April 13
1 Samuel 15:1-17:31
The definition of "rationalize" is "to provide plausible but untrue reasons for conduct" or "to attribute (one's actions) to rational and creditable motives without analysis of true and especially unconscious motives". It is true that the church in America is in trouble. There has always been sin and there always will be sin, until Jesus comes back. Sin is wrong, and just because society accepts certain behavior does not mean the church should, and it certainly doesn't mean that God accepts it. The church itself now sets itself up as the arbiter of truth, when it is God and His Word which is truth. So pride flags are hung in the front, BLM flags wave proudly, clergy which is not accepted by God's Word is placed in positions of authority. Fill the pews, they will argue. But at what expense? Avoid sermons about sin or that will make those in the pews want to leave, after all you don't want to make people feel bad. You can almost hear the rationalizations: "Certainly God understands. He's a God of grace", "God will forgive. He forgives and forgets all my wrongs.", "I prayed about this, and this is really what God has been asking me to do". You might think, as everyone likes to point at, who am I or who are you to judge. Exactly! We are all flawed. But we read in John 8:11-12, of the woman caught in adultery, "And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”" God has the right to judge, He is the light, and His judgment is never wrong. He sets the standards.
Just like the modern church which rationalizes sin, we see King Saul, caught in direct disobedience to God's clear directive, as we read 1 Samuel 15:9, "But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed." This action is followed by Saul rationalizing his disobedience and outright lying, as we read God's words in 15:22-23, "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king". Saul goes on to explain his actions as a result of fearing the people.
We are all called, not just pastors in churches. Will we soften our message, adjust our prayers, rationalize our advice to remain sensitive to the culture at the expense of being honest to God's Word. Do we tell others what they want to hear, rather than what God wants them to hear. From the pulpit, do we play it safe. Avoid sin, avoid topics that might make people feel uncomfortable in order to make sure the church attendance continues to grow? When we pray, are we aligning our will to God's or are we choosing words for the individual who asked for the prayer? Sin is indeed forgiven, as we read in Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." But God doesn't overlook sin, nor does He tell us to continue in it. He wants us to repent or change our minds concerning sin. He wants us to stop rationalizing and start speaking forth His truth, unashamedly. The truth dose sometimes hurt, but remember in Proverbs 27:6, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful".
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: