Day 190 "Political correctness will do much too much to fuel the fires of destruction."

Day 190 Matthew 23:15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” I read this passage immediately following a night and consequent morning of wrestling with some things in my mind regarding end-times churches and subsequently asking God to clarify them for me. At present time (of these passages), Jesus is warning the religious leaders about spreading a message that is not the truth; however, this message yields such great power and prestige to these leaders that they covet the power more than the truth. In this particular passage, they are being warned of the consequences of this movement and that people will spend eternity separated from God for believing and following these leaders! There are many movements taking place in the church at large today that, unfortunately, may have similar consequences, and I, for one, cannot sit by and watch people being led astray in hopes that they might someday see the light. The Lord is constantly reminding me that we do not have the guarantee of tomorrow and that we are to be ready for His return just as we are ready for a thief to come in the night. Therefore, if I believe and obey that which Jesus said was the second greatest commandment and I "love my neighbor as myself," how can I sit by and watch people being led like lambs to the slaughter? Back to the point of this passage, leaders will both knowingly and unknowingly lead people astray; therefore, we must all search the Word for the truth and ask the Holy Spirit for direction. The church of today must have a solid foundation, and that foundation must be in the sovereignty of the Word. When we begin to water down the Word, and when we desire to be politically correct rather than honest in love, we begin a gradual, often fatal, slide further and further from the truth and ultimately salvation. The danger is truly to strive for political correctness. Think about it, our entire salvation, the gospel message, is founded upon the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our savior and nothing else, and He, above all, was not politically correct. When He was confronted by anyone seeking truth or seeking to disclaim the truth, He answered with the Word. Why? Because it is the foundation of Christianity! When we begin to water down the Word with our beliefs or when we try to make it more palatable to unbelievers, we are treading on dangerous ground. Let me give you a great example. Today, in America, the gay movement has reached the forefront of many conversations; the gays want their rights, and they want to have the church say that God says it's OK. Therefore, some churches and movements, in the name of reaching out to the gays, have watered down the Word; they insert sweet and kind words and do all they can to make homosexuals feel that it is OK to practice what they believe and that God loves them. Let me be the first to say that, yes, God loves homosexual people and so do I. They are my fallen brothers and sisters; however, I do not agree with their lifestyle, and I won't support it. Why? Because, according to the truth, their lifestyle will separate them for eternity from God. How do I know this, you ask? Read these passages and see what answer you come up with: Leviticus 20:13, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Leviticus 18:22, and Romans 1:26-27. Am I to say to a brother or sister who is heading down a road to death and destruction, "Oh, it's OK, that’s not what God meant; he loves you," while the truth is I have misinterpreted the Word to you and by doing so may very well cause you to be eternally separated from God? If I truly love and care about you, I will come to you in love, share the truth in love, and walk you through your restoration in love, but I warn you, I may not be so-called politically correct while doing so. How about you? Is political correctness or acceptance by others more important or somehow causing you not to share "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God"? Daily Prayer: Father, please give us the wisdom and understanding to seek the truth regarding all things and a desire and hunger for your word. In Jesus’ name, Amen. "Political correctness will do much too much to fuel the fires of destruction." Gene Burroughs, Pastor