‘current thing’ might be totally driven by fear and self righteousness. “You are killing me because you aren’t wearing a mask! YOU selfish, racist, evil person!! You are evil because you don’t allow them to inject you with their ‘life saving’ experimental drugs!” The ‘current thing’ has been around since the garden, with the question, “Did God say…?” Then twisting the words of God to fit your excuse for sin and selfish desires. It’s still going on today. The ‘current thing’ is to give up the freedom and sovereignty God has given each individual and turn over your life to the ‘elite overlords’ as their slave, and “you will be happy to own nothing”.
The ‘current thing’ allows entire denominations to cower in fear and give in to the pressures of the culture and then make excuses why it’s okay to ‘ordain’ those as ‘ministers’ who accept lust, and sin as ‘okay’. Certainly greed has been a driving force in the institutional Church system for many, many, years. Bigger edifices, buildings, and more entertainment shows, with bigger crowds equals more money coming into the purse of the church all in the ‘name of God’. “We’ve got to have the latest QR codes on the backs of every plush seat in the auditorium so that people can just give to us from their phones.”
Churches becoming so ‘progressive and woke’ that they see having drag shows for children as a ‘good’ thing. That it’s okay to destroy children’s lives in all sorts of manner (killing them in the womb, cutting off their gender parts to say they are not the gender God made them to be). “Sin and repentance is SO outdated. It is no longer needed, as we know better than God.” It is so prevalent the award shows can blatantly worship satan and hell, and say that they are being ‘creative’.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:18-32
What has happened? The religious leaders have pushed the Holy Spirit out. They have usurped the role of the Holy Spirit. They have pushed out any individuals (prophets) that point out their flaws and sins. They glory in themselves with their fancy clothes and religious ways… just like the Pharisees during the time Jesus walked the earth. The ‘sins’ of the religious leaders continue to this day, and they work hard to cover them up, to maintain their ‘control’ so they can continue receiving the money from the people. What did God give the Body of Christ to keep the leaders ‘in check’? Who is able to discern the ‘sin in the camp’?
Sin will always create consequences. You may be forgiven of the sin if you repent — but the consequences may still remain. “For the wages of sin is death.” Sin corrupts all the way down to the very cells of the individual. We also have to live with the conditions of sin because of our sinful leaders. The very atmosphere is corrupted by their greed for control. They lie and obfuscate blatantly, not caring about their glaring hypocrisy. Then anyone pointing out these sins.. is immediately chastised because they are being ‘so negative’. What has happened? Ichabod = The glory of the Lord has departed. As we push out the Holy Spirit from our midst — the void is quickly filled with evil.
Beware of the ‘current thing’. Do you have enough of a relationship with the Holy Spirit that He can advise you before you adopt the latest ‘current thing’ into your life? Does He guide your life or does the latest cultural ‘current thing’? Here’s the hard truth… either you are for God or you are against Him. And everyone begins in default … of being immersed into a sinful atmosphere … of earth and destined for hell unless…. they CHOOSE Jesus and the Father’s love and forgiveness through the sacrifice of His Son… for you personally. We have to choose Jesus or we remain in the default. We are living in the time of delusion and increasing corruption. Without the Holy Spirit we will be deceived. Don’t think it’s not possible.
What has the Holy Spirit said to you today? Can you hear Him?