FROM THE DESK OF THE BISHOP
UACCCI Ministries
Rev. Dr. Howard McFarland Administrator – Lead Bishop
NEW SEASON, IT'S A NEW DAY!!!!!
We are excited about 2019 and look forward to working with you in your Ministries.
EQUIPPING-ENDORSING-ENCOURAGING-ENGAGING-EMPOWERING
GODLY CHRISTIAN WORKERS
This Month, I want to Share in my Blog,
The Leaven of ….... Desensitization To Sin
Matthew 16:5-12 Read, Study & Ponder
As a culture, we've become desensitized to sin and its consequences. Even within the church, outright sin has become acceptable and simple obedience to God has morphed into legalism. The Godly reaction to sin is to recognize it from Scripture, to mourn over it, and to confess it without excuse to the God of mercy.
Matthew 16:5-12 (AMP) 5 When the disciples reached the other side of the sea, they realized that they had forgotten to bring bread. 6 Jesus said to them, "Watch out and be on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. " 7 They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, "He said that because we did not bring bread." 8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, You men of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves that you have no bread? 9 Do you still not understand or remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you picked up? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many large baskets you picked up? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." 12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the [false] teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
In this passage, Jesus issued a warning that was never to go unheeded. He instructed His disciples above all things to always be on guard and cautious about something that was in their midst that was extremely deadly and dangerous. What was it? It was the doctrine, way, or example of the religious leaders of His day. He referred to it as "leaven." The Pharisees were superstitious and ceremonious, full of hypocrisy, pride, and envy. The Sadducees denied the existence of the spirit world yet pretended to search after truth. Because these groups were leaders, the people had a tendency to adhere to their teachings and follow their example. As with today, We Lead by Example, by are words we say, the life we live, & the things we do. As the people would sit under the teachings of these religious leaders, their doctrine and example would slowly but surely effect the minds, emotions, wills, and spirits of the multitudes - producing followers after their own kind. At first, the work of corruption would seemingly go undetected. However, after a period, the people would soon bear the image and likeness of these pretenders and hypocrites. Galatians 5:9, "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." 1 Corinthians 5:6, "Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?" I believe that there is a present-day "leaven" that is filtering from the world through the church doors, It is the "Leaven" of Desensitization to Sin. You may ask - "What exactly is that?" Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines desensitize as - "to make emotionally insensitive or callous." laughing matter. If God says it's a Sin, it still is a Sin. I believe the Holy Spirit is calling for Repentance from His People - the Church. He is calling them back to a Greater Sensitivity to the Horrors of Sin than ever before. 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 - "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." Basically, what Paul was saying here was - "Put away all Sin in your lives, families, homes, and churches. Free yourself from any and all corrupting principles." J. C. Ryle said, "Christ is never fully valued, until sin is clearly seen" Therefore, our first reaction to sin must be to see it clearly from the Scriptures. Then, realizing that it put our Savior on the cross, we should mourn over it. Finally, we should confess it without excuse to the God of mercy, appropriating His cleansing for our consciences, that we might be renewed to serve Him in purity. C. S. Lewis observed, "When a man is getting better, he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still in him. When a man is getting worse, he understands his own badness less and less" Blessings, Rev. Dr. Howard McFarland As we look about our world - on TV, videos, movies, and billboards; in magazines and books; and listen to the latest songs playing over the radio or being promoted through the music industry - we would all have to agree that there is a "mad push" for the Desensitization of Sin. Everywhere that we turn - whether it be the latest sitcom, movie, talk show, or the top tune of the year - Sin is being presented as being a joke or something that is not to be taken seriously. The world is desperately screaming out to the Church - "Loosen up! You don't have to be so extreme! Welcome us into your pulpits and pews. We can get along together. Don't be so legalistic. Change with the times. Be more tolerant and accepting. Go with the flow. Have fun. Laugh with us. Enjoy the ride." Slowly but surely, the "Leaven" of Desensitization does its work. It starts off with one small justification or excuse for compromise or worldliness which leads to another and another and another. Silently, steadily, irresistibly, speedily, and secretly, the Desensitization process goes on and on. It sours, swells, and spreads throughout the soul of the Christian, changing every faculty of his being after the image of the world. Before long, the believer wakes up to realize that Sin is no longer Sin in his mind. It has become a complete joke. Every preacher who "blasts" it from the pulpit appears to be legalistic, and God is now pictured as a God who loves everybody, winks at Sin, and would never send anyone to Hell. The "Leaven" of Desensitization has accomplished its task. It has succeeded in pervading the whole. We now have Churches that is filled - from the pulpits to the pews - with abortion, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, divorce, hatred, bitterness, murder, violence, thievery, covetousness, greed, and every other
Rev. Dr. Howard McFarland
UACCCI JULY 2019.pdf (PDF — 894 KB)
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