Come Down Off The Mountain

Long ago, a friend told me to come down off the mountain to convert others. Of course this had no reference to seclusion, but rather to lifestyle.  And I had noticed many preachers who did this exact thing.  They made their converts and members feel good about themselves, because the preacher was just as immoral as they were.  The whole idea being, God loved them no matter what, therefore they felt privileged that they could do whatever they wanted.  They mixed up love and salvation.  They actually believed that just because God loved them, and they accepted that love, they could do anything they wanted, and yet still get into heaven.  What a crazy thought!

Ministering in prisons, I can tell you, there were many parents and loved ones who came to see the inmates.  These parents and loved ones truly loved their children and friends, but most of them understood the reason their loved ones were in this situation, and even agreed that they were a threat to society, and needed to be kept separated from society until they would behave.  It was not their love that would allow their criminal relatives all the privileges of society, it was proper behaviour!

Just because God loves you, does not mean you get a free ride into Heaven.  It means that He loves you! Father still expects us to change, to live a proper lifestyle.  It is why the call has gone forth so many times in scriptures, to repent!  To give up the bad lifestyle, and turn to the lifestyle the Son of God lived.  This is the only way to the Father, to follow the Son of God Himself!

I have never met anyone who said the reason they were converted was because the pastor lowered his standards, and began drinking, swearing, womanizing, flirting, gossiped just a little, etc.  I have seen people who joined churches, said they were converted, and looking at their lifestyle, they were also converted to immorality, rude jokes, vulgar behaviour, flirting, adultery, stealing, justifying, etc.  It is clearly apparent what they are converted to!

Do not be converted to lowering your standards.  Instead, maintain high morality and with kindness, help everyone you meet in their righteous endeavours, in whatever way you can within the bounds of the morality of the Son of God.  Most importantly, maintain the standards of Immanuel, so others may find their way to the Father of Lights.