It's High Time

 It's high time for judgment to begin in the household of God. [I Pet 4:17] When is the last time the church of God stopped their religious shams to take an honest look at themselves from God's point of view? I am guessing it might have been a while. 

I am not sure how often Christians do this in their personal lives either including myself.  It is easy to just pray a,"God forgive me for my many sins," prayer than to ask God to try us and to know if there be any wicked way in us. [Ps 139:23]. It hurts more to confess sins individually than to pray a blanket prayer of confession. 

More hypocrites fill the pews than holy people. That is a harsh statement. I still believe it is true. The list of sins in the church is long. Just about any sins pagans commit, some Christians also commit those same sins. Lying. Gossip. Deceit. Fornication. Adultery. Pornography. Theft. Cheating. I could go on, but what's the point. Hypocrites walk the hallowed halls of the house of God. Nobody seems to mind. It is easy to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to all the sin. Do people care about holiness anymore?

The church needs to stop and look at herself in the mirror. Do frequent worship attenders worship privately? Do they practice the discipline of devotions? Do people really pray when they say they will pray for others' prayer requests? It appears that Bible illiteracy is growing. For all our programs and special studies many do not live according to biblical principles. Far too many are hearers of the word, but not doers. [James1:22-25] Do we really live in the light of eternity? If we really believed that we will have to give an account for our lives, would we live differently?

The church needs a good purging. A good cleansing and renewal. That will not happen until we admit our sinful ways. I say our sinful ways, because sin impacts all of us. Repentance is in order. Private confession of sin, and maybe in certain situations, corporate repentance is needed. We live in a lukewarm church age and it makes Jesus want to vomit. [Rev 3:15-16] Apathy has atrophied the faith of many. Without faith it is impossible to please God. [Heb 11:6] Addictions cripple the church from effective ministry. We need cleansing and deliverance. 

No groom would be pleased to see his bride walking down the aisle on their wedding day in a soiled polluted dress. He wants to see his bride walking down in a spotless white wedding dress. Is it any different for the Lord? Doesn't He also want to see a spotless bride when He returns for His church?

It is high time for judgement to begin among the people of faith. It is time for us to take sin seriously and to hustle toward holiness while shunning hypocrisy. God will bless in return. The prophet Joel exhorted people to return to the Lord. [Joel 2:12] Right now. Today. Without delay. It is high time for the church to put away those things that dishonor the Lord, and embrace consecrated renewed devotion to Him.