Who will rise up for me?
By David J. Stewart
"Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?" -Psalm 94:16
God expects us as His children to rise up against the evil wickednesses of our day. Thank God for faithful men of God, such as the Christian gentleman in the photo to the right, from the Lighthouse Bible Baptist Church in Tallahassee Florida. Small groups of Christ-honoring Christians all across America are rising up against the evildoers, and the workers of iniquity! This greatly pleases the Lord when believers take an uncompromising stand for righteousness. This is what I call, "Billy Sunday Christianity!"
Unfortunately, such Christians are far and few between. Most believers are packing 18 inches of pew every Sunday, doing absolutely nothing throughout the week to reach others for Christ. As believers, we are COMMANDED to be soulwinners. There is NO call to soulwinning. Jesus intends for every believer to bear fruit,
"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." -John 15:5
Many skeptics of Christianity, and carnal believers, allege that preaching against sin will drive lost sinners away from finding Christ as Savior. Nothing could be further from the truth! It is not that the truth drives people away; but, that the same sun which melts the wax, also hardens the clay. The same Word of God which melts some hearts to repentance, causes others to become bitterly calloused. The Word of God steps on more toes than any other source in the world. In fact, this is why most people won't come to Jesus Christ for salvation ...
"For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." -John 3:20
It is the Bible's preaching against sin that drives the world away from accepting It. So should we water down the Word of God, change it, corrupt it? That is exactly what some evil people have done today. One such demonic imposter is the New International version (NIV) of the Bible. The King James Bible is becoming less and less popular nowadays, because it is the Word of God. Christians need to rise up and expose the NIV, and other false bibles. We read in Ephesians 5:11...
"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." -Ephesians 5:11
The Greek word for "reprove" in Ephesians 5:11 is "elencho" and literally means "TO EXPOSE." God has commanded every believer to EXPOSE all Satan's works of darkness. The best way to expose the darkness is to shine the Light of God's Word upon it. Such works of darkness are listed in Galatians 5:19-21 ...
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
Carefully notice that the first four sins mentioned deal with sexual-sins. The Bible dedicates an entire Chapter, Romans 1, to expose the evils of homosexuality and gay marriage. God warned us in Romans 1:25 that they would change the Word of God into a lie, trying to justify their acts of vile filth and abomination. Of course, we are to "speak the truth in love" as Ephesians 4:15 tells us,
"But speaking the truth in love..."
God loves sinners, which is exactly why He sent His only begotten Son into the world ... to pay for our sins (John 3:16-18). Yet, we are commanded by God to take a stand against evil at the same time. You can't have one without the other. If you compromise preaching against sin in an attempt to draw people to Christ, then you are only drawing them to worldliness. They are NOT coming to Jesus Christ; but, to the world and empty religion. Jesus said that He would draw all men unto Himself (John 12:32). We need to do what God said, RISE UP AGAINST THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY ... and let the Holy Spirit work in people's hearts with the truth.
