Jesus Christ Crucified: The Counter-cultural Preaching.

It didn't take long for false doctrines and acceptable sins to appear among the early believers. Actually, in the very beginning Peter dealt with what we would call today in our churches, "white lie". When confronting Ananias and Sapphira, Peter makes it very clear that before God, there's no "white" (acceptable) lies and if you lie in His presence (Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit) you will die. In the context (early church), Peter didn't allow it to continue because it would be like a "yeast", Galatians 5:9, sinful living would be fine or normal, just as it is in today's church. Unfortunately, since the beginning there are false teachers and prophets spreading false doctrines in the church. Paul calls the false teachers "savage wolves", Acts 20:29-30. Jesus Christ himself dealt with false prophets and false teachers. When writing to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3, He says that some people held the doctrine of Balaam; that there were false apostles; some were "synagogue of Satan"; there was the spirit of Jezebel, a woman who called herself prophetess, teaching and seducing people to sin against God. Today it's worse than ever, there are many false doctrines and half-truths being preached, so much that the vast majority of believers can't discern between truth and lie. Be honest, how many times you heard a preaching about "Jesus Christ Crucified"? If never, why did Paul specifically said that they (apostles) preached Jesus Christ Crucified and very few preachers today are preaching this Jesus? There are only two reasons for not preaching Jesus Christ Crucified: Preachers don't know this Jesus therefore can't preach Him; Preachers know that Jesus but they don't preach Him because they love the praises of people more than the praise of God. John 12:42-43. I already wrote about Jesus Christ crucified, that means: Unconditional Obedience to God! It's not popular to preach this kind of message, it's a lot easier and more convenient to preach Jesus the Savior, Jesus the Bread Maker, Jesus the Healer, Jesus the Good Shepherd, etc., but it's hard to preach Jesus the Lord, because the vast majority of people want a Savior, not a Lord (owner), again, as Paul said: Is Christ divided? If your answer is No, than: Jesus is not the savior of the one He is not Lord! If you're asking: How do I know if Jesus is my Lord? It's simple: Since Lordship means ownership, if Jesus Christ asks you to follow Him will you do it? If He asks you to leave everything to follow Him will you do it? I'm not saying that He will do it or He will ask you to abandon your family, I'm only asking you if you are willing to obey Him whatever He tells you to do. I know it's tough, but the cowards will not enter in the Kingdom of God, as the Bible says in Revelation 21:8. So, as God said to Joshua, in Joshua 1:9. So, don't give up, don't loose hope, be strong and courageous, fight the good fight and God will be with you wherever you go. We must think like Paul: Philippians 4:13.