Romans 8:35 (NIV, NIRV, TNIV, KJV)
The Carnal Christian. This Sermon deals with the Christian in peril and the Lazy Christian that is always complaining. Before we start, I would like to share a letter that I received today from one of My Associates in the Phillippiens. The words and spelling are His and I decided not to correct them. Dear Rev. Smith, Please help praise the Lord for me, I was at the point of dead, I met dead face to face on saturday night as I journeyed to be with a church at lagos our former capital.We ran into an armed robbery gang of about 42 in numbers with sophisticated riffle,our bus entered thier midst unknowingly.Several shots were fired into our bus,the bus conductor died instantly,tyre burst,radiator blast off,and the bus went into the bush,and they pursued us to a standstill.They ransacked all our luggages,took valuable items including cash. Finally the commander ordered that those that have paid their tithes for the last 3 months should stand one side,some thought it was a joke,i quickly obeyed and a sister join me.Those who were not on our side the gang leader said they have robbed God,and that there is only one sentence for robbers,dead sentence.It was at that point they fired everybody to dead,and they ordered 2 of us to go.we were helpless,we slept there till daybreak,about 6 buses were involved in the saga,at the same time they raped nearly all the women.My heart is very very sorrowful,this incident has been reported in our national news and newspapers.God kept me alive to write you this day,may His only name be blessed.
His Grace in Ecclesia, Bishop Dr.Joseph Rankin. Now lets look at Scripture. Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? The word of the Lord is true and eternal. Many are recieveing tribulation, distress, persecution and even the threat of death for their belief in the Gospel. But still they go on. They go on believing in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The problem today, as I have seen it, is that there are too many Christians that are sitting around waiting for the rapture to take place and not being concerned with the state of their other brothers and sisters in harms way, who are promoting the Gospel to the rest of the world. Being comfortable with one or two services a week, giving the church money when its convienuent for them, not really paying ties but expecting their say at business meetings. And the Church, not using the money for propagating the Gospel, but rather building on instead of building up. Where has the compassion of the Christian gone? Rom 15:27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. Romans 15:27 is not just a passing thought by Paul, but a commandment from Christ, for the establishment of all the members of the body. 1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 1Co 3:1 is a warning to Christians that there are times that the Church loses its way and becomes carnal, instead of Spiritual. Not being able to receive Spiritual insight into the Gospel because they have become carnal minded. 1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 1Co 3:3 is stating that when members of the body become carnal minded, they start walking as man instead of as Christian, Christ like, in appearance, attitude and goal. We sometimes loose our way because of carnal mindness but are rebuked and reproved by the words of God. 1Co 15:1-2 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 1Co 15:1-2 teaches us that even thou we have been saved, we remain accountable for the word we have heard and as Paul stated; “By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you” The Church is a child, that is growing up each and every day, not old as some would have you to believe. So as a Child it needs to be nurtured, cared for, Loved and yes, sometimes punished because of disobedience to the word of God. The Church has become lax in its duty to God and man, by not standing up against hypocritical and false doctrine, written by man to appease the congregations. This is not getting people to heaven but on the contrary it is condemning others to hell or a loss of their rewards in Heavan.Lets read a little scripture and think on these things. 1Co 3:13-15 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 1Co 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 2Co 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. What does the Church think about itself? Does it think its secure in its works, does it think that building on instead of building up, is the way of Christ. Has the church lost its way, forgetting where it came from. And what about the individual Christian, have they also become satisfied with their works enough to stop being a Christian, do you think that being saved is enough to make God pleased with your Spirit? I have read many an artical concerning Pastors and Preachers retiring from this church and that church, but not one would ever give a single scripture passage where Jesus said that we could retire from the work that was appointed to us. Not one. “if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you” This is our work, this is our duty to Christ who appointed and ordained us to minister unto the Saints. To remind them of who they are and who they are supposed to be. When Christians as, Bishop Dr.Joseph Rankin, REV.PAUL JESUDOSS, Rev. Siani Harpal and Rev. Devanandam Junapudi among others are risking their lives daily to preach the Gospel, I wonder and am in awl of the Power of God to protect such men in dire situations. Its not the President, The King or the Pope of Rome that we should be concerned with but with our position with Christ and his commandments. Having compassion one with another, loving one another and getting closer to God and His word. Not giving up but getting on. Getting on with the work we were appointed to. Not being lax in our studies, prayer or giving, not just your part to the Home Church but giving to those in need, those in peril, those who are on the battle field, wealding the Sword of Righteousness, the Sword of Truth, The Word of the Lord.
1Co 9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? ars
