From White Knucklers to White Washing

Humans have an uncanny ability to resist God in a thousand ways. We may not even be aware of our own ploys when we want to avoid what Jesus is asking us to do. Older Christians can remember when the preachers used to present God’s gospel message to those in the pews so rigorously that conviction would be all over the person that was avoiding the call of Christ. When they were asked to make a decision the convicted person griped the pew in front of them until their knuckles would turn white. Preachers are afraid to preach sternly today so the message has been watered down to make people feel comfortable. They claim they are teaching the way of love but preachers have forgotten that our God is merciless when it comes to a sinful or unbelieving life. The fact that nobody is convicted of their worldly life style is proof that the Gospel message is now being white-washed. Maybe we should call our reluctance to serve God the “White Plague”. White washing is dreadfully insidious. It causes people to misunderstand the Gospel message.

The one commitment that people fear the most is leaving the life that they love and living a life dedicated to God alone. The fact that the Church person today is normally living an ungodly life is repulsive to God. There are many passages presenting this truth, for example; They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires… They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them. Jude 1:18-19 (NLT) This verse even gives us the remedy for our worldly lives, God’s Spirit in us. No matter how righteous we think we are, all our lives are ungodly until the Spirit is obeyed. If we know how we should be living but are doing something else then we are not obeying the Spirit. Our old nature is always demanding that we please ourselves rather than God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. Eph 2:2-3 We must have a change of nature (which will change our life) or we will face God’s wrath.

Justifying ourselves has become a way of life for Church people. Today loving our family is considered a life of righteousness along with other noble pursuits. Doing good deeds is being used as another way to resist what God actually wants for us. When Jesus walked this earth this was part of His message; If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. Matt 10:37-39 (NLT) Jesus did not white-wash his message because it is dangerous to risk losing an eternal life with God because of the pleasures of our short life here. Many people say we have no right to talk to them like this. They feel that they deserve new cars, boats, houses and all the pleasure they can find in life. They cannot understand that we really worry about their soul because replacing God with things today will result in Hell forever.

Another way that we resist God is to simply ignore Him. This is very popular among non-believers as well as Church members attempting to gain heaven without giving up this world. We are warned about this mental white-washing; For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? Heb 2:2-3 (NLT) This verse makes it clear that if we ignore the new life provided by Jesus, we will be punished. It is difficult to live by the truth when it has been white-washed by the organized Church. When we stand up against the Church we will be persecuted the way Paul was in his day. Although it is unpopular let us take a pledge to obey the truth and refuse to put up with the white-washing.

Most of us are aware that the truth has fallen in our country. But God gave us the Scriptures and Jesus has sent His Spirit so that we could live by the truth. Paul said to us; Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. Eph 4:21-24 (NLT) Yes, it is hard to believe but our new nature was created to make us like God. This will require us to completely give up the world and not to resist God in any way.