Christian Paganism “… How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Ba-al, then follow him,,,(1`King.18:21) After writing the article on the “extraordinary Situation?” “the Extraordinary God”, Extraordinary Elijah” and Extraordinary Miracle, the Lord confronted me with “Christian Paganism”, the same night. The Holy Spirit took me to the following passages and taught me with words I have never known before. It was awesome to know the mind of the Living God. On the 25th Sunday January 2009, I will be preaching this sermon in Rev.Stephan Paul’s Church in Kaveripattinam. I am sure that this message will be a blessing and feel free to elaborate it and preach it so that the body of the Lord may be edified. Elijah was a Powerful man and a fire full man! The generation who made a great escape from Egypt died in wilderness due to continuous rebellion and disobedience to His laws. The generation who crossed the red sea, the generation who saw Yahweh on mount Sinai, the generation who ate the food of the angels, the generation who worshipped the Lord in the tabernacle, sinned by worshipping idols. They mix married the heathen and thus kindled the anger of the Lord. The Lord had to slaughter them in the wilderness and extend a 3 days journey in to 40 years. it was a new generations when Ahab was king over Israel. The nation of Israel was living in total disobedience to the laws of the Lord. Jezebel, the wife of Ahab was a wicked women. He killed the prophets of the Living God and built innumerable temples and forced the worship of Ba-al. (1.Kings.16:30-33) The Lord punished the land by stopping the rain and dew for over three and half a year. What is paganism? (or) heathenism? My Webster’s dictionary gives meaning that a pagan is the one who worships idols other than the living God. And a pagan is the one who is either a Christian, a Jew or a believer in the living God! St.Paul’s Explanation of Paganism: ( Ro.1: 21-23)Because that, they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful……And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God in to an image….. 1. Not glorifying the Living God is paganism. 2. Failing to Thank God is Paganism 3. Changing the Glory of the Living God in to the hand works of human hands. (lifeless idols.) It can be the writings, paintings, songs, music, ideologies and philosophies. The enemy, the old serpent is so clever that he knows that Christians would not worship idols that easily and so he twists the Word and the Faith delivered to the saints and makes them stumble in relating their Christian life in the world and community we live in. How can a Christian be a pagan? 1. Christians too worship idols. In some church buildings, they still have idols of Jesus, and other saints. And they are being worshipped. Paul writing to the Corinthian Church, questions, “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?...(II.Cor.6:16) “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee idolatry. (I.cor.10:14-15) The city of Corinth was full of temples with life less idols; like we have it here in India. There will be several of them in one village. The Christians were new and hand counted. There was the temptation of eating the meat and banquet offered to the idols! Paul tells them, No do not eat, because the animals were sacrificed to devils. (I.cor.10:20) And if you do eat, then You have fellowship with the devils. …Ye can not be partakers of the Lord’s table and of the table of the devils. In, Num. 25:2 We have an incident. Israel had to cross the land of Moabites. Balak was terrified. He hired the “Balaam” and tried to curse the people of Israel and instead of cursing; the prophet went on blessing the people of Israel. The king’s plan failed. And so they worked out a plan to seduce the people of Israel. They invited the people of Israel to the sacrifices offered to their gods, and the people did eat, and bowed to their gods. And the Lord killed that day 24,000 people. There is another scheme of the devil. Many Christians try to walk on sight and falsehood than trusting, believing and exercising their faith on the living Gods and His living word. Galatians had this problem. In Gal. 4:9-10 “But now that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, where unto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times and years.” Idolatry is practiced in a new form! Millions of Christians secretly practice these things. From kings to the leaders of super power nations fear the signs of sun, moon and stars. Christian weddings are fixed in “good times”. Warming up a newly built house, a journey, laying of foundation stones, giving names to the newborn babies etc ets are done in the light of these things. Are these things not professing practically that the JESUS we profess is so mean and obsolete? Let us flee all forms of Idolatry. 2.Idolatry always accompanies sensual and sexual misbehaviors. Coming back to Romans. 1: 24-28, we read how God gave such people to sexual misbehaviors. Idolatry always accompanied polygamy, prostitution and misappropriation of genders. It is in the light of this that men marrying men and women marrying women are blessed by priests and pastors and priests in church buildings. Oh! What a debauchery. Even animals and pets we grown in our homes keep up the natural laws of God. It does not take God for the animals to keep this law. Thus human nature is lower than the instincts of beasts. Coming back to numbers 25. The Moabites knew how to seduce and reduce Israel to nothing and Bring them down. They sent attractive young women in to the festival Of Ba-al. The people of Israel committed adultery. The Holy god of the Bible was jealous upon His Holiness that He killed and removed 24,000 Israelites in one day. Corinthian Christians had more severe Problem in this area. Remember this Church was a “Super Spiritual Church”. The Holy Spirit was in full operation With various gifts, fruits and Offices. But in ( I.cor.5:1- 5) we read: “ It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such is not so much as named among the gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. …..To deliver such an one un to Satan for the destruction of the flesh…..” How many families, lives, individuals, nations, kings and kingdoms fell because of sexual failures? Cinemas, pornography magazines, Internet, pubs, dances and other cultural practices have devastated the strength, future, happiness and the prosperity of human race! REMEMBER! NO ONE IS ABOVE THIS TEMPTATION. Flee, idolatry for it will destroy the moral fabric of a society, nation and families, by seducing us in to sexual and sensual sins. Jesus said,” But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Mt.6:28) 2.Christians can be pagans by exercising Lordship and authority. In Lk.22.24-26 “And there was a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And He said unto them, The kings of the gentiles exercise lordship over them: and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger: and he that is chief, as he that doeth serve.” The greatest problem of the CHURCH to day is Power and position. Every one wants to be on the top seat. This is because of ruling and authority. Positions always bring possessions, comforts and lordship. And this strife ends in court cases, closing down of church services, divisions and separation of the body of Christ. Greed and jealousy are the root cause of these evils. The Holy Spirit Can not rule the body of Christ if a man or a man is lifted to the throne of authority. In I.Sam.8: 5-7, we read how the people of Israel wanted to …”make a king to judge us like all THE NATIONS” …….And the Lord said unto Samuel, …..for they not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I SHOULD NOT REIGN OVER THEM.” The Lord always want to be on the throne, ruling over His church. Rev.4: 1- 11 gives us the account of Jesus seated on the throne and there were 24 other thrones round about….The Lord wants to live amongst His people, ruling and judging. And there are many who acknowledge this and experience this. And the leaders of the church are servants and not Lords. How de we relate our position and authority with the fellow Christians? How do we relate our Christian power with our un saved non Christians? How do we relate our power and lordship with the members of our family? There are leaders in the church who treat Christians of poor nations as “mean” and as third class citizens! In Jn.13 the Lord showed the meekness of Leadership by washing the foot of His disciples. An aggressive leadership with man made laws and rules are Paganism. The king is coming on the clouds! The ruler of the nations is nearer than we think to meet His people. AND EVERY ONE WHO ARE RULED BY HIM WILL MEET HIM IN THE NID HEAVEN AND BE GONE WITH HIM! Jesus is Lord! He alone is our King! Worship! Praise! And Serve Him Joyfully! Amen! Rev.Dass.T Director www.bethelerc.org