Leaders Of The Church

A major problem we are facing in todays "Christian" society, is our want or need to follow someone, a leader who can tell us what to think or how we should read and understand the Bible. There are even many groups who actually tell their congregation that only the ministers can understand all the Bible has to say, basically saying, "We will tell you what you need to know". And yet so many people follow along, don't study the Bible, just the parts they are told to. Many times these leaders will even change what they believe from time to time, and few challenge this. The Pope is a good example of this. He has the power to change the Word of God as society changes. When Catholicism started in the 5th century, women were not allowed to be priests, now there is a sect that allows it, homosexuals were an abomination, now they are accepted, only Catholics were true Christians, until Pope John Paul announced ALL Christians were Catholic in 1982, and the new Pope just announced that you don't even have to believe to go to Heaven, you just have to be a good person. In other words, don't listen to the Bible, I'LL tell you what to do to be saved. It isn't only Catholics that do this, far from it in fact. Recently a mega-church in Texas lead by a very charismatic preacher, announced there is no Hell. That blatantly goes against scripture, yet his congregation grew. The very famous Joel Olsteen has preached for years about the sin of homosexuality, until recently on a Sixty-Minutes interview, he finally buckled under the pressure and changed his tune. All of these examples are just a small portion of these so called leaders changing the Word of God. How can they defend their actions? Has God changed His mind, or did He not get it right the first time? Malachai 3:6 says "For I Jehovah change not" and 1 John 2:5 says "But whoso, keepeth His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected". So who shall we put our faith in? God is the one true father, the only one we should be calling father, and Jesus Christ is the only leader and founder of the church, which was founded on Pentacost. Preachers and Ministers should encourage their congregation to study all of the Bible, and to put trust in what the Bible says, not what they say, because man is far from perfect and will make mistakes, but God doesn't, and He does not change because He did get it right the first time. We need preachers to teach us the Word and to help save the lost, but they can only do that by preaching the Truth, which we can all know. Follow what God has said, and if anyone tells you the Bible got it wrong or times have changed so the Word changes, who are you going to follow? Your soul depends upon the answer.

It Isn't Easy Being Saved

     Many times people believe that once you are saved, life should be easier, that God will take care of all of our problems and we can just sit back and do what we want, or nothing at all, and still receive our Heavenly reward. This is a very dangerous position to take, and one that will condemn us instead. You see, when we are saved through baptism, it does not mean we are saved forever no matter what. We must continue to walk with God, follow His Word, and do as He commands us. Once we are saved, Satan will begin working harder than ever to derail us and win us back into his fold. We can fall away, and be lost for eternity.
     We might get it into our heads that, hey, I've been saved, so little sins aren't that big a deal. We may not be committing murders or assaults, but little white lies, maybe drinking or anything else "small" won't hurt us, Jesus will protect us. Leviticus 4:27 however tells us if we sin, even in ignorance, we are guilty of all sin. James tells us in 2:10 that if we follow the complete law, or the major points, yet offend in just one point, any point, we are lost. There is no such thing as a small sin, so when Satan throws these temptations at us, we must stay strong and keep God first. These moments of weakness will hit us often, in fact everyday, but God has given us something to protect us, as long as we follow His commandments, Jesus.
     We will falter and sin, we are human after all, no one is perfect, but if we are saved and ask for forgiveness, and truly mean it in our hearts, it will be given to us. The amazing thing about God, is He can not only forgive, but forget. We are not able to do that completely, we of course can forgive, but it is impossible for us to forget. Hebrews 10:17 says this is exactly what God does, forgive, forget, and move on. How wonderful that is, only if we do our part, it is not automatic. Romans 6:1 tells us we can continue in sin, and the tool we have to fight it off is the Bible, with it we have everything we need to live a good and Godly life. It will not be easy, but Christians have always faced trials and persecutions in life, and we are still here, doing as our savior says,