What are we to do in the last days? “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 people will NOT PUT UP WITH SOUND (hugiainō: to be uncorrupt) DOCTRINE. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers TO SAY WHAT THEIR ITCHING (knēthō: perceived as valueless) EARS WANT TO HEAR. They will turn their ears AWAY FROM THE TRUTH and turn aside TO MYTHS (muthos: a false account posing to be the truth).” (2 Timothy 4:2-4)
“…the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all UNGODLINESS and UNRIGHTEOUSNESS of men, who by their unrighteousness SUPPRESS THE TRUTH. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because GOD HAS SHOWN IT TO THEM. For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became FUTILE (mataioō: to make empty) IN THEIR THINKING, and THEIR FOOLISH HEARTS WERE DARKENED. Claiming to be wise, THEY BECAME FOOLS…” (Romans 1:18-25)
Deism is the belief that God originally made the world and human life but has afterwards adopted A HANDS–OFF APPROACH TO HIS CREATION. It grew out of so-called deceitful Enlightenment thinking, which preached the corruptible idea that HUMAN REASON IS SUFFICIENT TO MAKE SENSE OF ALL THINGS and is humanity’s only hope if it wants to grow to maturity. Reason, coupled with science, leads inevitably to progress and ultimately to FREEDOM AND HAPPINESS, WITHOUT GOD. But our living God IS OUR EVER-PRESENT FATHER. NOT AN ABSENT FATHER, who is intimately involved with His children. God is also Son and Spirit. Which means that far from being relationally distant, He’s RELATIONAL IN ALL ASPECTS and always has been. “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are THE CHILDREN OF GOD. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about YOUR ADOPTION TO SONSHIP. And by Him we cry, “ABBA, FATHER.” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are HEIRS—HEIRS OF GOD AND CO–HEIRS WITH CHRIST…” (Romans 8:14-17)
Your personal Pastor -Bill Stockham