Truth-The Elephant in the Room

 

This past week has been very eventful. A talk show panel member referred to the Vice President, who happens to be a man of faith, as mentally ill because he made a comment in which he said that he talks to, and hears from God.

At a high school in Parkland, Florida, a former student entered the building and committed a mass shooting. People all over the country are calling out in sadness and anger for the government to do something to stop this kind of tragedy from happening again.

What do these events from this week have in common? They ignore the elephant in the room, the root cause, the truth. As a nation, we have gone so far from God, and from His truth, that we cannot conceive of a man talking to and hearing from Him. We have left truth so far behind, that we think legislation can solve the depth and darkness of our spiritual bankruptcy, which is now even destroying our children. Even in the face of these devastating problems, we choose political correctness over truth, and man's ineffectual efforts over God's power to hear repentance, forgive and heal. Relying on the ability of the government to do something about these profound spiritual problems that we are facing today, is like trying to apply a band-aid over a gushing, mortal wound.
Why do so many mockingly refuse to consider the spiritual truth, making it the ignored elephant in the room, and insist instead on their own deficient remedies, even at the cost of the lives of our children?

Jesus, who identified Himself and His Word as Truth (Jn. 14:6 , Jn. 8:31-32 ), was never afraid to expose the spiritual root of a problem or condition. He was never reluctant to speak the truth out of fear of offending someone, because He knew that the truth that He spoke brought life from the dead. He never yielded the truth to political correctness. He never backed away from the truth, even when confronting a man who had the authority to crucify Him:
"Pilate therefore said unto Him, Art Thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice. Pilate saith unto Him, What is truth?"  Jn. 18:37-38
As Pilate went out before the crowd and declared that he found no fault in Jesus, and offered to release a man at the Passover, the crowd demanded that Pilate not release Jesus, but the thieving and violent Barabbas (v. 40). They would rather have a murderer, than THE Witness of the Truth.
Jesus said, not only did He come to bear witness to the truth, but only those who were of the truth would hear Him. This is another powerful statement that He would not compromise for political correctness. The Jews who believed on Him were deeply offended, even to the point of desiring Jesus' death, when Jesus told them that the truth that they know, His word, would make them free (Jn. 8:31-32). They insisted that the fact that they were descendants of Abraham already made them free. However, Jesus told them that because they were rejecting His words of truth to them, they were not of Abraham, but of their father the devil, who was a murderer, a liar, and the father of lies, from the beginning (v. 44). Talk about politically incorrect! Jesus told them that such was their condition that they couldn't even hear His word of truth. He exposed the root of the problem:
"Why do ye not understand My speech? even because ye can not hear My word...And because I tell you the truth, ye believe Me not...And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe Me? He that is of God, heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God."   Jn. 14:43-47 (excerpt)
Jesus described the Holy Spirit, Whom He was sending as the Comforter to us, as the Spirit of truth. He made clear that the world, like those who refused His word of truth above, cannot receive, see, or know the Spirit of truth. We can know Him, because He dwells in us (Jn. 14:17). So why aren't the people of God speaking that delivering, healing truth in the dangerous situations facing our nation?
There are consequences for refusing to hear or know the truth of God.
As Paul talked about the fact that the day of Christ is at hand, he spoke of specific conditions existing as that day draws near. One of those conditions is found in those who are perishing:
"And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."  2 Thess. 2:10-12
One of the consequences of not loving the truth, is that these people will believe a (the) delusional lie. It is the same lie of Satan that was in the beginning, "Hath God said...?" Because they believe the lie, it will not be possible for them to find salvation.
In Romans 1, Paul gives us a list of the consequences of preferring the lie to the truth of God, and it is a sad indictment of the spiritual condition that surrounds us today:
"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient...Who changed the truth of God into a lie..." Rom 1:28, 25
The consequences of this conscious choice to reject the knowledge of God's truth are severe and numerous: vile sexual affections, unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murder, deceit, haters of God, spiteful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful, and these make up only a partial list (Rom. 1:26-31). Even knowing that these behaviors are subject to the judgment of God, and worthy of death, not only do the haters of truth continue in these activities for their own pleasure, but enjoy encouraging others to do so also (v. 32). This is exactly where we are today, and this is our condition.
The Word of truth has exposed the root cause, and it also provides the remedy:
O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: Say unto Him, Take way all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves (sacrifice) of our lips."   Hosea 14:1-2
Upon hearing us turn back to Him, the LORD promises, "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him...Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein."  v. 4, 9
It's time to get back to the righteous foundation, the Godly fundamentals. We need to stop trying to ignore the elephant in the room, and for our own sakes, for the sake of our children, and for the sake of our country, we need to turn back to God, and to His truth. It is freedom, and it is life.

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:Jesus, I want to know You as my Lord, and as my Savior, who covers my sins, and cleanses my heart. Come into my heart, and also fill me with the Holy Spirit, who will lead me into all truth, and will teach me how to follow You. I believe that You are the Son of God, the Messiah, that You were crucified for me, and rose from the dead to give me everlasting life. I believe that You are coming again. Lord Jesus, in Your name I believe, pray, and receive all of these things. Amen.
God bless you.


 



Are You Ready To Come Out?

 

 

 

Jesus taught about a separation that must take place before the Son of Man would be revealed. It is a separation process directed by God. He pointed to examples of this in scripture:

"And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:

They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed."        Lk. 17:26-30

Not only did Jesus teach about a physical separation between those who belong to God and His righteousness and those who have rejected it, but also a separation from anything that might continue the connection between the two:

"In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his stuff is in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise, the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it."     v. 31-34

Jesus refers to Lot's wife as a warning to those who do not make a complete separation.
Twice, the angels, who were sent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, had to separate Lot from Sodom. Once when Lot tried to reason with, and make a compromise with the inhabitants of Sodom who demanded access to the angels in Lot's house. Their desire was to molest the angels. The men of Sodom accused Lot of being a sojourner in their city, who now thought he could judge them. This sounds very similar to attitudes found in our society today toward those who do not compromise the Word concerning sin. The angels physically grabbed Lot to pull him back into his house, and they shut the door (Gen. 19:10). After this separation, the angels blinded the inhabitants of Sodom.
The second separation occurred after the angels commanded Lot to hurry and get out of the city:
"...whomever you have in this city-take them out of this place!...lest you be consumed in the punishment of this city."    Gen 19:12



Yet, even after the urgency of this command, Lot lingered (v. 16). The angels took hold of Lot's hands, and those of his family, and brought him out, and set him outside the city. The angels told him to hurry, because they could not do anything until he arrived at a safe place (v. 22). From that nearby city, disregarding the angels' warning, Lot's wife looked back behind Lot as the destruction of Sodom began, and she became a pillar of salt (v. 26). Sometimes we also are reluctant to separate from the world and the possessions of the world when the call comes. We try to reason and compromise with unrighteousness. We linger, and look back at what is supposed to be left behind. We waver because others, like Lot's sons-in-law, laugh and treat the idea as a joke.  As Jesus said, "Remember Lot's wife."
As Jesus emphasized, the separation must be complete, with nothing compelling us to "look back", or return. In fact, the angels told Lot that God's plan of deliverance could not proceed until His people, Lot and his family, had separated themselves for their own safety. Jesus taught that it would be the same, when He is about to be revealed.
What allowed Lot to finally be physically separated from Sodom, was the fact that he was spiritually separated from it. He was a righteous man who was vexed and oppressed in his soul from day to day hearing and seeing the lawless deeds of Sodom (2 Pet. 2:8). Are we also vexed and tormented in our souls as we witness the Sodom around us, or have we adjusted to it and become "tolerant" of it? We need to get out of it, and separate from it in order for the deliverance of the LORD to take place, in order for the Son of Man to be revealed.

Isaiah talks about a strong city that opens its gates allowing the righteous nation who keeps the truth to enter in. They are kept in perfect peace because their minds and their trust are stayed on the LORD. His name is the desire of their souls. Their souls have sought Him by night, and their spirits have sought Him by early morning. They understand that the judgments of the LORD are not just to punish and destroy, but to reveal hidden evil and teach righteousness to the inhabitants of the world, thereby saving those who will receive it (Isa. 26:1-9). However, though they have prayed and feel that the time of deliverance is at hand, they do not see the deliverance of God until they have come out, and separated themselves:

"Come, My people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past. For behold, the LORD comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood(shed), and will no more cover her slain."      Isa. 26:20-21



This great deliverance that occurs upon the closing in, or separation of God's people, not only deals with the iniquity of bloodshed hidden by the earth, but also brings resurrection of the dead from the same earth:

 

"Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise.

Awake and sing you who dwell in the dust;

For your dew is like the dew of herbs,

And the earth shall cast out the dead."    Isa. 26:19

 

As Jesus told us in Lk. 17, the separation of God's people must come before God's deliverance is seen, and the Son of Man, seen above in Isaiah as The Resurrection, is revealed.

Scripture also describes the demonic stronghold of Babylon, which is drunk on the blood of the saints, and is the mother of all the abominations of the earth (Rev. 17:5-6). It will be judged, and the earth will be delivered from her. The earth will be delivered from the plagues of death, mourning, and famine which are contained within her (v. 8). As Jesus warned us in Lk. 17 not to even take the time to go back for our goods, all of Babylon's riches, luxuries, goods, precious objects, merchandise, all the things which are rich and splendid, even the bodies and souls of men belonging to her, will be destroyed with her:

"For in one hour such great riches came to nothing..."     Rev. 18:17
Some think Babylon is a false religious system, rather than a political/commercial power, perhaps even an apostate church, which opposes the true Church, the Bride of Christ. F.B. Meyer, commenting on this possibility said, "...the seat of the great apostasy. If that be the case, the merchandise described here does not refer to literal commerce, but to the carnal delights which are often permitted and fostered by false religious systems to win the adhesion of the worldly and unclean."

Many would say that an apostate church has indeed permitted, and even fostered carnality at its worst in order to draw souls with the promise that all is allowed and tolerated. This false religious system would also certainly prosper in a world where repentance is despised. Either way, as the time of this judgment and deliverance approaches, once again, the call goes out from heaven for the people of God to come out of her, and separate themselves from her:

"And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities."        Rev. 18:4-5

 

The time grows near, and the call is going out from heaven to the people of God saying, "Come out of her!"  Are you ready to come out?

*Note: Top photo: Lot's wife looks back
            Second photo: Lot's Wife Pillar, Mt. Sodom, Israel