We really should avoid being presumptuous!
We really should avoid being presumptuous!
The "mixed multitude" in the Christians churches are ready to attack the fallen lords of darkness, formerly angels of the highest rank in Heaven. Such men do not understand against whom they are speaking abusively.
While they are challenging the angelic lords, they are displeasing Christ with their adultery and fornication. These are the behaviors that destroy them.
Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion. (Verse 11)
The way of Cain is that of jealousy because God is blessing someone besides you. This kind of jealousy results in a murderous slander and gossip. It is very common in Christian churches.
Cain was arrogant. If he had asked God how he could improve his offering, God would have been more than happy to show him what to do. Instead Cain reacted in an arrogant rage. He fumed about this "injustice" until he finally was driven to murder.
The way of Balaam is that of the love of money. It is common in the churches. The idea is to use your gift to make money.
Riches are deceitful. Balaam heard clearly from God the first time. But the prospect of riches deceived Balaam into going back to God a second time. Of course, God, who expects to be obeyed the first time He speaks, told Balaam to go ahead and get his gold.
Because the spirit of prophecy in Balaam would not permit him to curse Israel, Balaam counseled Balak to send out the dancing girls where the Israelite warriors could see them. God then sent a plague on Israel because of the resulting fornication.
Thus Balaam was deceived by the desire for money and brought the curse of God on himself. Even today we have preaching in Charismatic churches that we should use Christ to gain material wealth. This type of person will be judged severely when the Lord returns with His saints.
Balaam finally was killed by Israelite warriors—a fitting end for a man with a tremendous spiritual gift who tried to use it to make money.
In addition to those slain in battle, the Israelites had put to the sword Balaam son of Beor, who practiced divination. (Joshua 13:22)
The way of Korah is that of rebellion against God-given authority. Often God places people in authority over us, in the church or elsewhere, that we despise. We can see all their faults. We cannot understand why they should be telling us what to do.
Korah was of the family of Kohath, the descendant of Levi, as was true also of Miriam, Moses, and Aaron. Korah could not understand why Moses and Aaron should be telling him what he could and could not do.
The Bible tells us authority comes from God.
No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. (Psalms 75:6,7)
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. (Romans 13:1,2)
We in America are accustomed to calling our most highly placed leaders by their first name or their nickname. In this manner we hope to bring them down to our level.
This is an abomination to God. God is ever a lover of government. We do not please God by rebelling against secular or ecclesiastical government.
If God has called us to pioneer truth, or to do something else outside of the accepted order, we had better make certain we are hearing from God.
When members of a church do not agree with the doctrine of their church, they can meekly bring their point of view to the elders of the church. Having done that, if they cannot bring the elders to their point of view they should go elsewhere. The church will not grow in a wholesome manner while there are people who are attempting to undermine the authority of the church.
Sometimes a believer feels he or she has been called of God to bring about division in a body of Christians. I have never, in more than sixty years as a Christian, seen anyone prosper in God who had set himself to rebel against the authority of a church.
God honors government, whether secular or religious, until that government commands us to disobey God. This does not happen very often. What is more commonplace is a Christian with the spirit of Korah who is seeking to control the church.
These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. (Verses 12,13)
Can you imagine Christians having love feasts and such people being in their midst! It was true then and it is true today—in our Christian churches!
They are shepherds but they feed only themselves. They are completely self-centered, working so every benefit accrues to themselves regardless of how other people fare.
They are clouds without rain. They give the appearance of being a source of blessing, but there is no blessing in them. They leave us hungry and thirsty after they have preached.
They are blown along by the wind. They espouse every new doctrine just as long as it makes them popular and rich.
They are autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted. They are as trees in the late fall in northern climates. They have no fruit or leaves but are as bare skeletons against the sky. They may appear to be fountains of blessing to their followers, but the Lord sees them as they truly are. You will get no nourishment from them.
Next Part They have no roots in God.