The Problems With Contemporary Christianity: Part 4

The Church should be a place where miracles happen and God is worshipped; not an entertainment center!

Problem #6 ~ Contemporary Christianity has caused our churches to become entertainment centers:
In an attempt to rid the church of boredom, we have sunk to a level of worship that is more entertainment than life transforming. People find worship boring and irrelevant because there is no sense of God in it, and they have not been taught who God is. THE INTENSITY OF YOUR WORSHIP IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE INTENSITY OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!
There is a variety of human responses to the sense of the presence of God:
o Some people tremble in terror, falling with their face to the ground.
o Some weep in mourning.
o Some are exuberant in joy.
o Some are reduced to silence.
The one thing you will never find in scripture is someone who is bored in the presence of God. Yet in order to fight boredom the church has involved itself with entertaining rather than inspiring! Let’s make a few key points here:
o Worship is a natural instinct and a basic need for every person. We were

made to worship! We just need to learn that worship should be directed

toward God and not each other!
1. Matthew 4:10 ~ only God is to be worshipped
2. Acts 18:12-13 ~ the Apostle Paul was brought up on charges he was teaching men to worship God
o God is the focus of our devotion in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
1. Exodus 20:2-3
2. Isaiah 6:1-5
3. Isaiah 42:8
4. Revelation 19:10 ~ even angels would not allow man to worship them.
5. 1 Corinthians 14:25
6. Romans 12:1, 2 ~ worship not only with lip service, but with our lifestyle as well
7. Matthew 4:10 ~ only God is to be worshipped
o God alone is worthy of our devotion, praise and worship
1. Psalm 96:9
2. Psalm 29:2
3. John 4:23 ~ worship in spirit and truth
4. Deuteronomy 6:5 ~ worship God with the totality of our being
Here is the problem with Contemporary Christianity; EVERYONE GETS THE SAME PRAISE WE GIVE TO GOD!
1. The preacher comes in: we stand and clap
2. The choir sings: we stand and clap
3. We give an honor to God, and the pastor, and the deacons, and the saints.
4. Someone says “give God a praise” we clap and we might stand
Question: HOW DOES EVERYONE MERIT THE SAME PRAISE AS GOD? It is no wonder the church lacks the power Christ said we could have when we have made everyone equal to God.
Whatever praise we give to God no one else should receive that praise! Because on one else is worthy!
When we clap after the choir sings what is the reason? They sang good, made us feel good, it was a good number, we liked the choreography. Choirs do not entertain, they LEAD in the worship experience so everyone should sing and when we finish give God ALL the praise!
I believe the man of God should be honored; the Bible says so: 1Timothy 5:17. This verse is mainly talking about pay. So even though the man of God should be honored certainly not the same praise and honor God receives!
o We modify doctrine in order to accommodate the people: THE RESULT IS WE JUST MADE THE PEOPLE GOD!
o If God’s will is transferred to “feelings” and “leadings,” then Scripture is unnecessary; ALL WE DO MUST BE BASED ON THE WORD OF GOD
o God destroyed the attempt at Babel to unite men together to oppose His government: ALL THAT IS NOT OF GOD HE DOES NOT ENDORSE; THIS MIGHT EXPLAIN THE LACK OF POWER IN THE CHURCH!

The problems wih Contemporary Christianity: Part 3

Removing Christ from Christianity

In the third part of this series we will look at problems 2-4 and see if the Bible sheds some insight! Remember to search the Scriptures and do the word studies; It is not what I say that's important but what God's word says!

Problem #2 ~ Christians bragging about the love of Jesus with little regard for doctrinal integrity or holiness:

This next problem we will discuss is a very common one in modern day Christendom. How can we claim to know God and be a Christian (Christ like) if we do not do what he says in his word? A Christian is not what we say it is or even what the church says it is! The standard is the word of God:

Let’s first define “Christian”

Strong’s #5546

Christianos (khris-tee-an-os'); from NT:5547; a Christian, i.e. follower of Christ:

KJV - Christian.

(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

So it is clear from the definition that a “Christian” is one who follows Christ or whose life reflects Christ! When it comes to living our lives as Christians we can truly ask the question; what would Jesus do? (wwJd) So what does Christ say about following him?

o John 14:15 ~ If we love him we’ll do what he says

o John 15:10 ~ We show that we abide in his love by doing what he says

o 1 Peter 1:16 ~ Because God is holy he is looking for holiness from his followers

o Ephesians 5:1-7 ~ Be followers of God and have no fellowship with those who are not

o Matthew 15:8, 9 ~ Christ is looking for more than lip service, and teaching that does not exalt man

The definition is clear that we cannot live in sin and be a Christian. Contemporary Christianity allows for such activity by not dealing with the sin issue. As a result we think we can live any way we want and still receive God’s blessing.

Again let’s look at Ephesians 5:1-5:

o Verse 3

1. But fornication ~ NT:4202 porneia (por-ni'-ah); from NT:4203; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively, idolatry:

2. all uncleanness ~ NT:167 akatharsia (ak-ath-ar-see'-ah); from NT:169; impurity (the quality), physically or morally:

3. covetousness ~ NT:4124 pleonexia (pleh-on-ex-ee'-ah); from NT:4123; avarice, i.e. (by implication) fraudulency, extortion:

Let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

o Verse 4

1. Neither filthiness ~ NT:151 aischrotes (ahee-skhrot'-ace); from NT:150; shamefulness, i.e. obscenity:

2. foolish talking ~ NT:3473 morologia (mo-rol-og-ee'-ah); from a compound of NT:3474 and NT:3004; silly talk, i.e. buffoonery:

3. jesting ~ NT:2160 eutrapelia (yoo-trap-el-ee'-ah); from a compound of NT:2095 and a derivative of the base of NT:5157 (meaning well-turned, i.e. ready at repartee, jocose); witticism, i.e. (in a vulgar sense) ribaldry:

which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

o Verse 5

1. no whoremonger ~ NT:4205 pornos (por'-nos); from pernemi (to sell; akin to the base of NT:4097); a (male) prostitute (as venal), i.e. (by analogy) a debauchee (libertine):

2. unclean person ~ NT:169 akathartos (ak-ath'-ar-tos); from NT:1 (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of NT:2508 (meaning cleansed); impure (ceremonially, morally [lewd] or specially, [demonic]):

3. covetous man ~ NT:4123 pleonektes (pleh-on-ek'-tace); from NT:4119 and NT:2192; holding (desiring) more, i.e. eager for gain (avaricious, hence a defrauder):

4. an idolater ~ NT:1496 eidololatres (i-do-lol-at'-race); from NT:1497 and the base of NT:3000; an image- servant or) worshipper (literally or figuratively):

In the kingdom of Christ and of God

Problem #3 ~ Christians exalting feelings over faith as their criterion for both doctrine and practice in life.

When we “feel” pain it is our body’s way of telling us something is wrong. In this instance it is okay to respond to how we feel. This is not always the case spiritually. Listen to the Apostle Paul in this area:

1 Corinthians 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

Just because a thing may “feel” right or even be legal does not necessarily mean it is something we should be engaged in as a child of God. What then is the determining factor?

o If the feelings are moved or motivated by the flesh, we should not only refuse to be guided by them, but we should consciously make the decision not to entertain in our minds any thoughts related to them.

1. Romans 7:18 ~ there is nothing good in our flesh

2. Galatians 5:17 ~ the flesh and the spirit are at war with each other

3. Galatians 4:14 ~ our temptations appeal to the flesh

o If the feelings are moved by agape love, we should be guided by them knowing that if agape love(the God kind of love) is the motivation then Yahweh will be pleased:

1. 1 Corinthians 13 ~ Love should be the motivating factor behind everything we do

2. John 14:23 ~ Christ said if we loved him we would obey him

3. 1 John 3:16 ~ this has nothing to do with how we feel

These verses make it clear that we cannot be led by our feelings!

Problem #4 ~ Contemporary Christianity seeks to please man rather than pleasing God!

One of the major problems with Contemporary Christianity is the exaltation of man. Man has been placed front and center which violates Yahweh’s word:

o Exodus 20:3 ~ anything or anyone placed ahead of Yahweh violates the first commandment

o Isaiah 6:1-5 ~ People only become truly restored in themselves when they worship God; not man

o Romans 1:1 ~ “Paul a servant”

o Titus 1:1 ~ “Paul a servant”

o James 1:1 ~ “James a servant”

o 2 Peter 1:1 ~ “Peter a servant”

o Jude 1:1 ~ “Jude the servant”

These men did not consider themselves “celebrities” but servants! Preachers today need to lose the celebrity status that people have heaped on them and assume the role of servants which is what Yahweh called us to be; look at Christ’s example:

Matthew 20:28 ~ Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

The word “minister” is strong’s #1247 and it means:

diakoneo (dee-ak-on-eh'-o); from NT:1249; to be an attendant, i.e. wait upon (menially or as a host, friend, or [figuratively] teacher); techn. to act as a Christian deacon:

True ministers wait on the people, not the people wait on the minister!

Yahweh releases His power and His glory to us in proportion to our worship; if we are busy worshipping man it is no wonder the church lacks the power Christ said we should have:

o Matthew 28:16-20 ~ the great commission was given in the midst of worshipping the Christ

o Acts 2:1-13 ~ The church received power during a worship service, not the proclaiming of the gospel

The worship of the Lord releases the power, which leads to, the pathway and the purpose of what He wants to do in His Church:

o Acts 13