Christians in Peril.

Romans 7:8-7:25. The Christian today has become a people without a vision. The Lord has said that, with out a vision my people perish.

We work and cannot obtain, we save and spend more, we fight and loose ground, we obtain and have less, we learn and understand little, we pray and little is accomplished.

I wish to share with you a letter some friends of mine sent to me from India.

"Dear Reverend Smith. I can't forget the story I heard a few months ago from one of our missionaries serving the Lord in North India. With scars on his face and back, his body literally bore the marks of persecution. "They asked me to deny Christ," he told me. "They said they would kill me and cut my tongue out if I didn't deny Him." "Stop preaching the Gospel," they demanded, "or we will take away your bicycle and burn you alive."

This sermon is offered as a lesson to all of us in Humility.

Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his saviour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

1Co 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. [Ref, Isa_29:14]

1Co 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

Contrary to popular belief, a Christian's duty is not to become involved in politics nor the rhetoric that comes with it, for as I have said before, The Powers that be are ordained by God. Politics has no business in the House of God. A Christian's duty is to,

1. Love God.

2. Seek out the Lost.

3. Preach the Gospel, to be instant in season and out of Season.

Lets look at, 1 Corinthians 1:19 for a moment.

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

"I will destroy" Who will destroy? [God]

What will He do? [Destroy,] What will He Destroy? [The wisdom of the wise]

Why will He destroy? [Men's words and actions and wisdom are foolish]

1Co 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

[Destroy,] In general, to put an end to; to annihilate a thing or the form in which it exists. To ruin; to bring to naught; to annihilate; as, to destroy a theory or scheme; to destroy a government; to destroy influence.

Man has disputed with God from the beginning and will continue to do so until the end. Wisdom only comes from God. The lost or sinners are always looking at the Christian to see if we are who we say we are and anything that they find wrong is always at the top of their conversation. Paul warns us about this very fact in, 2Co 6:3 Giving no offense in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed.

Article after article have come forth from many of the news papers, condemning the Christian faith because of politics, because of Christian remarks and even condemning the Scripture itself for giving the Christian his belief. The damage has been done but the question is now, "How do we repair the damage and return to the service that we were commissioned for, the preaching of the acceptable year of the Lord?"

My answer, As Paul stated in 2Co 6:3, Giving no offense in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: by putting the blame where it belongs, with us. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is pure and without error. Assuring the lost that the Gospel had no part in the past mistakes of man. Letting them know what was said in, Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his saviour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 1John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

"My little children" We are little Children of the Father and we tend to make mistakes. We will not sin willfully, for it is no longer in our nature to sin. For we are of the seed of our Father in Heaven. But we, as Paul stated, still flawed by the very fact that we are still in the flesh and the flesh is weak. I feel in my spirit that I must include the following verses. Rom 7:8-25 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Many a Christian around the world, are being persecuted for their belief in Jesus Christ. We must renew ourselves in the Spirit and be ready to suffer with those who suffer, as we are, One in the Body with Christ. We as Christians are not an island unto ourselves but we are a guiding light to the world, we are in the world but not of the world. In the world to guide the world to Christ the Righteous. Remember what I stated at the beginning of this sermon? Lets look again. We work and cannot obtain, we save and spend more, we fight and loose ground, we obtain and have less, we learn and understand little, we pray and little is accomplished.

1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

Tit 3:1 put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work.

2Ti 2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

1Ti 4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, where-unto thou hast attained.

I pray that this sermon has helped all of us understand our mission for Christ. Ars.

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries
A.R.Smith Sermons International
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithse rmons/

---

Resurrection Faith (Part 3)

During His ministry, Jesus often made references to His impending... Read More

Let Her Be Covered Part Two

The framework for the message this morning will consist of... Read More

A Commonsense Guide to Exorcism

Bloodshot eyes stared at the crucifix six inches from his... Read More

How to Handle Negative Feelings When Wronged by Someone Else

How does a Christian really handle negative feelings and emotions... Read More

The Wealth of the Wealthy

Some may ask, why can't I have a lot of... Read More

The Rapture, A coming Event; Part 2

The Rapture. Part 2.Revelation 3:10-22:19So far we see in looking... Read More

Why Cardinal Ratzinger Chose the Name Pope Benedict XVI

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected to the papal throne on... Read More

The Bible ? Are Some of Its Words More Important Than Others?

Is the Old Testament equal in every way to the... Read More

Can Jewish Americans Still Have Devout Catholic Friends?

America is dividing again. Jewish Americans are finding it hard... Read More

The Toilet Philosophy

Dr. Robins' observations are beyond mere intuition, they include an... Read More

Does God Promise Long Life?

Over the last 10 years or so I have met... Read More

Gods Breathed

For it is written in the book of 2Timothy 3:16... Read More

Reading the Bible

A friend of mine had asked my thoughts on how... Read More

Biblically Speaking of Evil and National Security

We have been learning to think Biblically and speak Scripturally... Read More

Ministry Of Absence

I was meditating the other day and contemplating the thousands... Read More

White Sun - Tao of Heaven: The Relationship Between Tao and Mankind

The shapeless and formless Tao brings about various elements and... Read More

The Exodus

And the matter of who is doing the abusing is... Read More

Terror; The Lost War

Zephaniah 1:14-1:18{Terror; Intense, overpowering fear.An emotion experienced in anticipation of... Read More

Undoing a Catholic and an Orthodox Christian Feud

There's an anecdote about twins still in their mother's womb.... Read More

Bang, Bang,Your Dead

Zechariah 14:1-14:12Bang, Bang,Your Dead.Preaching the Gospel is an exciting adventure... Read More

Biblical Hermeneutics ? Part 3

Instead of being passive consumers of Biblical commentary, we can... Read More

The Moment of Truth

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated to all of Israel,... Read More

The Greatest Love and Self-image

The Greek language had three words for "Love" First there... Read More

Loyola the Luciferian

Ignatius Loyola ? Luciferian or Heliopolitan:I kid you not! Lucifer... Read More

Give Him a Stone

Luke 11:10-11:13I was raised up in the rural parts of... Read More

Jesus the Pharisee

RESPONSE TO PAULINE CHRISTIANITY: - The whole of Christendom is... Read More

Jihad

Jesus spoke as much about Heaven as He did about... Read More

As the Old Year Fades, So Does My Memory

Memory is a very tricky thing, at least for me... Read More

The Purpose of Creation: the Kabbalah of Transformation

"I want to know how God created this world. I... Read More

Not Just Hearing the Word

Welcome to the website: All about Jesus, I hope you... Read More

Why The Devil Is He Out To Get You?

The devil's agenda for tricking Adam and Eve into eating... Read More

Sex, Lies, & Videotape; Part 2

Acts 5:1-5:10 Sex, Lies and Videotape Part 2. Lies. What... Read More

Is it God Descending from Heaven or Another UFO?

The world that we live in today is in imminent... Read More