LEFT FOR DEAD —
A true story was revealed in April, 2006, about a high school student by the name of Ashley Reeves, who was left for dead in the woods for almost thirty hours.
The consequence of a wrong choice brought a small town to wonder how this event could have transpired.
The circumstances were yet to be revealed, as it seemed apparent at first that she was dead. But a miracle for her benefit kept her alive.
Her assailant, a supposed to be friend, a teacher who beguiled her into a unacceptable tryst, took advantage of her innocence, then when things began to go awry he decided to keep her quiet. The extreme he went to was deadly, or so he thought. But fate had another plan, and in the end he paid the consequences for his choices.
Just as the teacher took advantage of Ashley, we see so called pastors, bishops and priests taking advantage of the flock. Paul addressed these very actions in Acts 20:29 “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.”
The age of deception is ever growing.
History repeats itself, just in greater measure with time.
The weak, poor and scripturally/spiritually ignorant are being taken advantage of by modern church leaders.
Pastors run in another direction when confronted about how they have changed and twisted the Word of God for their own dishonest financial gain.
They have taken the truth and distorted it, instead of building up the flock of God, by adhering to not so sound doctrines. Numerous church goers live in depression, fear and guilt. This is not the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Just as the teacher used his belt to ultimately attempt to choke the very life out of Ashley, savage wolves in many pulpits today are metaphorically using the old covenant laws and models to choke the life of freedom in Christ out of weak/new/young converts who have no scriptural knowledge or discernment. Making many doctrines of devils as a millstone around their necks, they subvert the true gospel message to fit their own ideologies. Which Paul, the Apostle would say is no gospel at all, because a gospel revised is a gospel reversed!
The modern church model more strangely resembles those of the Old Testament, such as the temple, and Levitical priesthood and the kingdom of Saul. Like the children of Israel, in 1 Samuel chapter 9, modern Christians cannot be satisfied with God alone being their King. So in today’s churches we have lead pastors, which were never spoken of in the New Testament. Pastoring is supposed to be a gift and a work, not an office title or salaried position. There are no doubt many people with the gift of pastoring in congregations today whose gifts are being suppressed at the expense of one individual.
The modern church is very much like ancient Israel, wanting a man to rule over them instead of the God of heaven to lead them. The modern church is not following the New Testament which is the more excellent ministry of Jesus. (Hebrews 8:6)
Samuel told the children of Israel they would have to pay a 10th of what they had to the king, much like we see today with congregants instructed to pay a 10th of their income for fancy buildings to be erected and men to live and dress like kings! This is totally the opposite of what Paul instructed church leaders to do in Acts chapter 20:32-35, when he said, “And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his grace. This message is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have desired no one’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me. By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Interestingly enough, we have heard it is more blessed to give than to receive coupled with Malachi 3:10 just before the offering plate is passed around at the closing of countless church services. How do you think Christ feels about reversing his exhortation, not to mention an under-realization of him redeeming us from the curse of the Old Testament law?
You will not find an example in the New Testament of church leaders instructing tithes to be collected for the purpose of buildings and salaries. Tithing was a part of the old covenant law, which Christ fulfilled. Everyone would do well to study the book of Galatians.
Many people have been led to believe that the New Testament commands ministers and missionaries to receive full-time salaries. This is a creation of man and distortion of the Word of God. How can I come to that conclusion, you might ask? Paul, the Apostle went so far as to say he robbed some churches by receiving pay. If it was a Christian doctrine for ministers and missionaries to receive a salary, wasn’t Paul, the Apostle disobeying that command? In 2 Corinthians chapter 11, it seems some people’s thinking was so worldly they thought Paul was committing a sin by not receiving pay for his preaching. No doubt, Paul’s ministry approach would be frowned upon today in the age of mega-Church celebrity pastors, who live more like CEOs, with enterprises and franchises, rather than humble servants imitating Jesus, who took on the form of a slave. (Philippians 2:2-8) What happened to “be not conformed to the world”? (Romans 12)
People have been robbed of the truth, and left for dead by following men who possess a form of godliness, denying the power of the true gospel!
One of the first mistakes the early church made was when they stopped meeting in homes. When they stopped meeting in homes, and re-instituted old covenant laws, a distorted model of the Levitical priesthood and Temple building also began. The focus shifted from Christ alone being the head, and every believer being the temple of God to a man being the focal point and mediator at a venue called the church. The love of money and power crept in as the driving force. We have the ancient Roman government to thank for this reversal. Study world history to be enlightened.
The examples we have been given by Paul the Apostle, when it comes to churches collecting gifts (freewill offerings) was for the purpose of helping the weak and poor Christians. When have you heard of modern churches taking up tithes and offerings specifically for the poor in their congregations? The poverty level in the Christian nation of America has doubled in the past five years. The weak and poor Christians today have been left for dead, compared to the early church model, where “there was no needy person among them.”– Acts 4:34
This is not to say ministers of the gospel should not receive freewill compensation for their preaching and labors. But would Jesus want it to be done at the expense of the poor?
People would rather follow pastors on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, instead of fixing their eyes on Jesus, who is the ultimate living Word and perfecter of our faith. Church leaders today have such a difficult time making people understand that church is not a building. Because they are sending out a double message — one which says, we invite you to church and the other says you are the church.
Every single believer is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Church is a body, not a building. You are not a Christian because of where you go on Sunday, but who you are every single day. Christ is the only Head, not a Pastor, Priest, or Bishop. We should fellowship, and give generously and sacrificially where there is a real need. We are not commanded to go to a venue, keep the Sabbath, pay a required amount of money or abide by any other law which adds to the gospel. Stop leaving people for dead, and start fulfilling the only law that counts.
“Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” - Galatians 6:2
The New Testament speaks of only four offices in the local church: The Head — Christ alone, (Col. 1:18, Eph.
1:22). Elders (I Tim. 3). Deacons (I Tim. 3) and Priests (I Peter 5:9).
Christ alone is Head.
Several may be elders and deacons. All believers are priests.
Ashley was thought to be brain dead, if she survived. She survived, had to learn how to walk, talk, feed herself all over again.
Do you see the analogy here?
So many who get caught up in false teachings are dead spiritually. They have no concept of self spiritual survival because they’re brainwashed. Someone else cherry picks and reads the scriptures, interpreting the truths into lies, someone else feeds them these lies, week in and week out, and there’s no individual walk of faith. There’s no spiritual growth, just a religious farce of pretense. The congregants are left for dead, spiritually and sometimes physically.
These acts of deception will not go unpunished.
Jesus was literally left for dead. Even though He told his disciples He would rise again on the third day, the likelihood of that being a reality was far fetched in their minds. Of course, the word had spread and Pilate even had guards set at the tomb at the behest of the Pharisees and religious leaders to insure no one stole his body so they could announce the fact.
But God’s plan was fulfilled, and on the third day, the stone was rolled away, Jesus was alive and up from the grave He arose.
It may appear in some cases that many are left for dead today. But because Jesus was truly left for dead, we do not have to be. Because the tomb of Jesus is empty, our hearts and lives don’t have to be!
As Paul stated in Ephesians 2-
“1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Don’t be deceived by foolish whims of emotions that emanate many times from pulpits of celebrity preachers who have only their selfish ambitions in mind.
Jesus paid the ultimate price when He hung on the cross of Calvary to die that we might live life fully and joyfully, not only in this present world, but throughout eternity.
Get in His Word. When you know the truth, the truth will set you free!
The gospel is Jesus! Not Jesus plus something else! Jesus, plus nothing equals everything you need!
Don’t be LEFT FOR DEAD!
D. S. Mullis/Josh Parham
copyright. Feb 23, 2024
