I have been advised to add the word “Christian” to my posting titles. I will do so henceforth.

I have been told that, quote: “It is too much trouble to obey God,” unquote. This statement was uttered by a former missionary who remains in good standing with her church. I suspect that everyone in it agrees with her. During our conversation I found that there are two basic reasons for her (and billions like her) attitude toward the Book of Life by which all men will be judged (Jn. 12:48). One, she is already “saved” and need not exert herself spiritually and two, the Bible is too confusing. Reason number one prevents professing Christendom from solving reason number two, which requires too much spiritual work and takes up too much of their valuable time, time that can be used in much more pleasurable pursuits such as t.v. watching, reading, listening to music, watching movies, talking about sports, politics, the weather, devising ways to make more money, sleeping, etc. As a result the typical churchite knows more about the t.v. guide than about God’s Guide. For example, one “Christian” stated in my presence that the Corinthian letters are found in the Old Testament. For several reasons the Bible is the most misunderstood, distorted, misrepresented, lied about, and maligned book in the history of printing. The question is: Why?

The answer is stated primarily in two very straight-forward, to-the-point passages of Scripture. In 2 Timothy 3:16,17 Paul states that: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God (God breathed), and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Several words leap from God’s printed page: ALL, REPROOF, CORRECTION AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. The church masses do not accept all of God’s Word as Truth, believe that personal righteousness is possible or will tolerate being reproved and corrected. A rule of thumb is that the more religious one is, the more resistant one is to God’s Scriptural reproof and correction. Preachers are by far the most resistant to God’s commands. One pastor openly admitted that what I had written was Bible fact, but rejected it. These same people have a deep and abiding need for approval and flattery. Anything to the contrary is immediately rejected.

The Bible is God’s spiritual mirror that reveals the flaws in our thinking and exposes every chink in our religious armor–it shows us how God sees us. The Apostle Paul spoke to this fact in Hebrews 4:12: “For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Note it: Nothing escapes God. His Word speaks to every aspect of our lives.

Most people in professing Christendom reject spiritual correction. Only a minutely few welcome the Lord’s rebuke and reproof found in His Word. Only a few of these make the commanded changes. And of these, only a few are willing to endure the hatred and persecution incurred by walking God’s narrow path. Only this remnant–His “little flock”–who walk the commanded walk (1 Jn. 2:6), purify themselves as He is pure (1 Jn. 3:3) and overcome Satan as He overcame him (Rev. 3:21) to the end will be saved (Mat. 10:22). Because entrance into it is restricted only to the totally committed, the Kingdom of God will not be crowded.

Religious people are like children in that, when confronted with evidence of wrong-doing or wrong-thinking they tend to deny it as long as possible, then try to cover it up, excuse it or justify it. As one who walked that error-paved path many times in the past, I can assure you that you are no exception. The only question is: What are you going to do about it? If you are the typical, self-satisfied, “I know I’m saved” churchite, you will stay the course. If you choose to be peculiar, strange and different from your contemporaries, you will yield to the Lord, embrace His Way and begin your walk toward eternal life. If you are already on that path, you will stay the course, hopefully to the end. See The Ultimate Goal. Note it: This walk is not for everyone. This walk is only for those minutely “few” (Mat. 7:13,14) righteousness- craving souls who want nothing other than to please their Maker, who care not for the things of the world, whose heart yearns only for the approval of Almighty God. Such Truth-seekers will count the cost of true sainthood and willingly pay the demanded price. To be continued. L.J.