Those whom God uses to correct others will invariably hurt their feelings and degrade their self-esteem, which today is of utmost importance to a self-worshiping populace. I have been corrected and it hurt. Nevertheless, it was necessary and I (later) appreciated it greatly. TO SPEAK GOD’S TRUTH TO CORRECT SPIRITUAL ERROR IS TO USE HIS “SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF THE LORD” (EPH. 6:17/REV. 19:21). God spiritual sword hurts going in and coming out (HEB. 12:12,14). When disciplining a child the instrument used is called the “rod of correction” (Prov,. 22:15). When using God’s word in the act of correction it is called the sword of His mouth (Rev. 19:21). Jesus said that all would be judged by the Word of God. That Word is His sword by which He will slay (put to death) all sinners (Jn. 12:48) when He compares His Word to the sinner’s life-walk on Judgment Day.

The Lord’s corrective sword/Word is not appreciated by those being corrected who, with extremely rare exception, will strike back in some fashion. This is never a pleasant situation to the one God is using. Because of negative reactions by those they correct, God’s messengers must fall back on Proverbs 27:5,6: “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; many are the kisses of an enemy.” Which do we prefer–a spiritual slap in the face by a friend, or a pat on the back by an enemy posing as a friend? In the above-stated passage God makes it clear that a “friend” who will not correct you is in fact your enemy. A true friend will correct one in error though he knows his effort will be resented. God’s rules for child rearing provide a good example of this. The Lord says that to spare the rod will spoil the child. Because it creates negative feelings and emotions in the child, no parent enjoys using the rod. However, it is absolutely necessary in order to produce a mature, well-balanced adult. The Western World has failed to follow God’s child-rearing instructions. As a result we have produced a spoiled, immature, self-centered, self-worshiping, “it’s all about me” generation that believes their wish is the world’s command–they want it, therefore they must have it. This is especially true in the Institutional Church where standards of right and wrong are totally subjective, where group-think determines spiritual reality, where God’s Holy Word is treated like a spiritual buffet where one is free to embrace only those Scriptures one agrees with and reject all others. This website has repeatedly pointed out the fallacy of this Satanic theology.

Because of spinelessness on the part of church leaders over the past 1700 years or so, billions of believers remain religious infants. Spoiled “my way” advocates have cowed their leaders into giving them what they want–hundreds of conflicting, contradicting, competing cults, each with its own doctrines, beliefs, customs, etc. Satan has designed a myriad of “churches, faiths,” etc. to meet the various demands of professing Christendom’s spiritual brats.

I was told that one local pastor openly cried when he read a newspaper article I had written on the subject of Christmas. I used God’s Word in condemning the pagan holiday, therefore he knew I was right. However, this realization changed nothing, which did not surprise me. A great gulf separates Truth and action. When the choice involves a paycheck or God’s Truth, money wins. The same is true concerning social acceptance. When those who know God’s Word must choose between obeying Him and being popular, He looses. And why not? After all, the chooser is saved, so what difference does it make? Right? God says: “Wrong on both counts. (A) you’re not saved, and (B) the difference is between eternal life and death.” But so what? That’s just His opinion. To be continued. L.J.