Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The Bootleg American Church

The Bootleg American Church



These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:11)

I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: (Revelation 2:2)

I am getting my wonderful van fixed tomorrow, the day of my wife's birthday.  Thank the Lord for the wondrous works this van has done for us.  We purchased it almost 6 years ago with 97,000 miles on it and it has almost 140,000 miles on it now.  This van has been great gift but I have not learned to bring it to the right mechanic when it needs work.  My father-in-law has a honest mechanic that he uses who always give him a truthful answer as to what's wrong with a vehicle (which is rare these days).  This mechanic is friends with my father-in-law and never tries to take advantage of him when it comes to working on his cars.  It has been a blessing to my van to let this mechanic work on my vehicle, and he has consistently warned me about taking my car to these auto businesses when something goes wrong; offering to always look at my vehicle because I am in the family of his friend.  I have not listened to him when something goes wrong.  I tend to desire to hear what the bootleg shops are saying.

Recently, my van's 'service engine light' came on.  I decided to take it to a car shop, and they came back and told me I needed over $1000 worth of work done to it, plus they charged me $52.00 to look at it.  They emphasized to me in getting the work done immediately because they needed to order the most expensive part (Cadillac converter 648.00) Of course, I got frustrated and contacted my father-in-law for his mechanic.  The mechanic took a look at the estimate and informed me the work is only going to be around $130 (the converter was about $30, and the two sensors I needed about $50 a piece). He ordered the parts on Monday and will be working on my van tomorrow.  He also  again said I need to bring my van for check ups at the store he runs. He told me "just ask for me when you come and I'll take care of you."  This guy has fixed my van before and I have never had problems after he's worked on it.  I need to stop going to these bootleg mechanics.

America is filled with bootleg mechanics, and there are not many mechanics that you can really trust.  

The Bootleg Preachers
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.  (2 Peter 2:1-2)

Just like the shops I go to is exactly how the American churches are today.  Whether institutional or in a home, many of them are bootleg.  Many are selling you a bill of goods and not giving you the truth from scripture.  The pastor is just getting up there sounding off a bunch of non-sense and not expounding to the congregation the meaning of a biblical text.  He or she (not biblical) is sometimes bringing their own presupposition to the biblical texts.  Eisegesis is what a congregation is getting and not biblical exegesis.  Some of these pastors have bootleg degrees as well or know absolutely nothing about the bible. They don't know bible theology nor know how to teach proper bible interpretation.  I had one United Methodist pastor tell me one time that "….who is he to say a Muslim or Buddhist will not enter heaven because of his faith." What?  That's how bad it has gotten.  Nobody is caring whether they get bedazzled by a bootleg preacher.  The problem is not the always the pastor, but people of the congregation. 

The people who love to be bootlegged
A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;  The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love [to have it] so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?  (Jeremiah 5:30-31)

I remember hearing this lovely scripture above on Stand Up Ministry years ago when they were on the 970 AM radio in NYC. The text speaks so much of how the people of the American churches have gotten. We want to hear this mess coming from the churches.  We don't look up nothing, or investigate what is being said with the truth.  Some of us don't even know how to study our bibles and we also too bring our on interpretations to the bible canon.  Instead of letting scripture interpret itself, we agree with everything the pastor preaches from the pulpit.  We 'amen' every statement made because it sounds so godly, but fail to look at the scriptures to see if it is so.  We love to be bootlegged.  We love the entertainment and feel that if we just go to a place that says they know Christ, that we will be okay.  We are being sold a bill of goods and need to check with the scripture, which is truth (John 17:17), to show us if we been hood-winked or bamboozled.

What we must understand!
And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, [even] where Satan's seat [is]: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas [was] my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (Revelation 2:12-16)

We must understand that Christ Jesus values that we hold onto His sound teaching (Titus 2:1).  In eschatological text above, Christ is speaking to John the Apostle to the church at Pergamos.  This was a church that had members who had held onto the doctrine of Nicolaitans.  Jesus Christ stated clearly that He HATED this teaching. The Nicolaitans may have formed out of a false convert named Nicolas from Acts 6:5 (Note that Stephen in that text is the only one indicated as being full of faith and the Holy Spirit)  The Nicolaitans taught heretical doctrine (the doctrine was similar to that of Numbers 25:1-2, 2 Peter 2:15) and are condemned for it in Revelation 2:6,15. 

Remember the Lord stated He hated this.  We must understand that's exactly how Christ feels about this garbage we allow to come from the pulpit!  He hates it.  Now see, I did my research and understand that some bible translations (such as the NASB don't include this statement in verse 15) but in reference to Him hating that doctrine look at verse 6.  He still hates it.  The Greek transliteration is miseō and in context of the verse means - of a right feeling of aversion from what is evil.

So if the Lord Jesus Christ is not pleased with bootleg garbage, we should do what?


What should we do?

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming [thither] went into the synagogue of the Jews.  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:10-11)

Examine closely every statement made from a church to see if it lines up with the Word of God.  A true man of God's exhortations of the Gospel are free from deceit (1 Thessalonians 2:3).  I am not saying that he himself will be perfect, but that which is given to you should line up with scripture.  You will be able to see he (not she because women are not to be pastors 1 Timothy 2-3) is taking his time in studying the text to give it to you in its proper meaning and understanding.  He will expose the scripture to you in order to help you THINK critically about the text and properly apply it to your life.

You MUST search the scriptures own your own (This is SOLO LANE Christianity at its best).  Husbands, help your wives by searching text to see if things said are true (Ephesians 5:25-26).  Wives study too.  Singles, study and show yourself approved unto God (2 Timothy 2:15).  Don't just take the bootleg garbage that is coming from preachers and from internet junkies either. Examine me from the text.  See if I am speaking truth and if I am not, CUT ME OFF!!!!!!

The Bereans did anakrinō.  They examined and investigated the scriptures (which at that time was the Old Testament) to see if Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ was giving them bootleg stuff.  You can also see this used in 1 Corinthians 9:3 when they were examining Paul as well.  This searching is discernment, in that you are judging what is being said.  If any preacher tells you not to judge them, don't take that mess, get up and leave that church immediately, you're listening to a bootlegger.

American church, wake up!  Blow the dust off the bibles, get that Strong's lexicon out, or find you a good bible dictionary.  Do the historical research, and study the grammar and syntax of sentences to help determine the context of a text.  Study, study and study, search the scriptures and you will find that you no longer have to take garbage coming from some American churches.  And if you are listening to that garbage: REPENT and turn your eyes to the Lord Jesus Christ(Revelation 2:16). 

Before I end this, I encourage and plead with you to study what your pastor is preaching.  I have learned from pastors and others, the true men of God appreciate when you study and check out the things they are teaching you.  A real pastor or a real servant of the Lord wants you to check him out.  Why?  He has nothing to hide from you and only desires to please God by giving you the truth.

No more bootlegging, let's be diligent about seeking the truth.  Grace and peace to you my beloved in Christ Jesus.

And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,  Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to [him], and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.  The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. (Acts 8:26-35)

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