“Nevertheless I have a few things against you… and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.” Revelations 2:20, 23
The Lord keeps showing me how the church system has fallen away from knowing him and obeying his righteousness and perfect ways into something that looks like it is of God but is not. And the works that happen because of this “way” which is not the “WAY” of God, are not good works. We think they are good but they are not. In some cases it is simply because of love, a love for another person over the Love of God. In other cases it is a religious thing where the church you go to has some of their own rules and does not follow sound doctrine and allow the relationship with God. I am going to give two perfect examples, one based on a conversation yesterday. The second thing the Lord reminded me of was what happened about 15 years ago when we went to a church here in Rosarito.
First the church deal. My wife and I went to this church, at the time we were engaged and not married, and talking with the church about a wedding date. Here in Mexico you have two weddings, one with the civil law or the judge. And then if you want to you can do a religious wedding. This church had a man made rule you must wait one year to get married. So we planned our religious wedding with them to be one year after meeting. However we planned our civil wedding to be about 6 months after meeting. Now this was God’s doing, and looking back I see a few reasons for it. Anyways we had a problem with the church we went to, because I told the preacher the Lord made it clear to marry now when we had it planned, And I asked him do you want me to obey you or the Lord? Then the main preacher said to me bluntly. We have our rules and expect you to follow them. That was the last time I ever went into that church again.
Then interestingly enough I saw a video today discussing this exact thing, about how the church system has its rules and regulations, changing doctrine and laws so they have a whole different meaning. And then heaping them up like they are of God and his rules. This guy was speaking of the Jews at the time of Yeshua, but as the old saying goes, the more things change the more they stay the same. But it made the point that this has been the ongoing thing since almost the beginning, God gives us sound doctrine and a sound holy way to live our lives, and we change it to make it more suitable to our way of thinking, then believing the God accepts our way as OK, he sees our point of view and is good with it. But the problem is he is not OK with it.
So the second thing, what the conversation was yesterday when celebrating a birthday with family. It was two brothers of Cinthya and her mom. And somehow the conversation of the love of family being the thing and not the love of righteousness and Gods way. Normally I keep my mouth shut at family events and just let them talk, even when it gets full of dysfunction. Actually to keep peace with the family it is better, anything I say will never change any of them.
But for some reason, this time I spoke up, and made the point clear that we are not to put anyone including family ahead of righteousness. If a family member is doing something wrong we are not to support them in it, we are to point out how they are wrong. So in essence I was doing exactly that. It is written “
He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” Matthew 10:37.
This is a perfect example of what Yeshua is speaking of, anytime you put the dysfunction and sin of a family member in front of truth, righteousness and the way of God, it is wrong. You are showing them more love than the love of the truth which sets you free. The problem is you have no idea what this does to you and your relationship with God. In our eyes it seems right to do things and defend our family to the end, like it is of God. But it is not. And over the years I have seen dysfunction after dysfunction because of this love for family over the love of the truth in God. In one extreme case I saw a woman giving money to her daughter so her and her boyfriend could pay rent, all the while the daughter was then using her money to buy drugs and alcohol. Eventually the boyfriend hung himself, using the daughters belt to do it and she is the one who found him.
I hope nothing like that happens with my in-laws, because my mother in law has a 40 something year old son living with her, who pays no bills, eats her food and spends his money on drugs and alcohol. He has caused many problems with the sisters, even having them call the police on him more than once. This brother is the extreme case, but there are all kinds of examples of other sisters and brothers doing things and the mother defending them in their unrighteousness. It keeps the family in serious dysfunction, yet they cannot see it because in their minds it is what you are supposed to do.
In our short discussion, I said under no terms are you to defend any wrong doings of a family member over righteousness in God. All of them said I was wrong, including my wife. And it is not the first time.
To each their own, we all have a right to believe what we want. But it is only the truth in Yeshua which sets us free. Otherwise when we hang onto something like this belief, it keeps us from the truth.
In my life, I always am seeking the truth, not to justify my ways or argue my ways. I know each person believes in their truth or they would not follow it. I know my catholic friends and family believe being catholic is the way, some have told me clearly it is when discussing it or debating it. You cannot change their mind no matter what you point out, just like yesterday, because I even brought up the drunk, drug using brother as an example of why we cannot put family in front of righteousness. But it did not matter, in their minds I am wrong and they are right. In the mind of the woman who paid the rent for her daughter, she did things right, her motto was always charity starts at home, which is not in the bible by the way, and goes against much of what is written.
I find myself doubting my beliefs at times, the devil tries to convince you that you are wrong using other people, circumstances, most of the time just a little thought like all these people are following their religion and you think you know God and are right and they are wrong? How could so many people be wrong and you are right when you never even studied religion?
And then I look at how my friends and family all follow different religions and or different beliefs, each of them thinking they are right and good with God and for sure going to heaven. But then I know God, hear him and obey him and with what he has taught me, and again it is written over and over in the bible. They are not in the Kingdom and will not go to heaven, unless they repent of these ways. In all the churches in Revelations 2 y 3, almost all had things the Lord had against them. He makes it clear he searches the hearts and minds of the people, and the judgment will be on the works they do.
So here is the argument of my wife, in her mind her works are not selfish, she is trying to do good with her family and help, same with my mother in law. They think what they do is with a good heart, and most would argue it is. But is it?
God tells us our hearts are evil above all things. And he said what man sees as good, God sees as bad, and vice versa. The funny thing about what God shows me about this is even though they are doing something for another person and not themselves, it is still selfish, because you are doing it for selfish reasons, many you do not see or understand. But if you truly seek the righteousness of God and live by it no matter the cost. Then you are doing the good works you were created to do, and the men do not like it.
This is the main thing you must come to understand, that almost everything you have been taught and do is wrong in the eyes of God even though we think it is right. And unless you hear and obey the Lord, doing things the way he shows you to do them, and not according to the worldly ways you have always done them. Then you remain in your sin and dysfunction which is really automatic. You cannot hold back in certain areas of your life because you love your son so much.
I have the deepest love for my son and daughters the Lord gave me, and would do anything for them, except disobey the Lord and his righteousness if I had to choose. I will ALWAYS do the will of God above the will of any of my family and anyone else. Always! But then I also understand what is right is also the best for everyone, where doing something for another person which is not in the will of God and his righteousness will always bring problems. I want what is best for everyone, and what is best is the perfect righteous way of God. So hear him and obey him!