Something for Everybody

It’s true, there really is something for everybody. There’s a market for everything under the sun. Same is true with religion/spirituality/faith, or whatever you want to call it. The question is, do you know what you’re really looking for, and have you found it? Maybe you have truly found the Lord, or rather been found by him. The result of that is to be baptized by Jesus with the holy Ghost (Jn. 7:38,39; Acts 5:32). If you haven’t gotten to that place yet, then you need to get there, that is if you’re really looking for the reality of Jesus Christ (Jn. 16:7; Acts 1:4,5; Rom. 8:9). If you have, then the question is, does the spiritual environment that you are in regularly, meaning your place of worship/fellowship; do nothing but feed into the holy Spirit that you have received? The only thing that can feed into the Spirit of God is more of the Spirit of God; which is to say that the only thing we can add to a “new creature” in Christ is more of a new creature (Gal. 6:15; Col. 3:10-15). And that “new creature” is in reality our spirit being joined to the Lord’s Spirit, making us one with him (II Cor. 5:17; I Cor. 12:13; I Cor. 6:17; II Cor. 3:17). Now that my friend IS a “new thing under the sun” (Eccl. 1:9). Of course it has been going on for almost two thousand years, so it’s not so new now really. But I’ll tell you one thing, it is an experience that will not only make you new, it will also keep you new if you let it. But the only way to truly grow in that “newness of life” is to be fed doctrine that does nothing but support and promote that “newness of spirit,” and then apply that doctrine to your life (Rom. 6:4; Rom. 7:6; I Tim. 4:6; I Tim. 4:16; II Tim. 3:10; Tit. 2:7). And that brings us back around to the point. If you’re looking for a religious environment somewhere that is ‘established’ with a large following, recognized and acceptable to the general Christian community; there’s plenty of that out there.

That kind of environment however will not add anything to that new creature, and in fact it will subtract from that newness of life that God has given you (Mat. 7:13,14; Lk. 16:15; II Pet. 2:1-3). Maybe you’re looking for something where deep, dark mysteries that nobody else knows about are the prevalent theme. There’s more than enough of that to go around as well, but that kind of an environment will shrivel also up that new creature (I Cor. 2:4,5; Col. 2:4,8,20-23; I Tim. 1:4; II Tim. 4:4; Tit. 1:14; Heb. 13:9). Maybe you like more of a small, informal environment, as long as nothing is said to challenge your faith or reprove your sin. Well sure, you can find that too, but again it will only serve to the slow death of the new creature that God has made you through the Spirit baptism. There are plenty of other options that one may be looking for, and they can be found as well, but that should suffice the point. But maybe you are just looking for that perfect peace, and that wholeness of love that can only be found by being truly one with Jesus, and staying that way. Or maybe you have been trapped in one of the circumstances mentioned above, thinking it was the right thing, yet waxing weaker in the capacity to live without sin and to hold to your 'first love’ and joy. If that is the case, and you can honestly identify that, then I have good news for you. God has a doctrine of truth that fits that new creature to a tee, and does absolutely nothing but add to the love, joy, and peace, that is that new creature’s essence (Rom. 14:17; Gal. 5:22,23; I Tim. 1:5-7). That good news does not come without a price however (Prov. 23:23; Mat. 13:45,46; Lk. 14:33). If you really want the truth which alone preserves the heart and soul in the love of God, you will have to be willing to receive it and continue in it under certain terms. First of all you are going to find that as happy as you may be with finding the real truth of God, those around you are not going to be so happy; and that very much includes God’s people. It has always been that way (Jer. 15:16,17; Amos 7:12; Lk. 6:22,23,26; II Tim. 1:15; II Tim. 4:10,11).

You will have to be glad to be identified with those who are not popular among God’s people, and in fact are labeled as enemies to 'the faith’ in almost every circle (Psm. 69:8,9,12,20; Isa. 53:3; Jer. 38:4-6; Jn. 1:11; Acts 6:8-15). Why do you think that God’s own people killed the prophets, and were responsible for the death of Jesus? Do you really believe man has changed? If so, when did he do so and how? Don’t be naive. In following after and continuing in the Spirit of truth that has taught me for many years, I can tell you that I am a down right spectacle to almost everyone in every circle of people that I know in the body of Christ, meaning God’s own Spirit baptized people; and I know a whole lot of God’s people in a whole lot of circles. If you truly walk with God, and you truly know and love his truth, you will have to be content with the fact that God’s people are going to be sure to keep you at a safe distance at almost every turn. And why is that? Because God’s people do their level best to keep God at a safe distance while telling themselves they are walking hand in hand with him. But my friend, any distance from God is in reality a very unsafe distance indeed. If you want to truly grow to maturity in Christ, you will not only have to be very patient and content to do so, but you will also have to be content when you get there for those who are immature to think you to be an elementary simpleton. How do I know these things? Well I can tell you that I haven’t learned them from books, or even from just reading the Bible. It truly is a wonderful and sweet experience to find God’s real word, but it can also become a bitter experience of persecution and isolation as well, if you continue therein (Rev. 10:9,10; Jer. 20:14-18). Yet the reward for being faithful to the truth of God is far beyond being compared to any suffering that may be done because of it (Rom. 8:18; II Cor. 4:17). Amen.