Finally, the governments of the world are going after the real criminals. In May, Russian police raided a Baptist event where church members were giving out religious literature. Three members of Resurrection Baptist Church were detained by plain-clothes officers as they handed out copies of the New Testament to an audience of 500 at a rented cinema in the city of Ivanovo, about 155 miles northeast of Moscow. Recent actions against the church include a night police search of the family apartment of a missionary from Moldova and fines handed down to ten American Baptists for allegedly violating Russia's visa regime (they were charged for teaching on church premises when their visa only gave them permission for religious activities).
In Isaiah 29:13, the Lord berated Israel for their false religiosity: "Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men." Consider especially the last phrase. Their fear of the Lord was taught to them by the precept of men. The idea is of men taking the fear of the Lord (the key to godliness according to numerous scriptures) and remolding it according to his own precept; that is, he reforms the concept of godliness according to his earthly ideas of what it should be and not according to the direct teaching of God's word. This manmade godliness fills our churches today. God and His word are no longer the authority for godly living. Lifestyle is determined by the popular consensus of modern cultural opinions. We must get back to the fear of the Lord as taught by the Spirit of God through the word of God if we are ever to return to the faith once delivered to the saints.
I recently saw a picture of an elderly woman, who, when she was younger had surgery done to change some things about her face. She was an odd looking individual. I was reminded about the verse in Romans where it says, "Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?" (Romans 9:20)
Last night, Drew Ray preached a powerful message at Antioch Baptist Church. The text of his message was taken from Hebrews 4:9, which states, "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." This idea was that, although we have a present rest in Jesus Christ, our true rest will come after we leave this world. Therefore, our present life is a time for service. We need to work; or, as Jesus said in Luke 19:13, "Occupy till I come." Brother Ray pointed out the word "occupy" is related to the word "occupation." One of the most convicting passages he used was the invitation of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-29. It begins, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." But too often we stop with the rest. The next statement is, "Take my yoke upon you." That is work. We find our rest in Jesus Christ through our service to Him. All this reminds me of a verse I read yesterday: "Their strength is to sit still" (Isaiah 30:7). We have far too many in our churches who are described by that statement.
The following is a letter written to a grandson upon hearing the news of his baptism. Oh, that we had more grandparents with this kind of heart today.
