The Purpose of Him

The paradigm shift in modern religion is taking the focus off scriptural holiness and placing it on the individual. Formulas and systems are designed to make you feel good about yourself and ‘think positive’ about your future. The theme may focus on good morals and decent living but NOT on Christ Crucified and the flesh subdued. This removes the focus from repentance and godly sorrow for sin and perverts the gospel message into a User friendly invitation to ‘receive’ Christ for personal advantage rather than REDEMPTION from the bondage of sin. (2Cor7:10, Acts17:30-32)

Under the ‘Purpose Driven’ formula you do NOT become Conformed to His image by partaking in the fellowship of His sufferings and power of His resurrection. . (Rom8:29, Phil 3:10) The Divine Nature that saves you from the corruption that is in the world through lust, 2Pet1:4, becomes a cloak for idolatry, concealed under ‘good intentions’ and smooth sounding words that deceive the mind into believing you can blend with the world while serving Jesus Christ. (Matt6:24) This is the Strong delusion spoken of in 2Thess2:10-11 that befalls people who will not receive a love of the truth.

The PURPOSE of HIM is clearly stated in scripture, you do not need the teaching of man to understand what God requires while you sojourn on earth. If you are to inherit eternal life you must patiently endure, walk in Newness of life, with the Mind of Christ, fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on His precious promises, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling and MAKE your calling and election sure in Christ!

(Rom2:7, Phil2:5, 1Tim6:11-14, 2Pet1:3-11, Phil2:12-14, 2Pet2:10) This exactly measures up to with the message Jesus Himself presented in the four Gospels. It is NOT a message of material success, worldly gain, or an easy life or personal popularity, but JUST the opposite of everything the Purpose Driven seminar proposes. 

Jesus promised a life of Self Denial, tribulation and trial, sorrow for the lost and dying world, separation from family and friends, misunderstanding, persecution and even death. (Matt10:22, 34-39, 16:24-28) He said the Way to eternal life was NARROW and that FEW (not many) would be able to find it, therefore STRIVE (make it your life’s endeavor and contend if necessary with every adversary to enter through that narrow gate!) for MANY will try to enter and NOT be able. (Matt7:13-25, Luke13:23-24) He told His followers they would have to Take Up their Cross daily and endure to the end to be saved. (Luke9:23, 14:27) THIS IS NOT the message of the modern ‘Purpose Driven’ church. They have eliminated repentance and godly sorrow for sin. Under their teaching you accept a five point ‘system’ NOT the Living Christ of Calvary. The Seed is Sown without root and the harvest it produces is constructed on shifting sands. (Luke6:49)

The people who are under the influence of this modern psychobabble are NOT becoming more like Christ, nor do they HUNGER and thirst for righteousness or desire PURITY of heart and life? Rather they are zealous for worldly gain, self-centered, lovers of pleasure and vain amusements and complacent toward sin. They may have ‘works’ as described in Rev2:19, but they are corrupted to the core. Having descended to the ‘depths’ of Satan, they continue in their games racing toward the Judgment, primed for the lake of fire.

In Scripture the New Birth is described as coming from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to GOD! (Acts26:18) It is being set FREE from the bondage and corruption of sin, being renewed in the spirit of your mind and putting on Christ Jesus who was created by God in righteousness and TRUE holiness! (Eph4:23-24, Rom6:6-11) The Fruit of Righteousness is the result when Christ subdues the heart, with holy tempers, endurance, joy and peace. (Eph5:8-9, Rom14:17)  Self is crucified with its passions and desires. (Gal5:24) NO WHERE is this suggested to happen by ‘degrees’, a tree is known by its fruit, the Bible says. You are either bringing forth a harvest of righteousness by the Power of His Holy Spirit dwelling in you, or you have been ‘self deceived’ into believing that ‘hearing’ is the same as ‘DOING!’

The ‘Purpose Driven Church’ is similar to Outcome Based Religion, ‘whatever’ works, use it! Preach a smooth, crafty message laced with moralistic terminology and religious jargon and the people will ‘think’ you are presenting a NEW, dynamic way to follow Jesus! But it’s the old, tried and proven methods that work best, because they are sanctioned by God and His Holy Spirit. The Gospel consists of: REPENTANCE, FAITH, OBEDIENCE and ENDURANCE and nothing short of this is the Gospel! (Gal1:6-10)

This is the exact reason why such a message has no Foundation in truth. It sounds pleasing to the ears, but lacks scriptural underpinning to focus the mind on the Doctrine of Christ. Mainly because they have offered the Love and Grace of God to people who are NOT prepared to come OUT of their sin! In the Bible they preached ‘Righteousness, Self Control and Judgment’ (Acts 24:25) and the people ‘FEARED’ God. Thus Grace  produced and promoted GODLY behavior; otherwise it was received in VAIN. (Titus2:11-14, 2Cor6:1, 1Cor15:1-2) Saving Faith, that works by love, DOES NOT supercede the necessity of holiness, rather it PURIFIES the heart and has Victory over the world, flesh and devil. (Gal5:6, Heb12:14, Acts15:9, 1John2:16-17)  The devils also believe and tremble, James2:19, where Faith makes the difference between heaven and hell is in OBEDIENCE to the Truth. (Rom1:5, 16:26, 1Pet1:22)

True Believers CONTEND earnestly for the faith, to keep it pure and undefiled, (Jude3-4) otherwise it becomes polluted and saves no one! The PURPOSE of God is CLEARLY stated in His Word, Grace promotes His Glory in us, through faith in Christ! (2Thess1:11-12, Eph1:11-13, 2:10) The Focus is on HIM, not us, that the exceeding greatness of His Power toward those who believe, according to His own good pleasure, may be shown in the ages to come that the un-searchable riches of His Grace and kindness in Christ may be known in the entire universe to the Praise of His Glory! (Eph1:19, 2:7-8) In THIS we ‘live, move and have our being’, NOT in a formula designed to appeal to the carnal mind of unconverted churchgoers.

Don’t let numbers and the appearance of success seduce you into thinking these modern teachers are on track with God. They are peddling the word of God for profit and using deceptive means to twist its meaning and deceive the minds of their hearers. (2Cor2:17, 4:2-5) They preach themselves and are KNOWN BY THEIR FRUITS! (Matt7:15-16) Although they appear godly and upbeat in style they are the ‘Savage Wolves’ Jesus warned us about in Matt7.

Their message appeals to the flesh, pampers the sinful nature and encourages worldly behavior. It does not promote scriptural holiness or Christ like behavior, as many suppose. Close examination will reveal conduct similar to that described in 2Tim3:1-6, certainly they have a FORM OF GODLINESS that has the appearance of sincerity and goodness, but it is WITHOUT THE POWER of True godly conduct! Plainly their message has NO FOUNDATION in Truth. (2Tim2:19) It may promote good works in the churches and create a positive outlook in the community and thereby INCREASE the attendance of most congregations, but these things are clanging cymbals when compared to a LIVING Faith that works by love, cleanses the heart of sin and purifies the soul of worldly corruption and lust.

They call their message, ‘Good News’, but their core beliefs are shallow and lacking in true substance. These men know NOTHING of the Narrow Gate and Difficult path that leads to eternal life. They will NEVER warn you of the common pit falls along the way or the various ‘Winds of Doctrine’ designed to lull you into a deadly spiritual sleep. In their mind ‘sin’ has no eternal consequence to the believer, therefore NOTHING you do in this life has any effect on the final outcome of your salvation. These men will NEVER prepare you for the pitch spiritual battle that you must continue to fight in order to prevail and enter the Kingdom. Your soul will become easy prey for the devils of hell as you grow ever more complacent about inward sin and heart purity. You may come away from their presentation ‘feeling good’ and pumped up, but unless you are spiritually ready to take up the Whole Armor of God and Fight the Good fight of faith to the end, you will indeed be devoured by the Prince of Darkness and his minions in short order. (Eph6:13)

The Purpose Driven teachings are part of the ‘destructive heresies’ warned about in scripture, 2Pet2:1-3. These men will promise you liberty in Christ, while they themselves are indeed ‘slaves’ to corruption! (2Pet2:18-19) WHY? Because it is evident that their message has NOTHING to do with COMING OUT of your sins and PERFECTING Holiness in the fear of God! (2Cor7:1)  They preach FAITH without REPENTANCE and SALVATION without HOLINESS. Because they have rejected the doctrine that is according to godliness, God has GIVEN them over to depraved minds to invent their slick methodology guaranteed to make you TWICE a child of hell as themselves!

Brethren, it’s all about money, success and numbers and NOTHING about Christ. It has the appearance of religion but it is ROTTEN to the core and a stench in the nostrils of God. The Real Gospel is described as the aroma of life to life, 2Cor2:16, because it will ADORN the soul of the individual who receives it in truth with the sweet savor of heaven. Therefore I beseech you in His most Holy and Precious Name to WITHDRAW yourselves from these men and have nothing to do with their teaching! Focus upon the Living Word of GOD, allow HIM to convict and convince your heart of Truth. Then His PURPOSE will come clearly into view, as you Run with Endurance the race that is set before you. (Heb12:1-2)