“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” ~ 2 Chronicles 7:14
But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream – Amos 5:24
We should all find it amazing how we want the sinners to stop sinning, while all the time sin and iniquity runs rampant among our ranks. The churches are filled with people who sing great songs and listen to sermons geared towards their success and self-importance. Yet, how often are they confronted by the stern rebuke of a watchman who demands that they turn from their sins and follow after God.
We were transformed from sinners to saints by the power of the Holy Spirit to live in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus set forth our primary focus – to place the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first in all that we desire and do (Matthew 6:33). If the Church does not walk in the Spirit, Who alone produces righteousness and true holiness, then we are powerless. Our decaying society around us reveals that the wall against iniquity was daubed with untempered mortar, and the hinderer of iniquity forsaken (Ezekiel 13:10-15).
God is not interested so much in all the niceties we present to Him in our churches. He redeemed us from sin and darkness so we might walk in the beauty of His holiness and the majesty of His righteousness (1 Peter 2:9-10; Ephesians 2:1-10, 4:17-24, 5:1-2; Philippians 2:1-10; Romans 6). If we think somehow God is going to be pleased with all the things we supposedly do for Him while all the time we continue in sin, then we are wrong. God wants our lives to be filled with His Spirit and with His ways (Ephesians 5:17-20; Colossians 3:12-17; 2 Peter 1:3-11). He wants us to stand in the place of Jesus and declare to the world around us the goodness and beauty of His mercy, love, and glory. All Creation is crying out to see the Kingdom of God revealed in our lives through judgment and righteousness (1 Corinthians 15:34; Romans 8:19-22; Psalms 33:5, 37:6, 103:6, 106:3; Proverbs 8:20; Isaiah 5:16, 16:5, 33:5, 56:1, 26:9; Jeremiah 9:24, 33:15; John 16:8-15).
Note: This is reposted from the Daily Bread 4/19/2025 – Pastor Mark Spitsbergen, Abiding Place Ministries.
Thank you Pastor Mark for being a Faithful Watchman in the House of God – Rob White
The Need to Repent of False Doctrine
In Revelation chapter’s 2 & 3, Jesus is addressing the churches in Asia…
False Doctrine – what is it?
If the Word of God is sound doctrine, even good doctrine, I think it is safe to say that false doctrine is anything that is not the Word of God! Does that make sense? That’s not too hard to understand 🙂
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Why is false doctrine bad?
Well, for starters, it is NOT the truth. Jesus said to those which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31-32).
Anything that is philosophy, vain deceit, or the traditions of men will spoil you (Colossians 2:8, Matthew 15).
The Word of God illuminates the ways of God – the ways of life – and the way to live His life of love, faithfulness & joy.
The Word of God also illuminates the ways/rudiments of the world (Colossians 2:8 & 1 John 2:15-17) – all those things to avoid … “Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.(Proverbs 4:15).
How can you continue in His word if you don’t know it, obey it, and confess it?
The Word of God is instruction. False doctrine is false instruction … follow after false doctrine, and you will end up in the wrong place …
Instead, lose the false doctrine that holds you back from knowing intimacy with Him. Stay in His presence, seek His face, and shine with the love and glory of God!
The Wages of Sin is Still Death
In the Church, many have heard God’s word, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
We are so thankful for Jesus! The One that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father! To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever!
Many in the church, however, don’t understand that the wages of sin is still death 🙁 I’m afraid their love for God has waned, and they are no longer intimate with Him; perhaps they have forgotten they were purged from their old sins (2 Peter 1), or have been taught incorrectly.
God’s word, the Bible, teaches us that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump (Galatians 5:9; 1 Corinthians 5:6).
In the context of Galatians 5:9, the “sin” might seem like a trivial matter … a “squabble” over religious doctrines … but wow, where will this sin lead?
And in the context of 1 Corinthians 5:6, with something so overtly sin (sexual immorality) … what was going to happen to the individual committing the sin? And how compromised is this church? The person, practicing sin, is dead spiritually, and doesn’t have communion with God. And unless he repents, confesses his sin, and turns away from it, he will suffer the consequence of hell and eternal damnation. And the end of the compromised church
It really is that simple. The same goes for ME and YOU and every church today. God is no respecter of persons.
Look back at the beginning of it all (learn from history) … Adam made a choice (Genesis 3; Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 15:22)- and it might seem trivial to you, that just eating from the tree caused sin to enter into God’s world … but the end of all disobedience leads to death. A little leaven leavens the whole thing. What devastation sin brought to man and God’s earth!
Many in the church believe that sin is okay – in fact, they say “We” will sin more or less every day!” If that is the case, then how are we different from the world? I tell you the truth – if we sin more or less every day, then we are the world! This world, and all of the sin that is in it shall pass away – but he that does the will of the Father will live forever (1 John 2:15-17). Look around today, and you will see all the fruit of sin … division, strife, envy, hatred, sexual immorality, and cursing … everyone seemingly is seeking after their own self-interest, and care very little for each other anymore … (2 Timothy 3:1-7)
The God that hates sin (Proverbs 6:16-19), is the same God that loves life! He loves His creation, and He did not create it for bad, or for evil. His purpose for mankind is clear … He created Adam and Eve and said, “It was very good” (Genesis 1:31) … and to mankind he says, “Choose life and Live” (Deuteronomy 30:15-20) …
God is love – and love doesn’t do sin (1 Corinthians 13). God wants you to “do love” too, and in loving Him you will learn not to do sin (John 14:15). He simply instructs you to “avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away” (Proverbs 4:13-15).
In fact, God condemned sin in the flesh (Romans 8:3) and made a way for us to live the life of Jesus (John 3). Today He stands in His church and pleads with His people, “Do the first works” (Revelation 2:5).
If you find yourself in need of God’s forgiveness, simply come to Him through Jesus. Confess your sins for He is faithful and just to forgive you and to cleanse your from ALL unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Look to Him and begin to learn the life of being born again!
My Redeemer Lives
Sin is a terrible thing! Disobedience to God has eternal consequences! A heart of humility readily receives this truth.
God, our Creator, had a plan to make man in His own image and likeness … and He lovingly did when He fashioned and shaped man with His hands from the clay of the earth (Genesis 1 – 3). The scripture states
Before He created man, He had always hated one thing, and one thing alone … SIN. He protects His creation from it; and instructs all about it – and His life is a testimony against it …
Sin entered the world through one man’s disobedience – the disobedience of Adam, our earthly Father – and because of this all men died – and that spiritual death, which also resulted in physical death, passed on to all men … in other words, we have all inherited sin and death from our earthly Father Adam … we’ve all been born, physically alive, but spiritually dead … we were born in sin, and shaped in iniquity … we lost that spiritual life, that wonderful relationship and communion with Him.
But He did not leave us (Adam & Eve) in the resulting death … He immediately promised the coming Redeemer, He took care of Adam & Eve’s sin, spelling out to man the consequences of His actions, made clothing for them and protected them form themselves by sending man out of the garden so he couldn’t eat of the tree of life and become eternally evil.
The coming Redeemer – Jesus, God’s only born Son ever lives to make intercession for me – for us – for all mankind! God’s promised Redeemer that would destroy the power of sin and death over our lives, by paying the price for our sin – that is death – and because He is the sinless One, death and sin did not have the power to hold Him in the grave, but He arose from the dead, paying the just penalty for sin, and ascended up into heaven, with His own wonderful life giving blood, presented it to our Maker, sprinkling the tabernacle of Heaven and washing away the sin of man forever, for whosoever would be willing to receive His great offering!
Jesus did something for me that I could never do – He rescued me.
He had this testimony before He went to the cross to bear the burden of my sin – “This is my beloved Son, in whom I delight” …
He’s the healer of my body
He’s the lover of my soul
He’s the life giving God
To my eternal soul
He’s the light giving God
Shining through to my soul
He’s the life giving God
Through His eternal blood
He’s the Father of my life
Through the Seed of His Word
Jesus is God’s provision for man’s sin – and his death. Because Jesus lives, we can live! Look to Jesus and live (Numbers 21 & John 3: 14)!