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Jaded



“… I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before … Knowing first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” 2 Peter 3:1-4

 

Many of us or our friends we grew up with in the church have become jaded and lost interest in the church and church life. This is understandable, Jesus warned us in scripture of vain formalities taking the place of genuine religion (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 7:21-23; Mark 7:6-13). This has been a pattern not only in our church but in all religions and denominations spanning throughout time (Matthew 24:12). We see this expressed in the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3. The Spirit of Prophecy also warns us about pseudo-excitement, vain rituals and event planning that cover up the lack of God’s Spirit (SC 44.2; 1T 412.1; LDE 159-160; 2SM 24.2; BLJ 356.6; GW92 22.2; 2SM 19.3, 4; 3SM 203.3-204.2).

 

So how do we address this issue? How do we restore genuine religion among our youth? I heard a sermon which marked a comparison between two Roman Catholic priests from the 1500s who had also become jaded with the state of their church. One priest, Ignatius Loyola turned to mysticism and the other, Martin Luther turned to the Holy Scripture. The path of Loyola brought us internalized, self-focused meditation, the elevation of church traditions above the Bible, and a subsequent army of priests bent on the destruction of God’s Holy Scriptures (GC 686.4, 5). Luther sparked the reformation and a restoration of God’s truth as written in His Holy Scriptures and the subsequent Protestant movement of which we are a part (GC 120-169).

 

God’s presence and converting power will only be restored when we return to God’s Scripture; when we lift up Jesus and adhere to His commands (Mark 10:17-21; John 12:32). As we see the waning of Spiritual vigour and fervour in the church it would behove us to take a look back at how we got to this point. As young people we have choices to make; will we serve our own self-interests and feelings, or will we anchor ourselves in God’s Holy Scriptures.

 

May God guide your daily choices (James 1:19-27).

 

God Bless

 

 

What is Your Name


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