((By:Rodney Southern)) The Pharisees knew long passages of the Bible so well that they could quote every line. They spent virtually every moment in the Bible, and learning the rules. Yet they came up short of what God wanted. Why? They had the opportunity to know the Son, yet turned away. They had an opportunity to know the Heavenly Father, on a very intimate basis, yet were blinded by their own educations. They wanted to dictate their own salvation, rather than accept it from the hand of One that actually had it to give. Today there are many living the same hypocritical life. They are very scholarly, educated, and knowledgeable about the Bible, yet they know nothing of God. Going to church does not make you a child of God. Jesus made you a child of God by dying on the cross. You can not earn what is already given. Attending church, and reading the Bible will not get you into Heaven. Certainly, these things are important and good for your spiritual life, but they are not a substitution for dealing directly with God. God gives you the direction that you need in your life daily. God gives you clarity, and correction as needed in the blink of an eye if you are listening and living in His shadow. The Church can give you brotherhood, as well as knowledge, but the Church is not God. We must remember what is truly important so that we do not become judgmental like the Pharisees. As smart as the Pharisees were, they were rebuked by Jesus. They were rebuked for not believing on him. They were scolded for being hypocrites. They were dismissed for knowing nothing of forgiveness and love. This sounds incredibly familiar. I know a number of "Christians" that run circles around me when it comes to church attendance and Bible knowledge. In spite of this, they know nothing of love, compassion, forgiveness and humility. They only know judgment that is not even theirs to give. Strive with me to become better than that. Do not judge yourself based on the number of days you attended church, or the number of passages that you have memorized. When I stand before God, I expect that there will be a reckoning. Of those questions, I do not expect them to include "How many days of Church did you miss?" I am expecting one very important one, however. "Did you love and know my Son?"
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 01:42:27 +0000
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