“And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I [am] the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.” (Eze 36:23 AV)
Sanctification is one of those things the people of God do not like to talk about. Liberty is the idea of the day. How much like the world can I live and still call myself a Christian? That is the attitude of most churches today. It used to be limited to personal standards of separation, such as places we frequent, how we appear in public, and the means of occupying one’s time. We used to shun worldly forms of entertainment. If a certain industry promoted ungodliness, the Christian world would cease to patronize it. Men and women used to dress gender-specific. There was no confusion about gender rolls in God’s creation. Those standards have since long gone. There used to be a time when God’s people got married and stayed married. There used to be a time when those professing Christ would keep themselves until married. Out-of-wedlock births were extremely rare and never celebrated. There used to be a time when God’s people would break their neck to be in church as much as possible. No wonder our baptistries are dry and our churches are shrinking. We are no different from those whom we are trying to reach. What motivation do they have to make a change?
I was reminded this morning of the events in Israel. The bible instructs us to bless Israel. Those nations that bless Israel will be blessed. Those who do not will be cursed. What that does not mean is support for Israel’s culture. They are no different from the west. They have the same moral morass as the rest of us. They support abortion and sodomy. They are culturally liberal in the morals and lifestyle. When we see the trouble Israel faces, we must remember Assyria and Babylon. God sent heathen nations against them so they would learn to follow the one true God in holiness and righteousness. As the Spirit mused in my heart, I could not help but see the attitude of the enemies of God and His people. Whether we like it or not, the lost expect the people of God to live differently than they do. Be that fair or not is not the point. They expect those who preach Jehovah God to live differently. When the people of God do not, there is disdain. The enemies of God are justified in their hatred of God’s people because they claim one thing and live completely different. They hate God’s people because God’s people are not living as they should.
We knock on doors. We advertise. We have community outreaches. We provide services for the lost. But at the end of the day our churches are still shrinking. We spend a lot of resources to try to make an impact. But in the end, there is little or no difference. When God gave the mandate and instructions to build the temple, it was with the intent of creating a place distinctively different from all others. The intent was to attract the lost world to the one true God where they could experience the presence of God in worship. Because the people of God refused to protect what God provided, it was destroyed. God has given the church transformed lives. We are new creatures in Christ. Jesus said that if He is lifted up, He will draw all men unto Him. What that doesn’t mean is creating an atmosphere akin to the entertainment of the world and sprinkle a little Jesus on it. The righteousness and holiness of God is what attracts. Not the methods or means we use. I am saddened. I see opportunity slipping away. The darker the world becomes, the brighter God’s people should shine. This is not the case. We are only a few steps behind the ungodly. There is little distinction. When God’s people have their fill of sin and the world, repent of their condition, and seek God with their whole hearts, then perhaps we will see revival in our day. Perhaps then our churches will once again be full!
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