CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH

1 Corinthians 5:7

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

The doctrine that needs to be preached to the world and the church in these end times is the Doctrine of the New Creature. Without doubt the church has become unidentifiable when compared with the world. It has indeed merged with the world to become a gainsaying and wanton generation. However, I dare say this is not the church God identifies as His own.

Always remember, God never leaves Himself without a remnant. This remnant is proof His instructions can be obeyed and loved. God has an elect who delight in the truth and live their lives unto Him, even if it costs them everything. So where do we stand? Look at the times! our Lord will soon return. He will come in the power of His might to rescue His elect from the temptations our Father will pour out upon the earth.

However, do we see the Church? Look out into the world, in our neighborhoods, in our workplaces and public arenas. Can we see the church? Some may quickly remember the Christians we know around us, however, there is a vast difference between what God boasts as His, and what we may identify as His body. His people have the character and sentiments of Christ. They live unto Him.

Therefore, simply wearing the title “Christian” is insufficient in the sight of God. Our lives must reflect our gospel! However, the Lord has given me a glimpse of the great impact that our apathy towards righteousness has had on the world. Listen to His words, “The reason that the world and the church have successfully merged is because of the double standard set by my people."

THE DOUBLE STANDARD

Isaiah 44:6-8

6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.

8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

Psalm 138:2

2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

There is no god above or besides our God. He is the only true and living God. He is highest on the hierarchy. He is what He is. In His own words, “I AM THAT I AM”. With this said it is needful for us to understand that He cannot help who He is. He is simply God and this will never change, neither can He change Himself to fit the value system of humanity. There is no humanity in His new creation.

The significance of it all is the fact that even though God is so great and powerful, He established a principle that can cause all creation to trust in Him. He has made Himself subject to His own word. He esteems it higher than His own name. Therefore, God abides by the same laws He establishes, in fact He is bound to it, just as we are. This is true integrity, and it is our joy that He remains immutable in that which He has established. He is not a God who simply decides what to do and disregards what He has already established. His submission to His own word sets that standard of integrity.

It would be a double standard to minister something and to do another while still giving oneself a pass. This is where the church has erred. The double standard is the fact that the church tells the world it should be like them, and condemns the sin in it; when in fact it does the same things. but gives itself a pass. There is no true standard of holiness. Sad to say not even the church identifies itself as a holy entity. It has established the fact that we cannot be perfectly free from sinning.

Nevertheless, the mandate from heaven is for us to preach the new creature. We cannot blame the world for allowing this merger. The church has demonstrated that they are no different from the world. I hope we discern the passion of the Lord in this matter. Listen to the words of Apostle Paul.

1 Corinthians 5:1-6

1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.

2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

Listen to the righteous indignation of the Lord in this manner. However, many of us would read this scripture and think Paul was very harsh; in fact, I did for a long time. However, the Lord revealed unto me His stance as it pertains to His body. The Body of Christ must be preserved in holiness. The Body of Christ is not a church organization or a business franchise, it is the flesh and bone of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, He is holy, therefore His Body too, is holy.

Matthew 7:21-23

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

It is necessary for us to judge whether God will discard into hell, a miracle working, prophesying son of God, who lived his life full of iniquity. We must also ask ourselves, why do we identify workers of iniquity as the church simply because they choose to retain the title “Christian?” This is the heart of the matter for the Father. The Church is supposed to be His expression, His presentation on the earth.

The Church is supposed to cause the world to know God’s sentiment by the living proof of it. However, we have made the Body of Christ a catch-all organization, and made church about the tithing, offering and social fellowship. However, listen to the words of John:

1 John 1:3

3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

The apostle John makes it known that in order to fellowship with him you must first have fellowship with the Father and the Son. However, fellowship is more than simply identifying yourself as a Christian. It is God who must identify you as one.

1 John 1:5-6

5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

In order to fellowship with the Father and the Son we must be holy. We must be light, and have no darkness. Therefore, in order to fellowship with Him, we must be holy. I hope we are hearing the heart of the Lord in this matter. There is a contending for the faith that must happen.

This is why the world does not believe in, or see our Christ. We have chosen to make the church what we would have it to be; a place that pampers and covers sin, instead of a place that eradicates it. If there is no one to preserve and protect the holiness of the Body of Christ, sin will continue to feel comfortable in our buildings.

The world will continue to include us in their carnal affairs if we do not preach, live, and manifest the new creature! The world must know the church is not human like they are. We are a different species here on this earth; sent to manifest Christ through human flesh. We are pilgrims of another country. Not only must we tell them but we must contend for the faith.

We must preserve the Body of Christ in holiness. Sin should not be bold in the midst of us. It is most necessary that we obey the Lord and His instructions in regards to dealing with sin in the church. Let us not ignore the commandments of the Lord and by this redesign His body into something that is foreign to the Kingdom of God.

Jude 1:3

3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.