The Scourge Of Racism
E-Book Availability 4/12-26
Released January 5, 2024
Download Your Copy
Now In The Strong Man Store!
Confusion in God's house is of such an extent in these latter days, many no longer preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ as commanded much less that soul deep repentance from sin and faith in the message is required (Mark 1:14-15). It is impossible to make the Gospel any simpler and easier for people to digest than the way it is plainly stated in the written Word without corrupting it. The same holds true for God's one and only way for already saved folk to get right after we sin. Again, the written Word contains God's simple and easy direction for what a professing Christian that is guilty of sin must do. Without soul deep repentance from sin, there can be no forgiveness for anyone! So, first, what is the Gospel of Jesus Christ? According to the apostle Paul through whose preaching of the message we Gentile believers exist, the Gospel is "that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures," (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, NKJV). It is not enough to believe Christ died on the cross. One must believe He died "for our sins." It was our sins that separated us from God and condemned us. But Christ, "The Lamb of God" came to endure God's wrath on the cross for our sins and make possible through His blood their removal by forgiveness (Isaiah 53:1-12; John 1:29, 3:13-21, NKJV). When the New Testament speaks of believing in Christ in the context of salvation, it is not only belief that He is a historical Person, but always with the understanding that men believe the Gospel in which He and His sacrifice are central. Just believing Jesus is a real Person cannot save you. Our faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ centers on His sacrifice to save us from our sins. This faith is preceded by a conviction we are guilty of sin before God and stand in great peril since we have no remedy unless He should act to save us (Isaiah 6:1-7; Romans 7:14-8:1). Leaving sin out as the key issue of the Gospel is another, false gospel and condemns its preachers (Galatians 1:1-10)! Soul deep repentance is spawned by the exclusive work of the Holy Spirit to convict us of our sins that have offended God and include heretofore refusing to believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ (John 16:5-11). In the midst of guilt, shame and an overwhelming regret accompanied by real sorrow in the depths of the soul, the sinner turns from rebellion against God to Him and His help in the Gospel. Hence, in accord with Christ’s command (Luke 24:46-49), at Pentecost Peter answered the men of Israel in their anguish of sin guilt, "Repent…," (Acts 2:36-39, NKJV); Paul assuming conviction of sin and soul deep repentance as immediate antecedents to faith writes Romans 10:6-17. After becoming Christians, we continue to sin against God as He foreknew. In His infinite wisdom and unique greatness, God moves in several ways at once to help us from the moment of salvation. Through the Holy Spirit we are set apart as holy and holiness is worked in us daily as an intended lifelong process leading to glory (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). The Father begins to father us with loving instruction and discipline (Hebrews 12:3-11). Among the things we are taught is to reflexively confess and repent from our sins trusting in God’s faithful and just character to forgive us because of the finished sacrifice and continuing advocacy of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 1:5-2:2). Christians can and many of us do stubbornly resist the convicting work of the Holy Spirit in refusing to confess and repent from our sins. We have varying reasons, but the bottom line is we are loving and preferring our sin to God. The Holy Spirit in grief continues to reach out to us while we shrug Him off in resistance with all manner of deceitful rationalizations and justifications for our sin (Ephesians 4:30). During this time which may be many years, we are certainly in rebellion and not walking by faith. Also, in love the Lord painfully chastens us to the end of finally bringing us around to a “godly sorrow” and soul deep repentance like David (Psalm 51:1-17; 2 Corinthians 7:9-11, NKJV) leading to a purge of sin from our hearts as Josiah purged Israel if we will (2 Chronicles 34:1-7). To see such godly sorrow and soul deep repentance among professing Christians currently in rebellion against God, His Word and order is my hope from the heart of God in writing and speaking with directness (Ezekiel 33:1-9). For the immutable God longsuffering and merciful does judge His people though He desires not to (Ezekiel 18:23, 30-32, 33:10-11; Hebrews 10:26-31; Revelation 2:4-5, 14-16, 20-23, 3:1-3, 15-20). Therefore, let the disobedient of God’s house carefully consider that Daniel voiced prayer in soul deep repentance on behalf of his people from the judgment of captivity looking toward restoration (Daniel 9:1-19); not so for you, but eternal disgrace and ruin await unless you repent now (Hebrews 3:7-19, 12:12-17; Revelation 13, 14:8-11, 16:17-19:4)!
Without a doubt, Peter has Isaiah 53:4-9 in mind as the Holy Spirit inspired his writing of 1 Peter 2:21-25 since he quotes verse 9 and alludes to the rest. In 1 Peter 2:24-25, Peter writes of the spiritual outcomes that Christ’s sacrifice brings to believers in that having died to our sins in coming to Him through faith, we now live for righteousness since our painful separation from God has been healed. Truly, we were as sheep “going astray,” but now through faith “have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer” of our souls (NKJV). Such are the rich and joyful realities the apostle writes of in a context in which he is encouraging us to follow Christ’s example when we suffer. However, in these latter days, apostolic instruction like Peter’s is being ignored and many of those that claim to love the Lord are rebelling against Him as the Shepherd of God’s flock to include men who supposedly have been called by Christ to serve in the ministry of shepherding under Him (John 14:21-24, 31, 15:9-10, 21:15-17). The Lord Jesus is the “great” and “Chief Shepherd” of God’s sheep that purchased them with His own blood and it is His will that is to be implemented in pleasing Him among them (Hebrews 13:20-21; 1 Peter 5:1-4, NKJV)! But the guilty in rebellion are sheep going astray all over again after having already returned to God through Christ our Shepherd. In the meantime, many of the guilty are running around calling for “revival in the land” because our nation is steadily losing its collective mind in approving social policies that God condemns. How can professing Christians call unsaved rebels to repentance and they as rebels need to repent themselves? The Lord had me to write about this sham cry for revival back in 2012 and nothing has happened since then to make a liar out of me. We desperately need heartfelt revival in the land alright, but we need it in God’s house among His sheep first and of the drastic variety seen under Judah’s king Josiah before God’s severe judgment fell (2 Chronicles 34-35:19). Only after will we appreciate as fully as we ought, the divine imperative to restore men. Originally Posted October 28, 2012 It has been nice lately hearing all of the cries for revival in our nation. Unfortunately, as I have previously written and the Lord in righteous indignation impressed heavily upon my heart on Friday, October 19th, without heartfelt repentance on the part of professing Christians, authentic revival is not coming--right at this moment anyway. Why? Many of these folk calling for revival are still standing knee deep in rebellion while they quote 2 Chronicles 7:14. This is not a game and my God is not stupid. You do not think He knows a deeply repentant and broken heart from one that is merely superficially acknowledging a few general acts of common sin? How could it be that women as pastors and those that endorse their clear break with Bible instruction would actually believe God is moved by their ostensible display of humble petition for revival? Hypocrites! God is not pleased and rather than revival, prepare for His remedial judgment as also happened to ancient Israel for trying the same thing (Jeremiah 6; Revelation 2:18-23, 3:19). God’s people from ancient times only ever got in trouble with Him after departing from His Word. In God’s words to Solomon by night after the Temple dedication ceremonies, He is concerned in verse 13 first to have him understand judgment would come upon His people for their sins. Drought, devouring locusts and pestilence are sent by God upon His people not for doing well, but for their wicked ways. It is deeply offensive to God holy, righteous and true that His people not only willfully sin against Him, but corrupt His Word to His face to even justify their wicked ways. Israel would do this and many professing Christians across America are now doing it (Matthew 15:1-9). So many professing Christians treat God as a marshmallow who only cares that they have some level of acknowledgement of Him in their lives. While confessing that all of the bad stuff the sinners in America are doing is the source of our nation’s troubles, I hear nothing about how we, God’s people, have sinned against Him in disobedience not to some obscure passages of Scripture, but very clear instruction. This is instruction from Christ on adultery and divorce for example in Matthew 5:27-32 and 19:1-9. As well, it is anointed apostolic instruction on the headship of men in the home and churches along with greed such as is found in 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and 6:6-11. Christ says “not to resist an evil person,” (Matthew 5:38-42); we say, “Whoever takes from me will pay” and justify keeping deadly weapons for protection. Christ says “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:43-48); we say, “This is impossible” and justify racial prejudice. On and on this goes ad nauseam and we are guiltless? God is telling Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that on the condition His people would earnestly petition Him in repentance from their sinful and wicked ways that has brought judgment upon them, then He would “hear” (which plainly asserts until that point He is not listening), “forgive their sin and heal their land;” that is, restore the land devastated by the judgment represented in drought, devouring locusts and pestilence. Before Holy Ghost fired revival will come to American Christians and churches there must be deep and bitter repentance from the sin, worldly compromises and corruptions of His Word we have made. Apparently, the travails of our nation to date have not yet been severe or painful enough to bring us to this. However, get ready; God who knows how to humble the proud will bring His people, professing Christians and this nation to our knees in a disciplinary judgment that will not be easily dismissed as “natural” in any way. Then, there will be serious repentance and genuine, fresh surrender to Jesus as Lord as well as commitment to obey even the whole Word of God as He requires His people. In that hour very near too, there will be no more clever skating around obedience in the deceitful and convenient dismissal of God’s Word as rules so as to avoid “rule keeping,” (Psalm 119). (ODCM Publishing Division is pleased to invite readers of the Strong Man Of God Blog to visit a new Facebook Page, The Strong Man Of God Resources that debuted today with a post from Robert Kelley and featuring a You Tube link to the Strong Man Of God Book Trailer video.)
Join The Strong Man Of God Resources Conversation!
Get Your Copy Of The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics Today!
Your purchase supports restoring men, families and communities through Strong Man Ministries!
Purchase It Now