The question was going to be – are you trapped in environmental Christianity? But then I realized, or rather, it came to my mind, that Christianity in its true form is not ambiguous. One is either Christian or not! To be Christian is to be conforming to the image of Christ. You are either conforming to the image of Christ or not! It is otherwise also known as being Christ-like!
One is either Christ-like or not, period! It’s a pretty simple matter. Each one of us can answer the question: Am I Christ-like or not? There is no need for debate or for anyone to judge you. You know in your heart of heart, if your answer is yes, or, no!
If I am Christ-like, good. If I am not sure, then, there is need to do something about my walk with God in Christ, so I can know that I am intentionally heading towards Christlikeness. Actually, the best test is to ask that question from someone who does not fear to tell the truth. Do you think I am a true Christian?
The biggest enemy of the gospel of Christ today is not the devil or its agents, it is environmental churchianity. Churchianity is the practice of attending meetings and religious ceremonies in specified buildings, principally out of obligation to people, societal demands, and, especially, self-centeredness (selfishness – also known as “what’s in it for me?”). Unfortunately, attending church-organized meetings has been equated to Christianity. What a great deception!
Environmental Churchianity is a fake practice of churchy activities derived from, based on, or totally dependent on environmental factors.
- When people derive their religious or churchy beliefs primarily from what men and/ or women said about Christ and have not, like the Berean believers, had room to confirm and make up their own minds, such people are environmentally trapped into churchianity.
- When a minister of the gospel has a form of ministration that deliberately appeals to popular wishes, he or she would be practicing environmental churchianity!
- When you attend a church program primarily because it is what is expected of you, and not because you experience personal divine encounters thereby, that would be environmental churchianity
- When you speak, dress, pray, preach in a certain way primarily because that is what your role model, your fore-fathers, your celebrity church leader, or what I call church Idol, does, and you think doing that by itself, is the basis for God’s anointing, then you are trapped in environmental churchianity
- If you are not pointing people to Biblically prescribed, and often difficult, new levels of walking with God by themselves, then you are practicing environmental churchianity.
- When the practice of Christianity is basicly a continuous entrenching of your racially-biased, prior-generations-passed-down view, of what Church and her conduct should be, then you are trapped in environmental churchianity.
True Christianity is not dependent on Jewish, Western, African, Eastern or any other cultural value system of this world. Rather, it is based on a kingdom culture that is out of this world!
If JESUS Christ was rejected for not practicing norms and customs of his times, and he encouraged those who followed him to tread the same environmentally unacceptable standard, then, today’s Christianity or Christlikeness cannot, and should not, be based on political correctness, adaptability to sin-filled-world, and entrenchment of religious operations & perspectives, just because it is popular in the environment.
Every Bible-acclaimed servants of God were known to stand against environmentally entrenched standard practices. Abram, Noah, Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, JESUS, Peter, Paul, and so many more, preached above and beyond environmental limitations of their times. They fearlessly and publicly called to question any and every thing that was, or were, opposed to the will of God, even when it was at the risk of their lives, convenience, comfort and social standing.
We cannot love the world or people of the world more than God or JESUS Christ love them! God loves the world, JESUS loves the world and yet condemned and continue to condemn iniquity & sin of the world to their face(s). How can we continue to blend into environments of spiritual darkness and call ourselves Christians?
Christianity is that genuine relationship with Christ that manifest in day-to-day living and interactions. What most people have not been taught, by patronizing church leaders, is that, church is not any physically decorated structure. Church is the temple where God is. Since the veil was torn in the physical temple of JESUS’ days, God had chosen to dwell in people, not buildings. The person, who has God residing in him or her, is church!
The biggest enemy of the true Church today is not the devil or its agents; it is the supposed ministers of the gospel who feeds others with environmentally diluted messages. The assignment of true ministers of God, is not to speak what is popular, what is demanded, or what is expected. The real assignment is to be God’s spokesman! God’s spokesman will speak the mind of God no matter what. God’s spokesperson should not be found pandering stylishly to the gullibility of the oppressed or making merchandize of the unsaved and the unregenerate.
Environmental churchianity may earn people some material benefits in the short run, but it will sure rob them of overall divine benefits, ultimately. Many have become subjected to environmental stretch of Grace forgetting that God remains a Just & Righteous Judge still!
One may not be counted among the popular today. And that should be alright! I sure do not want to be counted with those who will be gnashing their teeth when they face up to Christ ultimately.
Do not say I did not tell you oh!
1. Believe in God more than you believe in man!
2. Stay in the word of God!
3. Seek fruits of the Holy Spirit!
4. Walk by faith!
5. Practice Biblical righteousness!
6. Be an evangelist for Christ to your environment!
7. Fight good fights of faith!
8. Be kingdom of Christ focused and not a denominational champion!
May the Lord continue to bless you, spirit, soul and body, and by His abiding Holy Spirit, in JESUS name, amen!
Bishop Ola Elujoba
© March 2014
The Power Of A Right Environment 2 - TRAPPED IN ENVIRONMENTAL CHURCHIANITY?
(Scriptural foundation of the above message is found below)
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2 Tim 3:1-7 (KJV)
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Tim 3:12-17 (KJV)
Apostle Paul wrote to his spiritual son in 2Tim 3:1-17 talking about the kind of days that we live in today.
Talking about people who had “a form of godliness”, that is, churchy people, he described them from verse 2 to 4 as selfish, boasters (many ministries today are basically built on how much the leader can brag & boast of themselves & accomplishments). He also mentioned traitors (who coyly let-down others, sheep-stealers), and, lovers of pleasures THAN lovers of God (so it is possible to be in God’s service and not necessarily be in it because of the love of the people that needs to be reached, or, of God, but they are in ministry for the pleasures and pecks).
I have seen many set up churches solely as a means of survival. Such churches are sheep-fleecing industries designed to cloth the founder in rich apparels while the people remain in abject poverty and squalor.
It seem clear enough that the apostle was talking more about people who are constantly in religious services, than he was, people who had not come to salvation. That is the reason why he gave specific names & example in verse 8, of churchy folks whom he now described as “ever learning and never able to come to knowledge of truth”. He also said that they “resist the truth, men of corrupt minds” and “reprobate concerning the faith”
Apostle Paul then narrowed-down the conversation by asking Timothy to emulate his good example. He also asked him in verse 14 to “continue” in a true Christian lifestyle. Though many people today argue that it is not everybody that must read the Bible for themselves, yet, thousands of years ago, Paul made a requirement of Timothy to continue, as he was taught from childhood, to search out “holy scriptures” which are able to “make thee wise; unto salvation through faith which is in Christ JESUS”. That last admonition should also put to rest, any arguments about “once-saved, forever-saved.” He did say in another scripture that salvation should be worked out with fear and trembling.
Not only was Timothy asked to continue with scripture readings, he was told that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in (not grace) but RIGHTEOUSNESS!”
Finally, he closed that charge, by letting Timothy, and those of us who are humble enough, today, to know that filling our hearts with scriptures would help ministers of God become “PERFECT”, that is matured, improved, enhanced, and, thoroughly furnished (equipped) for “good works” that expands the kingdom and glorifies our LORD JESUS CHRIST!
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