The DeGRAFF FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH
State Route 235/ 100 East Miami Street
DeGraff, Ohio 43318
Phone: (937) 585-4463
James R. Roby, Pastor
"The Awful Arrogance of Religion."
by Pastor James R. Roby
"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods,
and have need of nothing: and knowest not
that thou art wretched, and miserable,
and poor, and blind, and naked..."
"There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the
end thereof are the ways of death."
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither
are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the
heavens are higher that the earth, so are My ways higher
than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."
There are very few things in this world that enslave a man and bring him into bondage like false religion. While alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, and pornography are noted for their power to dominate, I am convinced that religion is every bit as deadly and controlling! Probably more so! Many nod in agreement...thinking that I am referring to Islam, Buddhism, or Wicca. Most would even apply religious bondage to modernist churches, the cults and even the ecumenical movement. While all of these erroneous groups lead to horrible bondage, my thoughts today are more directed at our own camp...closer to home.
Many so-called fundamentalist churches are bringing their people into the grips of a slavery that is not easily shaken. They are blindly leading their blind followers into a ditch! Truthfully, no one can bring another person into spiritual captivity without that person’s cooperation. Men are enslaved by choice! Remember, the Bible commands, "Be not deceived..." (Galations 6:7; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 15:33; Matthew 24:4; and Ephesians 5:6).
If a person gets deceived, it is because he allows it to happen. He chooses to take the easy way rather than the right way! (It is always easier to let someone else do your thinking for you...rather than check out the facts and make a decision based upon the TRUTH!). Many fundamental church folks close their eyes to the facts and do what they want to do...all the while deceiving themselves into thinking that they are doers of the Word...Bible- believers! The truth is, you cannot just make up your own mind about something, do what you want...and call yourself a Bible-believer. It does not work that way!
If a person is to be a genuine Bible-believing Christian, he must
A.) Listen intently to God’s man preach the Word
B.) Search the scriptures to see whether those things are so! This was the more noble way of the Bereans. "These were more noble than those at Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11). They were not so arrogant that they decided based on how they "felt" about something. They did not elevate men to the place where they believed based on what one of their religious "idols" taught. There was one deciding factor...what does the Word of God say? The final authority was this..."they searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so!"
RELIGION IS FRIGHTENINGLY ARROGANT WHEN IT DECIDES ABOUT
TRUTH AND ERROR BASED ON
THE FEELINGS OF
MERE MEN.
I have seen this happen with so many things over the years. The charismatic movement, despite the fact that it is such blatant error, is adhered to by many simply because it produces good feelings. What about the experience of being slain in the spirit? Where does the Bible talk about such a thing? It doesn't! And yet, many promote it and long to have it happen to them because of the "way it feels." We should be reminded, at this juncture, that cocaine and marijuana can cause some pretty good feelings, too! I have heard many state that The Passion of the Christ movie is true to the Biblical record. This kind of ignorance can only mean that they did not check out the facts!
There is NO WAY that anyone can know anything about the Bible, and say that this farce of a movie is scriptural! Someone would have to be ignoring Bible truth and being lead, instead, by the lusts of their flesh! For those of us who have been around awhile, it is absolutely unthinkable that fundamental, Baptist people would ever consider attending an R-rated movie; that would feature at least three porn stars; that would include a nude scene of Jesus after His resurrection; that would add idolatry and Catholic fables like Veronica’s veil; that would portray the devil as a woman, and that would base its script on the rantings of two demon-possessed nuns and call the whole thing "pretty scriptural." Who’s fooling who, here?
Sadly, when things are applauded by the world, the worldly religious person is always eager to get on board. BUT, God said, "Be not conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2). This also explains why churches are eager to change their worship service into a rock and roll concert. Churches that once preached and stood for the truth are becoming flea markets, restaurants, dance halls, gambling casinos, dating services..while still claiming to be churches! This is all because men would rather "do church" by their feelings and lusts rather than by the Word of God! Imagine the arrogance that it takes for a person to push God’s Word aside and say, "I’d rather do it my way!" "And judgment (the ability to judge between right and wrong) is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea truth falleth; and he that departethfrom evil maketh himself a prey (the man who would dare to live right will be persecuted by the truth rejecting, religious crowd) and the Lord saw it and it displeased Him that there was no judgment (again, the ability of this religious crowd to discern between right and wrong). (Isaiah 59:14-15).
I am convinced that the Devil, in these last days, is going to use all kinds of flesh-centered, religious activities to draw fundamental Christians into places they never would have gone otherwise! I believe he will use music (not just rock and roll, but also southern gospel) to draw Christians into churches that they would never, ever attend otherwise. I believe he will use religious-themed movies to preach a false doctrine that Christians would never have accepted otherwise. (Those who attended a viewing of the Passion actually sat through a Catholic Mass and didn’t even know it!). Men attend Promise Keeper meetings and listen to speakers who are Mormon, Roman Catholic, Jesus-Only Pentecostal, etc and are not even aware of it. It is all because nobody wants to check out the facts. They don’t want to be told what to do (NOT EVEN BY GOD!). And so, multitudes run perilously after error...heeping to themselves teachings to itch their ears. Don’t be one of them! Stand for God’s Word at any and every cost!
jrr
"Be Not Deceived!"
"Preach the Word, be instant in season, out of season..."
