What to say about this? The temptation of Christ has many commentators. When I read this, today, the thought that struck me was, again, that the enemy will twist scripture. They will make you look horrible. They will appear righteous. They will wrap th mantle of being a man of God around them.
Suspect any teacher who has a new revelation. He who has a new word, particularly when it follows the pattern of this world. Be very suspicious when you have political actions considered as spiritual duty: they are not. And be careful with those who use proof texts to say what is evil is righteous.
IF your church converges, becomes the progressive project on their knees, then you will have to leave. Look particularly at those who force out the older pastors, those who have careful exegesis, and preach diversity on diversity.
I recall a story a friend of mine told me about his previous church. It was a Lutheran Church with mostly older people and generations of families. There was an older gentlemen who grew up in this church. And over time, the church changed until it really wasn’t a church. During one of the services, this old man couldn’t help himself. During the service, he stood up and with a shaky voice, yelled out, “When are you going to talk about Jesus? When did we stop talking about Jesus?” The service ended right then and there, and everyone left crying and upset. Not because he was right, but because they were wrong. That church was nothing more than a social club.
Later, at this old man’s funeral, his son relayed the story to my friend. His son was wondering if his dad had lost his mind, but my friend remarked that he was the only one who still had his mind at that point.
God leaves the gatherings that leave Him.
As a reformed person, I’m pulling these images from the PCUSA Tweetstream. Their world Mission founding goes… where? The church is liberal and aligns with the progressive policies of the rainbow and the left. quoting Micah does not make a difference.
And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.’”And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
to guard you,’and
“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
(Luke 4:1-13 ESV)
What to do when the opposition quotes scripture? Quote more scripture. Look at the process. And listen to the Spirit. You cannot trust the external signs of theological affiliation. Congregations go rotten, often from the top. And when they do, leave.
The Boss said: “You were worried because your spirit was picking up on the false spirit that entered the church. Now your mind knows what your spirit already knew. The fact that the good pastor was forced out is a strong indicator that you are dealing with some knowingly evil people here, it’s not a series of unfortunate coincidences.”
Progressivism enters the Church as a silent deadly gas and over time removes Christ as the central pillar leaving behind a lifeless husk. And the true horror is that most members of that Church can tell no difference.
One of the things I see among the converged is a creation of concern and the development of new scriptures. The words of the International commission on Climate Control, Freud, or Jung (all are quite error prone) are given the same status as Holy Writ. The Supreme Court can trump the Cross. And if that happens, and a people reject God, do not expect his blessings to remain. Expect instead that the progressives will move to peak stupidity, and take down the institutions of th nation state.
For we have forgotten what we are in church to do. What we were saved for. We are to proclaim Christ crucified, and demonstrate the changing power of the Holy Spirit. In our lives. Using words if needed. The gospel is not about a Marxist analysis of society, but repentance, reformation, and seeking again the forgiveness of CHrist who gave all for us.
Beginning with me.
Jesus was progressive