1 Cor. 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Are you a Christian ready for the Master to use? Do you allow yourself to be used of Him? So many are aching and in need of a tender touch or kind word in today’s world. This is a two-week devotional originally written 2008 in hopes that a Christian would come across it and find it helpful!
I hope you can see this photo clearly. I took this of the beautiful California Redwoods. Can you see the two vertical trees that have grown from the horizontal branches of this Redwood? Isn’t that magnificent? They are all part of the same tree! I was simply amazed and in awe of the Lord’s handiwork. In all of creation, there is an object lesson. This particular picture brought today’s post to mind.
~1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
~Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
~1 Thessalonians 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
~1 Thessalonians 2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
Who does one follow when it comes to the things of God? Does one follow church leaders? Does one follow the Bible? What if the Bible says one thing and the church leaders say another? What does one do?
Some churches say that their church’s traditions and church fathers’ writings are additions to the word of God and more recent. Therefore, they must follow these traditions. Some believe that God’s word is the foundation only and traditions and church fathers’ writings are building blocks which must be obeyed. Hmmmm! That ought to be a red flag! (Proverbs 30:6 and Revelation 22:18)
Paul wrote several times in today’s text that we should follow God – and if we follow a church leader, that church leader must be following God and what His word commands. In other words, we should not be following after a leader who goes against the scriptures. The scriptures are our measuring stick. If our church leaders say one thing and the Bible says another, we are to follow the scriptures. Paul had the opportunity here to tell us to follow leadership even when they are wrong or even when they make up doctrine that goes against Scriptures. However, Paul emphatically stated that we are to follow after leaders who follow after God – and God reveals His will in His word! Many churches are extremely against following the scriptures only. (Jeremiah 23:32, Matthew 22:29, Hebrews 3:10)
Read these verses and ask yourself if the church you attend falls under these guidelines. There are fundamental beliefs in Scriptures that cannot be compromised – salvation is one of them. What does your church leader teach about salvation? Read your Bible – compare the two. If there is any difference, your church leaders are not heeding Paul’s exhortation.
The catholic church and its leaders will be accountable to God for much. Most of catholic beliefs stem from the traditions of men – but they call it sacred tradition. There is nothing sacred about contradicting what God has said in His Word. In fact, the Bible calls it blasphemy!
~Matthew 23:23-24 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. (23) Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. (24)
Romanism is famous for straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel. The poor catholic is bombarded with sacraments, prayers, penances, indulgences, traditions, catechism, etc. but their leaders are just as lost as they are. They pray the rosary and much words but yet never speak to God.
~Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
The Word of God is the whole law – it brings judgment upon us and reveals our sin to us – it shows us the mercy of God and His salvation to us – and shows us how to be saved, through faith and that not of ourselves, it is a gift of God not of works lest any man should boast!
Does this not sound like the catholics picked up exactly what the Jews/Pharisees were doing? Romanism has its members wrapped up in doing just that.
~Galatians 1:14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
~Matthew 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
~Matthew 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
~Matthew 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
~Mark 7:5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
~Mark 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
~Mark 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
~Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
~Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Peter himself encouraged the believers to do as the prophets had done and to search diligently for themselves and not to take the word of mere man.
~1 Peter 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
~1 Peter 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
~1 Peter 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
~1 Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
~1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
~1 Peter 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
~1 Peter 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
~1 Peter 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
~1 Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
~1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
~1 Peter 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
~1 Peter 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
If Peter was the first pope as the catholics proclaim, why would he encourage the believer to be “in the Word” and to search things out and to obey those who followed after the Word and not after the traditions of men? What Peter exhorts the believer to do here is totally in contradiction to what the catholic church claims.
How can you follow after a church that teaches so many things that are contrary to what God’s Word says? Where do you draw the line?
