Jesus Himself says that a universal disease afflicts His true church world-wide-being “lukewarm” (see Rev. 3:14-21). It’s a spiritual virus that weakens the immune system of the church as a “body,” making it susceptible to the alluring (and lethal) temptations the Enemy has devised for these last days.
The result? Its visible symptoms include six-day-a-week absorption in worldly pleasures or labors so that love of the Bible and devotion to Christ are crowded out (and love for one another, too). Mall-shopping, sports, ego-building, sensuality, materialism—the nearer we come to what Jesus called “the end,” the more invasive and compelling these temptations become.
The Book of Revelation unveils a curtain; “behold, a door opened in heaven” (4:1). And when we look, we see the world’s Savior deeply embarrassed before Heaven. “Immanuel ... God with us,” He is still human as well as divine. How can He claim success in His mission to “save the world” when His people, His church, remain “lukewarm” century after century? The larger His church becomes, the more serious is this problem He has.
It appears to be the most difficult problemGod has had to confront in thousands of years of world history. The solution? Legalism, denunciations, superficial “revivals,” fear-induced “conversions” that last only a few weeks? No. God has a solution—the lifting up of the cross of Christ so that His love is “comprehended” in its full “breadth, and length, and depth, and height” (Eph. 3:14-21). Then “we thus judge” that when “One died,” “all died.” We see what He accomplished by His cross. The revelation forever heals lukewarmness (2 Cor. 5:13-21). (Leave it to Satan to try to enshroud that cross in foggy confusion.)
But look, behold, see, comprehend what truly happened there!
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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