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Thursday,
February 28, 2008
Many Called Few Chosen
2 Corinthians 2:17 For we are not as
many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in
the sight of God speak we in Christ. (KJV)
Thayer’s definition for ‘which
corrupt’:
2585
kapeleuo-
1) to be a retailer, to peddle
2) to make money by selling anything
a) to get sordid
gain by dealing in anything, to do a thing for base gain
b) to
"trade" (traffic) in the word of God; to try to get base gain by
teaching divine truth
c) to corrupt, to
adulterate; peddlers were in the habit of adulterating their commodities
for the sake of gain
So if many have been called then why are
there so few left to deliver God’s message of love? Could it be there is a
different love and affection has snuck in and taken over, a method that
isn’t approved of God but a big hit with mankind? Even in the time of
Paul’s ministry we see the word of God corrupted and peddled to the highest
bidder; those that were called of God are now answering to mankind and
catering to the highest bidders. As we see in the above verses it just
wasn’t a few doing this stuff but many had sold out and allowed a breach in
the Spirit, a spiritual virus that was infecting the early Church and quite
frankly as I look around today, has only gotten worse.
Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves
treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves
break through and steal: (20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not
break through nor steal: (21) For where your treasure is, there will your
heart be also. (KJV)
When looking at these verses one can see
two points being made and the comparison being implied, like a parable. As
moth and rust corrupt the physical riches over time, by getting caught up
in this doctrine one has allowed the thief to break through spiritually and
steal the truth, replacing it with heartache and misery. As rust can eat
away and distort riches, so does the love for them eat away and distort our
vision of what will truly bring peace and joy to the believer. So where
your treasure is will determine the direction of the heart and its true
intentions will be manifest.
Matthew 6:22-24 The light of the body is
the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of
light. (23) But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of
darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is
that darkness! (24) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate
the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise
the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (KJV)
If your vision is not kept single,
seeking only the things of God that will bring joy and peace as well as a
confidence and boldness to speak His word, then one will be walking in
darkness; and what many have thought would bring them the answer ends up to
be a dead end. The word of God is quite specific that no man can serve two
masters because a double minded man is unstable and unable to receive the
things of God or be entrusted with the truth to be used of Him. Remember it
is the love of money, not money itself that is the root of all evil; and
those that look to the things of this realm to find joy and peace will find
that they have erred from the faith and are now drowning in destruction and
despair.
John 2:13-16 And the Jews' passover was
at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, (14) And found in the temple those
that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: (15)
And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the
temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money,
and overthrew the tables; (16) And said unto them that sold doves, Take
these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
(KJV)
Since when did the temple of God become a
place of trade? The Lord set the example and quite emphatically let the
people know where God stood on this doctrine of making merchandise of His
word. And yet today as I look around, or flip through the religious channels,
it is quite apparent that mankind has decided to set the tables back up
with their endless money pitches and gimmicks. Folks if it didn’t work back
then why would one think that God approves of this nonsense today? Remember
that you are the temple of the living God and He dwells within you. So what
is your true love today and what is it you truly treasure in your life?
Just because mankind decides that it’s okay and just because someone has a
big TV following doesn’t make it right; and according to the word of God it
is not something our Father approves of either.
2 Peter 2:1-3 But there were false
prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among
you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord
that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (2) And many
shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth
shall be evil spoken of. (3) And through covetousness shall they with
feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time
lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. (KJV)
Oops, remember the many that were called?
Well now we are seeing what happened to their calling and how they chose to
respond. When I see the word feigned which means to fabricate, I think of
all these phony hundred fold return doctrines that are promised to people
that donate to these ministries preaching them; which in simple layman’s
terms is nothing more than a pyramid scheme where those on top get rich,
and well we all know what runs downhill. Just because others have sold out
and set up their tables in the temple doesn’t mean you have to fall for
their guilt trips and pity party sermons of how much more they could do if
they only had the loot when they should be answering God’s call and
teaching the people what God has already done on their behalf.
Titus 1:9-11 Holding fast the faithful
word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to
exhort and to convince the gainsayers. (10) For there are many unruly and
vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: (11) Whose
mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which
they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. (KJV)
You know folks, you can’t buy your way
into the kingdom but you can sell out. What is it going to profit you if
you gain the whole world but lose your soul for an eternity? Many that have
been called of God may have begun in the Spirit with good intentions, but
tried to perfect it in the flesh by supposing gain was godliness which the
Bible says we should withdraw from, which includes our support. So put away
your TV remote control and grab your Bible; start partaking of the true
riches of the kingdom of God and don’t be taken in by these cheap hucksters
who promise liberty but they themselves are the servants of corruption.
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