From the Pastor’s desk
March 8, 2024
The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in an effort to prepare him for Pastoral ministry.
Paul cautioned Timothy to preach, teach, rebuke, exhort without concern for his chronology (youth).
Sound doctrine was needed in Ephesus. Pagan worship, idolatrous spirits, and false doctrines threatened the communities. Those same inequities continue to threaten the life of the communities and the world today.
The church has been strategically placed in the midst of these spiritual challenges.
Don’t be fooled! What appears to be “politically correct”, what presents itself as “progressive”, what has been insidiously labelled as “Christian and moral ”, is evidence that Paul saw what God wanted him to see.
Paul heard and appropriately communicated to Timothy that in the last days perilous times would come.
Timothy endured those days. We are experiencing those prophetic days in this present darkness.
I want to caution the church about a label that is designed to confuse and malign those who are committed to the Kingdom initiative.
This new label is intentionally anti-Christ by demonic design. It is a perversion. It is divisive. The new label satisfies itching ears, but it is not in line with the truth of the gospel of liberation from oppression. It is not inclusive. It does not stand for righteousness, liberty and justice for all.
The new term that has surfaced and will sweep the nation in an effort to satisfy a political agenda, and who I term to be the spirit of the anti-Christ embodied in an individual and those who have been fooled is called CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM.
Loyalty to one’s country is one thing. Blind, misguided loyalty is another. Christian nationalism is racist at its core; it is exclusionary. It calls some wrong right, and some right wrong!
There is a problem, when one’s commitment to anything violates the whole counsel of God.
When God’s leaders endorse a demagogue and hide behind two or three issues while ignoring the bigger issues of righteous character, humility, true leadership and concern for all people, a problem of gigantic proportion is eminent.
Do not ascribe to the message or the mentality of those who will align and define themselves as Christian Nationalists!
A true Christian loves God, His word, His plan according to the scriptures, without cherry picking passages that suit any particular human agenda.
Saints, pray without ceasing: 1Thesalonians 5: 17
Ask the Sovereign God for Godly wisdom: James 1: 5
Be led by the Spirit. Resist the lust of the flesh, the pride of life: Galatians 5: 18
Let the word of God dwell richly: Colossians 3: 16
Let love (agape) be without dissimilation, abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good: Romans 12: 9
Mark those who cause offense (to the truth of God’s word, against the church): Romans 16: 17, Titus 3: 10
Be wise as serpents, but harmless as doves: Matthew 10: 16
SEEK THE WILL OF THE FATHER: Matthew 6: 10
DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER. MAKE DISCIPLES. Matthew 28: 16 – 20
Reverend Dr. Samuel M. Wright, Jr,
Pastor, Union Chapel Church, Union, NJ
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