My pastor made an excellent point on facebook the other day. Where is the church when it comes to helping the poor and those in need? Gone are the large charity drives, gone are the charitable organizations that once flourished before World War II. Now most go to church seeking appeasement and stroking. Most that go to church live in expensive homes, drive fancy cars yet go about saying their life is terrible and a mess. Well that is why. Those that go to church have their priorities messed up. It is not “God give me give me.” It is “God what can I give what can I give.”
Today’s “Christians” have lost their way. They go to church on Sunday and believe that is all that is required of them to get into heaven. Well, per the Bible it is not. (Revelation 3:14-22; John 15 and 1 Peter 2).
Jesus made it clear it is harder for the rich to make it into heaven then it is for the poor. He also stated that if you seek your reward here in this temporal live less would be your reward in the eternal life still to come. Wouldn’t you rather have more for a few billion years then live wealthy and comfortably now for up to a hundred? I would rather have my reward come to me in the eternal life to come.
Again I must address this false teaching that has become the mainstay of most religions. Many have this image of going to heaven and sitting about doing nothing. Others have this believe that there is nothing beyond this temporal life. While even others believe you can fix your mistakes in purgatory or come back as another life form. These are all false.
If purgatory were real I would say you are living in purgatory this very minute. Are you trying to work through the sins you live with every day? Yes even though those that say they are saved still need to be ever aware that they are human and can sin for we are human and the human heart is corrupt. (Matthew 15:18-20).
Yes we are saved, but we are warned in 1 Peter 2 that we can fall back into sin and that it will be worse for us for having known Jesus’ love and salvation. I believe this with all my heart that is why I make these messages for I know there are sins still within me that need to be removed. I know that I am saved I know I am a child of God, but I listen to the word of God and know that it can be lost once again.
I do not ever wish to be a “Sunday Christian” and live in hypocrisy, thinking I am saved and going to be with God when I really am not. This however is how most that go to church are and is why charities have fallen on hard times. Why people are turning to the government and not God which is exactly what those that wish to rule over other wants. It is those that have power and wish to stay in power encourage. They love that the church no longer cares for those in need. They relish that people either do not go or once they leave forget that they have ever been till the next Sunday comes around and starts the cycle of hypocrisy all over again.
So to answer the question to the title of this post. God should be number one then everyone else second and then just maybe you. So stop trying to succeed in this life, but instead try to succeed in the life that is to come. The true existence that anyone that truly calls themselves “Christian” should seek after. Give to charities within the church, volunteer your time and money unto that which is precious to God and in return you will be given rewards beyond measure. Most likely not in this life but in the eternal life yet to come.