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About Jesus Steve Sweetman Judgment Comes To The Church "Dear
friends, do not be surprised at the painful trials you are suffering as
though something strange were happening to you …
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God, and
if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey
the gospel of God". (1 Peter 4:12-17)
What does Peter mean when he speaks of God judging His own
family? Peter
understood that painful suffering from an anti-Christ culture was a form
of divine judgment on God's people, and in this case, the church.
He told his readers not to think of this as being strange.
As severe as this suffering was, it was something God does from
time to time. Judgment is
meant to purify God's family; separate the sheep from the goats, the
wheat from the weeds. During
the process of painful suffering, the believer's trust in Jesus is
tested. If the suffering
saint survives the test, he's strengthened and remains a vital part in a
purified church. If he fails
the test, he joins the ranks of those "who do not obey the gospel
of God". His judgment
will end up being much more severe. I
believe it's a Biblical principle that before God judges any culture, He
first judges His people who live in that culture.
An example would be when God judged
It's
clear to me that judgment is coming to the western world, and eventually
to the whole world. It's
also clear to me that before these judgments are fully realized, God
will judge the church by allowing us to suffer at the hands of an
anti-Christ culture. Then,
God will judge the anti-Christ culture for its treatment of us.
From
my vantage point, we as the church are in desperate need of
purification. I'm amazed at
how that which is called church, including Evangelicals, has so quickly
departed from Biblical truth. If
judgment was needed for the church in Peter's day, I suggest it's needed
more now than it was needed back then. I
believe the Laodicean church of Revelation 3:14 – 22 is prophetic of
an apostate fallen church that is seen at the end of this age.
Jesus describes this church this way.
"You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need
a thing'. But you do not
realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked".
(Revelation 3:17) Assuming
we're nearing the end of the age, and even if we aren't, today's church
in my thinking is becoming this Laodicean style church. Whatever
the case, as Revelation 3:16 says, Jesus will vomit lukewarm Laodicean
style church goers out of His mouth if they don't repent".
How
does Jesus vomit a big chunk of the church out of His mouth?
I believe that painful suffering from an anti-Christ culture is
an act of divine judgment that causes the expulsion of unrepentant
Laodicean style church goers out of the church.
This expulsion might be how Jesus vomits the unrepentant out of
His mouth.
We
should be prepared, not only for God to judge our anti-Christ culture,
but also for Him to judge our progressively more anti-Christ church.
I know some of you may not appreciate my last statement, but if
you think about it, knowing what's going on in the world of church these
days, you might agree with me. A
good chunk of what we call church doesn’t even believe in the Deity of
Christ. I'd call that an
anti-Christ church. Just remember, when the suffering begins, rejoice
that you are following in the suffering steps of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Peter 4:13)
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