There seems to be some rather strange balderdash floating around the Christian community. Namely, an unspoken disrespect for the Word and promises of God Almighty. Even those who profess to fully believe God's words seem not to go unaffected by this unbelief. I must confess, I too have been affected by it.
What am I talking about exactly? I am talking about a lack of faith in God's promises to us. If we truly and fully realized the purpose and import of the gospel, it would change us completely. If we truly believed every word the Bible said, things would be a lot different than they currently are.
I encourage the reader to go read the book of Acts - it is simply amazing. After the Spirit of God was poured out on the Apostles in abundance, amazing things began to happen. On the day of Pentecost, three thousand souls were saved. Miracles, signs, and wonders were done, and the preaching was powerful and inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Apostles were bold and full of faith. In the chapters that follow Acts 2, we see this uncompromising boldness in the apostles. They were not afraid, even though the world hated them. The Word of God spread, first among Israel, then to the Gentiles. Sin was dealt with head-on, hardly in a seeker-friendly way!
When we read Acts, we look at it and go, "Wow, these guys truly had God working among them!" Then we look at churches today and wonder what is wrong. What is the problem? Why do we seem to wallow in defeat, when we could be walking in victory?
The problem is at least in part that our focus is wrong. If we were to truly realize the full purpose and import of the gospel, a lot of things would change.
God is sovereign and all powerful. There is none above Him, and there is none that can change His mind or alter His promises. He is always true to His word, and He cannot lie. This is underscored in the Bible to the point that we cannot reasonably dispute it.
Why then do we feel a need to doubt His promises? God promised us that He Himself would be with us to the end of the world (Matt 28:20), that He would pour out his Spirit upon us (Joel 2:28), and that if we had faith the size of a mustard seed we could literally remove mountains (Matt. 16:8). He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could even ask or think (Eph 3:20). In Christ we have victory (1 Cor. 15:57). Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). If the gospel is true, we have absolutely nothing to fear, in this life, and in the one to come. Christ has already won. The forces of evil have already been conquered through Christ's death.
Do we truly believe this, or is God just messing with us by giving us promises that we cannot keep?
Think about it.
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