Moment in the Word
Tue, 04/23/2024 - 2:54pm
admin
By:
Edwin Woolsey
Ephesians 5:11 - Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
Recently, I witnessed a ridiculous display of sacrilege in a large church that is renowned in our local Ozark region. I have a right to speak about their shameful behavior because I grew up in this same denomination from the time of my birth, as my mother did before me. I know the godly standard that the organization once claimed, "...and HOLINESS, without which no man shall see the Lord (Heb. 12:14)," but sadly, I currently note the low pit into which they have gradually sunk.
Consequently, there are situations that DEMAND that God's House be cleaned! As Christ plaited a whip after descending the Mount of Olives, He knew exactly what He must do... purge the Holy Temple (Matthew 21:12-17)! There was absolutely NO WARM-FUZZY, TOUCHY-FEELY ACCORD between light and darkness as the leather strap fell across the backs of those who perverted true worship. God intended His Residence to be a House of prayer... not a den of thieves (entertained by sword swallowers and half-naked men on stripper poles)!
Every time Christ laid the strap to the crooks' backs, each targeted blow stung because Jesus fully intended to make it sting. After the Holy Temple was finally rid of human wickedness, Scripture never suggests that God's Son "kissed and made up" with those banished individuals who promoted their unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11)!
As the salt of our Christian profession becomes unsavory today and the Church's light fades for lack of spiritual oil (Matthew5:13-16, Matthew 25:1-13), God's House again needs to be scrubbed clean!
"I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 - Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 - But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate." (Revelation 2:4-6)
Although a few Christians in the Western Church still hate what God hates, yet most have abandoned their first spiritual love to dabble in things that are profane (under the guise of tolerance). Tragically, in these Last Days, this is the wrong moment to tolerate the defilement of our spiritual house with the fruitless works of darkness because, even now, Jesus bids, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock!" (Revelation 3:20)
Please be advised, while time briefly remains, "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." (1 Corinthians 3:17)