Dear Editor,

I remember once seeing a very old minister say, “If I have preached the Word to you, it is a hammer. If I have preached the Word to you, it is a sword. If I have preached the Word to you, it is a fire. The Bible shatters us in conviction of sins like a hammer. The Bible pierces our soul like a sword. And finally, the Bible ignites us inside to be on fire for Jesus. If this does not happen to you…then I have not preached the Word.”

We live in the day of the Laodician church. (Rev 3:13-17) The church in Laodicea had grown lukewarm and useless.

Their selfish focus on wealth and culture kept them from living for the created purpose of the church.

We have created a new religion in this world. It is called the religion of self.

Folks, not only should your pastor be telling you of the great love and sacrifice the creator of the universe made with His only son, Jesus Christ, but he also better be letting you know that without that Christ we are dangling over an eternal pit of fire and pain.

The church wasn’t created to be a spokesperson for social justice. It’s not there to rub some mystical lamp of prayer that grants wishes of money and power. And it’s especially not there to make you feel comfortable in your sins. It is there for only one reason. It was created for the glorification of Jesus Christ. We are His church and we have one message. It is the full Gospel of Jesus Christ. Man is separated from God through sin. Man cannot be with God because he has sin. Jesus is the sacrificial lamb for sin. Jesus is the way the truth and the light. No one cometh unto the Father but by me. ( John 14:6) There are no options on the route to eternal life–there is only one way, and Jesus is that way. How do we do that? We repent of our sins and believe in Him and confess Jesus to a dying world. All I ask is that the church not forget that message. If your church has, then leave it. Go and find one that glorifies Jesus not man and self.

Randy Marple

Shadyside