Jeremiah 5:30-31: “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?”
Our society has long been in a downward spiral. The decline in all facets of our American culture is most evident.
Consider the decay of morals and ethics. Observe the destabilization of the nuclear family. In many instances, schools and universities use the classroom to indoctrinate rather than truly educate. In government, statesmanship is rare. What exists are career politicians, men and women, who corrupt our form of government for their own gain. This chronic condition is due to our low expectations. Mediocrity has become the standard, permitting even lesser performance and behavior to be accepted.
Sadly, the same can be said of religion. The failure of religion, Christianity in particular, is an attributing factor our society’s decay. Yes, I said failure. America is in great peril.
As a whole, Christianity has failed to lift up Christ and to teach people how to live under the standard of holiness. It has lost its strong, clear, and certain voice. The effect is that several generations of Americans do not really know the Savior. They do not know the hope found in true salvation.
We live in a “dumbed-down” world. A world that is highly educated, but unable to reason or understand. A world with lofty ideals, but with low and compromised standards. A world where weak men appear strong and strong men are seen as tyrants.
Christianity has been affected. It is no exception. It has “dumb-downed” the message of the gospel.
A “dumbed-down” gospel is comprised of smooth preaching filled with error and deceit. Isaiah 30:9-11 reads, “That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.”
This type of preaching is derived from theology that permits or excuses sin, carnality and fleshly living. This theology fails to recognize the power of salvation to deliver a person from sin and make that person free. Such doctrine runs contrary to the message of our triumphant Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and the Apostles.
Paul plainly states in Rom 6:1-2, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” The same chapter closes with Paul declaring to the brethren in Rome, “For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The effect of a “dumbed-down” gospel message is devastating. It lowers the standard of holiness and lessens the requirements of God’s Word. It fails to establish the fear of God in a person’s heart. It fails to create faith in God. It leaves a person to their own reasoning and understanding.
Jeremiah 5:31 asks, “And what will ye do in the end thereof?” In the end a “dumbed down” gospel message creates a deceived, delusional, and depraved people, one generation after another. The evidence can be found across our nation, today.
The message of the gospel must be preached in very clear and certain way. It must be filled with the Holy Ghost and not laced with the compromise of social agenda and political correctness. There also must be a place for people to go and hear the message, and to learn the ways of the Lord.
Micah 4:2 declares, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
The Church of God is that place.
By Pastor K.A. Karns
