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Endtime sign - Whatever happened to the Bible? by Kirk Romberg

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Posted by: billiefan2000

Whatever happened to the Bible?

By Pastor Kirk Romberg, Bellevue WA



Years ago while attending Bible College, a wise professor exhorted
me and room full of other ministry-hopefuls. He warned us, "A lot of
fads and trends come down the pike of popular Christianity. They
come and they go. They always do."

He continued, "As ministers of the Gospel, you have to be wise. You
have to be discerning. You have to avoid the temptation to do
something just because it's popular. And most of all, never forget
that the main tools God has given you for ministry are His Holy Word
and prayer. If you focus on those basics, you may not please Man.
But you will please God, and your flock will be fed and cared for."

I'm not sure how many of us would-be pastors were listening but that
was very sound advice! "They devoted themselves to the Apostles'
teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to
prayer." (Acts 2:42)

That sounds so simple. But why is it so hard for us to get it right?
Whatever happened to a commitment to these basics? For that matter,
whatever happened to the Bible?

The preaching of God's Word today is quickly being replaced by brief
self-help messages with a couple of proof texts. The focus is Man
and his "felt needs" rather than Christ and His cross. And the aim
is to help people feel good about themselves rather than to declare
the Gospel. Undiscerning Christians soak it in believing the
doctrine to be sound just because the terminology seems familiar
enough.

When talking this over with another pastor, his remark to me
was, "Kirk, there's just not room in our society for a direct
spiritual message. It's just not effective anymore."

But my question is this: from Genesis to Revelation, when has God
ever prescribed anything but a direct spiritual message to address
the condition of Mankind? Who are we to change the plan? Who are we
to assume responsibility for "effectiveness" or even determine what
that means?

For nearly a hundred years Noah was a preacher of righteousness,
warning of things to come. During that time not a single person,
except for those in his own family, received the message of God
through His servant. Yet, in Hebrews 11, Noah is commended for his
great faith - not because he was effective, but because he obeyed
God.

Paul put it this way to his young protege, Timothy. "In the presence
of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead,
and in view of His appearing and His kingdom, I give you this
charge. Preach the Word, be prepared in season and out of season;
correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful
instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with
sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather
around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching
ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and
turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations,
endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the
duties of your ministry."
(2 Timothy 4:1-5)

May God fill His pulpits again with preachers who heed those
timeless words!


Posted by: Christian Commando

billifan2000-

If you look back into the history of Christianity, you'd find during the 3rd century AD other ways of interpreting God's Word were starting to appear. For the most part, they were either a spiritualized, figuratized or symbolized version, that was showing a movement away from Early church Teachings of the first 2 1/2 centuries AD.

This prompted Christian Leaders to have a major meeting which, in part, related to drawing up guidelines from God's Word, used to form boundaries which would seperate Christian belief systems from other-(false if you like), belief systems.

Fact is, God's Word is not, nor ever was religion or a religion. It has always been a doctrine God provided man to live by for a way of life. It has been man, who has changed this situation since all these different belief systems slowly appeared and more came about over time.

But, this had been true even before the christian era, just not related to the same way. God called belief systems- "doctrines", of which He refers to His Word as "doctrine"- "sound Doctrine" as the Scripture you eluded to for His Word.

The point is tho, times have changed and so have "doctrines". There isn't just "one Word" of God anymore, but many varieties of It for all the types of Bibles out there. Most showing the interpretations of God's Word according to thier "religion's" belief system for interpreting Scripture.

For the most part, they are accurate enough with only slight variations to keep one religion seperate from another and still be Christian.

Now I like what the great Christian Scientist of the fifth century- Isaac Newton stated- (Not a direct quote)- There will come a time in the last days when a small group of men shall stand up amidst much clamor and oposition, and insist upon returning to the literal interpretation of the Bible.

I admit to being one of them, as I've studied Early Church Teachings and go by them more than any other system of beliefs. I may go to a Church and be in fellowship, praise and worship of God etc, but do not belong as a member of any, as I do not believe in any religion's seminarial teachings, but only God's Word as my guideline.

Enough said for now. Hope this was interesting. God bless!!