THEY PROMISE THEM LIBERTY
2 PETER 2:18,19
By Bro. Mark Bullen
THIS DREADFUL SCENARIO
I CAN SEE
IN CHURCHES THAT PREACH
FALSE SECURITY:
MEN STANDING, PREACHING,
“PROCLAIMING THE WORD”;
WHILE STRONG “AMENS”
FROM THE CROWD ARE HEARD.
SPEAKING AND TEACHING
OF LIFE ABUNDANT
VICTORY IN JESUS
THE PROMISE REDUNDANT
YET THEY THEMSELVES
THE SERVANTS OF SIN,
AND FLESH AND PRIDE
HAS FENCED THEM IN
THEIR THOUGHTS ELEVATE
TO THE HOLY LIFE;
BUT THEY CAN’T OVERCOME
IN THIS HOLY STRIFE.
THEY WON’T OBEY
ALL JESUS TAUGHT;
SO INTENTION AND EFFORT
IS ALL FOR NAUGHT.
SO FLESH STILL REIGNS,
AND IGNORANCE RULES;
AND AS BLIND LEAD BLIND,
THEY BECOME SATAN’S FOOLS.
THEY EASE THEIR HEART
TO MEET AND SING
OF VICTORY AND POWER
BUT TO SINS THEY CLING.
THEIR DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE
LEAVE THEM A PREY
BLIND TO THE VICES
AND SNARES IN THEIR WAY.
HAS WEIGHTED AND CHAINED
THEIR MINDS AND HEARTS
SO THEY CAN’T RESIST
SINS FIERY DARTS.
THEIR FAMILIES ARE FULL
OF DISASTER AND SHAME
YET ALL THE WHILE
THEY CLAIM JESUS’ NAME
THEIR CHILDREN STRAY,
THEIR MARRIAGES FAIL;
AND “ETERNAL SECURITY”
SENDS MANY TO HELL.
YET STILL THEY MEET,
THE PREACHER STANDS
TO PROMISE LIBERTY
FROM GOD’S COMMANDS.
NO NEED TO DO
ALL JESUS SAID
JUST FOLLOW THE PREACHER’S
EXAMPLE INSTEAD
STILL CASUALTIES MOUNT
IN FAMILIES ABROAD
AND YOUTH GROUPS ARE VOID
THE FEAR OF GOD
THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
IS A MOCK AND SHAME
BUT ALL STILL CLAIM
TO LOVE HIS NAME.
THE ONE WITH HIS WORDS,
WHO OBEYETH ALL,
IS THE ONE WHO LOVES;
AS I RECALL. (JN. 14:21)
TO PICK AND CHOOSE
AND PLEASE THE WORLD
LEAVES AROUND US
SIN’S CHAIN CURLED.
THEY COME TO CHURCH
WITH CHAIN AND FETTER.
THE PREACHER STANDS
WITH HIS COLLEGE LETTER.
HE PROMISES HEAVEN
AND LIFE AND PEACE,
THE CROWD TO PLEASE
THE FLOCK TO FLEECE.
THEN ALL GO HOME
FETTERED WITH SIN
STILL CHAINED TO THE WORLD,
BUT CALMED WITHIN.
THE KEY TO TRIUMPH
O’ER WORLD AND FLESH
IS DEATH TO SELF,
AND START AFRESH…
IN OBEDIENCE TO EACH
AND EVERY COMMAND,
TO BUILD ON THE ROCK,
AND NOT ON THE SAND.
AT THIS THEY SNEER
AND STIFFEN THEIR NECK;
BUT ALL THE WHILE
THEIR SOUL’S A WRECK
THEIR YOUTH STAY WORLDLY
WITH LOVE WAXED COLD;
FOR SOME WORLDLY POTTAGE
THEIR BIRTHRIGHT SOLD.
AS LONG AS FROM LUSTS
THEY'RE NOT ESTRANGED
PRIORITIES WILL NEVER
BE REARRANGED.
SO CHURCH AFTER CHURCH
MEET WEEK AFTER WEEK
TO ENCOURAGE AND COMFORT
THEIR FAILURES SO BLEAK.
TO PREACH THE HOPE
OF POWER OVER SIN
YET NEVER LEARN
THE SECRET TO WIN:
TO RENOUNCE THE WORLD
AND ALL THAT IT OFFERS
TO HATE ALL THAT COMES
FROM THE SERPENT’S COFFERS.
THEY LOOK AT THOSE PEOPLE
WITH VICTORY AND POWER
CALL THEM OLD FASHIONED,
NOT UP TO THE HOUR.
SURELY THEY’RE LEGALISTS,
HERETICS ABSURD
ALTHOUGH THEIR FRUIT
LINES UP WITH GOD’S WORD.
THEY DON’T JUST SPEAK
LIKE THE PREACHERS WE HEAR;
THEY LIVE IT IN LIFE,
THEIR CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR.
THEIR CHILDREN ARE TRAINED
THEIR HOMES ARE IN ORDER,
CEMENTED BY JESUS
NOT UNTEMPERED MORTAR.
THEIR CHURCHES ARE HOLY,
NEW TESTAMENT STYLE;
WHERE SOUND DOCTRINE SPEAKS,
NOT SATAN’S GUILE.
LIBERTY WAS NEVER
FROM JESUS’ COMMANDS;
BUT FROM JEWISH LAW
AND SATAN’S DEMANDS.
WE ARE TO OBEY
THE NEW TESTAMENT ALL;
THIS BRINGS FREEDOM
SO TO SIN WE DON’T FALL.
TO TRY LIVING CHRISTIAN
YET THE WORLD STILL EMBRACE,
IS TO HAVE BALL AND CHAIN
WHILE RUNNING A RACE.
THE RACE YOU’LL NOT WIN
THE WORLD WILL BE TAKEN
AT JUDGMENT YOUR FALSE HOPE
WILL LEAVE YOU FORSAKEN.
FORSAKE YOUR DEAD CHURCHES
FALSE DOCTRINE AND TEACHER;
DON’T SETTLE TO HEAR
A FLESHLY BOUND PREACHER.
DON’T LOOK AT THE SERMON
BUT THE LIFE THEY LIVE;
IF THEY DON’T HAVE FREEDOM,
THEN FREEDOM CAN’T GIVE.
IF THEIR WIFE AND CHILDREN
THE WORLD STILL FOLLOW;
THEN THE SERMON THEY PREACH
IS REALLY QUITE HOLLOW.
DON’T EVER BE FOOLED
MY SISTER AND BROTHER,
IF GOD MEANT NOT HIS WORD
THEN HE’D SAID ANOTHER.
HE SAID THEIR LIFE
WAS ALL WE COULD READ
TO SEE IF IN TRUTH
FROM SIN THEY ARE FREED.
IF THEY ARE BOUND;
THEN YOU’RE BOUND TOO
AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW
AND DO AS THEY DO
THEY CAN’T BRING YOU UP
SO THEY TELL YOU YOU’RE FINE;
THAT THIS IS THE NORM
THERE’S NO MORE TO CLIMB.
THEY SAY THEY ARE BALANCED
BETWEEN WRONG AND RIGHT;
BUT IF RIGHT BE PARTIAL
WE WALK IN THE NIGHT.
GOD WILL NOT BARGAIN
WITH SATAN OR SIN;
ALL OR NOTHING
WE MUST BE FOR HIM.
THE LIE OF BALANCE
JUST COVERS THE CHAIN
THAT HOLDS THEM IN CHECK,
LEST WITH JESUS THEY REIGN.
SO ALL O’ER THIS LAND
ON BENCH AND IN PEW
SET BONDMEN DECEIVED
AND ONLY A FEW…
WILL GROW WEARY OF BONDAGE
AND CRY TO THE LORD;
WHO SHOWS THEM THAT VICTORY
IS FOUND IN HIS SWORD.
THEY START TO SEEK
AND OBEY ALL THEY FIND.
THEY WIN THE BATTLES,
NO LONGER ARE BLIND.
THEY TRY TO EXPLAIN
TO FAM’LY AND FRIEND
THE WAY TO FREEDOM,
THE WAY TO WIN.
BUT ONLY TO FIND
THEIR CHAINS THEY ADORE;
DON’T WANT TO GET RID,
BUT ONLY GET MORE.
THEY LIKE THE BOUND PREACHER
WHO EASES THEIR MIND
TELLING HOW GOD
IS ALL GOOD AND SO KIND.
AS LONG AS THEY WENT
TO CHURCH HE DOTH FIND
OF COURSE, HE WOULD NEVER
LEAVE THEM BEHIND.
AS LONG AS THEY PRAYED
SALVATION’S PRAYER
A HOME IS RESERVED
IN HEAVEN SOMEWHERE.
THEY NEED NOT GIVE UP
ALL WORLDLY FUN
AND OBEY “ALL THINGS”
TO SEE GOD’S SON.
THIS IS THE MESSAGE;
THE BALL AND CHAIN
THAT DRAGS THEM TO HELL
WHILE CLAIMING HIS NAME.
WHAT SHAMEFUL DECEPTION
WHAT HIDEOUS TRUCE
IF ONLY THEY’D HEARKEN
THE CHAIN HE COULD LOOSE.
ARE THERE FEW THAT BE SAVED
ON THAT NARROW WAY?
WILL NOT YOU BE ONE
WITHOUT DELAY?
FOREVER IS LONG
AND HELL IS FOREVER
THE HOME OF THE ONE
WHOSE SIN WILL NOT SEVER.