Has Judgement Started?

"For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: And if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God."(I Peter 4:17)

During the mid 1980's, as world renowned televangelist were confessing sins, losing their ministries and even being arrested for criminal behavior, I felt that God's judgment of His house had begun. I recall attending a pastor's breakfast with James Robison about this same time and he said that God was going to use the secular media to expose the sin in our pulpits. Has this statement ever been any more true than it is today?

Are we, as a church, and especially ministers, in need of accountability? Sin is running rampant in pew and pulpit alike. God is using the media to expose the sins of many in the hierarchy of the christian church. Yet the church seems unrepentant. Oh, we may go on national television with tears flowing and ask for forgiveness of our "failures" while all along about the only thing that we are sorry for is that we got caught.

We have internationally known ministers confessing to going to Paris to frequent strip clubs and to even committing adultery as they carry on long distance affairs. They may lose their families but they keep their pulpits, their television programs, their "fan" base, their support and their speaking engagements outside their own church. There are pastors divorcing over "irreconcilable differences"(not biblical grounds), yet they keep right on going as if nothing has happened. Divorce and remarriage in the pulpit and pew alike, have reached epidemic proportions.

Church leaders having moral failures with no consequences is a sad indictment against the moral climate of the church. When those in the pew no longer demand integrity, accountability, purity, holiness, righteousness of those in leadership then that church is ready for God's judgment. He allows those in leadership to get caught in their sins in order to not only cause the sinner to examine himself and hopefully repent, but to also test those in the pew. Do those in the pew have the relationship with God; the knowledge of His Word; and the conviction of the Holy Spirit to demand sin be dealt with or do they overlook the sins of the leaders hoping they will overlook their sins and not "preach" against their sins. By overlooking one anothers sins we can be "happy." We may have a false sense of security, but we can all sing our songs of victory as the Titanic of our souls is sinking in the sea of darkness.

Churches have now gone so far into imitating the world's way of doing things that they now will pay people to attend their churches or offer gifts for to those who will attend. According to Ministry Today online from fall of '09, there are churches throughout the nation that use such marketing gimmicks. One church in Alsip, IL, advertised that "We will pay you to come." They pay out cash and gifts to first time visitors. They even use the theme song from The Price Is Right during the praise and worship when preparing to announce the week's winners. Other churches offer big screen televisions, vacations, cars, etc., to one lucky visitor. One ministry in Beloit, WI, brags of meeting with a group of non-church goers at a local bar every Sunday to talk about Jesus over cocktails, cigarettes and chicken wings.

Now I can understand why Jesus wept over Jerusalem--He was grieved over their rejection of and rebellion to the Truth. The church no longer holds to the Truths of God's Word. Instead we think our programs and "modern" way of doing things is far better than the "old-fashioned" way. Several months ago God revealed to me that the church needs to come back to the simplicity of the cross, the blood and a resurrected Savior. I recall back in 1987, as I was complaining to God about the dry wilderness place that I found myself in, I was "telling" God what I needed when it was like God spoke very clearly to me. "I have given you Jesus and I owe you nothing else." I realized then that in Jesus I have everything I'll ever need. Knowing Him is all that matters!! Yet instead of preaching Jesus crucified, resurrected and coming again, we resort to clever marketing devices, programs, entertainment and people-pleasing sermons. We preach ear-tickling sermonetts and produce little christianettes, not disciples of Jesus.

Many of our proven prophetic voices in the church today are not only prophesying pending judgment, but they are praying for it. As God brings judgment to the church, as it was when His judgments came to Isreal in the O.T., repentance will come and a genuine sorrow over sin will permeate the people. We will experience a revival in the church and an awakening in the nation. The result will be a great harvest of souls as the people gaze upon the true church, seeing Jesus alive and changing lives.

Do we need judgment as a nation, a church, a people? YES!! I believe it has begun. Let's repent and cease our rebellion against God. Let's present to the world a life- changing Jesus not a socializing "good ole boy" who promotes a "let's eat, drink and be merry" mentality as so many of our churches do today. Let His righteousness be seen in us and through us as we face first judgment, then tribulation and finally His return.