When the news reports the Truth!

Posted Oct 16, 2007

Sometimes you just have to laugh. 

The Father in heaven tells us in James 4:4 "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." and in 1 John 2:15 - 16 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." Flip back to Romans 12:2 to find "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

You get the message - the world and it's culture are not to lead us.  The value system of the world and all its cultures is opposed to the Lord.

Now for the news.

The Baptist General Convention of Texas (known here as the BGCT) is fixin' to elect a female as its president, having female pastors and homosexual deacons in a few churches within it membership.  This woman who is about to be elected is quoted in the Houston Chronicle of Oct 13 as saying, in regard to her election and the issue of female leadership, that "diversity in leadership within the church is an outgrowth of societal changes."  The Bible is clear about the role women are to fulfill in the home and in the church, yet the BGCT and its leaders look to the culture.  And they admit it!

In the Sunday, Oct 14 edition of the Chronicle is a huge piece on Joel Osteen of the infamous Lakewood Church here in Houston.  Joel is fixin' to release a new book and the news media is beside itself with excitement.  On page G-1, the attached picture with the big caption ("At Home in the World") right on the photo appears - telling Truth that I bet the editor did not intend.  Is it any wonder the world loves him so much?

On page G6, the article quotes Osteen: “I have a gift to talk to the everyday person who may not be a religious person. A lot of things I talk about are just life, and then I bring the Bible principles in at the end.” All too often, worldly pastors talk of people in terms of “unchurched” or “not religious” instead of “lost”, “condemned”, or “dead in sin” – as Scripture does; and they focus their messages on temporal issues (having a “good” life) with a little “support” from the Bible rather than preach and teach the Word of God and make disciples of men. “Live large with Jesus!” it might be called. Not what one finds in Scripture.

The Lord tells us "Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you." (1 John 3:13), and "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:19 - 20)

Where's your home?  As Kojak would say, "Who loves ya, baby?"

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