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Tozer's Observations on Church Sins


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#1 Tkulp

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Posted 25 August 2018 - 09:33 AM

The Evils of Psychology, Humanism and Feminism are strong in the Church today!

 

In the following devotionals Tozer deals primarily with the use of Humanism and Psychology within the church of his day; man’s lying and manipulation to bring about man’s desired goals.

 

I do not recall Tozer dealing with Feminism, but to read about the life that his wife lived after Tozer’s death puts question marks up regarding the spirit or spirits that were present, and in operation within and through her, by the things she said and did (The fruit of her life, did it come from a good tree or an evil tree? Did she honor or dishonor her deceased husband? Was the flesh in control of her mind and mouth, or the Holy Spirit?).

 

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https://www.cmallian...s/tozer?id=1269

Tozer Devotional

Thu, August 15, 2018

 

Living as Children of Light

 

Within the precincts of religion are sometimes found certain sins which I want here to mention. These may be classified under three heads: Sins committed out of weakness, respectable sins more or less allowed by everyone, and sins that have been woven into the religious fabric until they have become a necessary part of it.

 

Sins of the second category are those that exist with the sanction of or at least the connivance of the church, such as pride, vanity, self-centeredness, levity, worldliness, gluttony, the telling of "white" lies, borderline dishonesty, lack of compassion for the unfortunate, complacency, absorption in the affairs of this life, love of pleasure, the holding of grudges, stinginess, gossiping and various dirty habits not expressly forbidden by name in the Scriptures.

 

These sins are so common that they have been accepted as normal by the average church and are either not mentioned at all or referred to in smiling half-humor by the clergy. While not as spectacular as a roaring weekend drunk or as dramatic as a violent explosion of temper, they are in the long run more deadly than either, for they are seldom recognized as sin and are practically never repented of. They remain year after year to grieve the Spirit and sap the life of the church, while everyone continues to speak the words of the true faith and go through the motions of perfunctory godliness, not knowing that there is anything wrong.

 

 

[My insert: This reminds me of  Matthew 6:23 where Jesus said, “ But if your eye is bad [spiritually blind], your whole body will be full of darkness [devoid of God's precepts]. So if the [very] light inside you [your inner self, your heart, your conscience] is darkness, how great and terrible is that darkness! ]

 

Verse

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light . . . Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness. Ephesians 5:8#150;11

 

Thought

Striking are those sins Paul cites in Ephesians 4:25#150;5:7, many of which are culturally acceptable in church circles. Yet we are now "children of light" and are so to live.

 

Prayer

It seems simple enough, Lord, I'm to find out what pleases You and so live (Ephesians 5:8#150;10).

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https://www.cmallian...s/tozer?id=1270

Tozer Devotional

Thu, August 16, 2018

 

 

Christian Sin?

 

There is another kind of sin which for sheer turpitude must rate before those mentioned and very near to the sin that is unpardonable. It is the kind that has become incorporated into the structure of popular religion and is necessary to its success. From this kind of sin I have never known anyone to turn away after it got working for him. It appears to destroy its victims utterly.

 

So no one will be left guessing let me be specific. I refer to the methods used by various leaders to promote Christianity, by means of which they gain some kind of success but which are themselves basically evil. Here are a few examples:

 

Telling falsehoods about the size of crowds, the number responding to the invitation and the impression made upon the city. Using the tricks of psychology known to every showman, piously pretending that they are the very workings of the Holy Spirit. Humbly praying for things in the presence of persons known to be well off and suggestible, and then devoutly testifying to answered prayer. Building a big reputation for being men of faith when the whole procedure is based upon a shrewd knowledge of human nature. Retaining publicity men to keep their names before the public and allowing the impression to get abroad that it is all the result of spontaneous public interest.

 

Verse

Do not spread false reports. Exodus 23:1a

 

Thought

Manipulation of facts and people in no wise glorifies God. On the contrary, it aids the Great Deceiver leading to disillusionment among earnest seekers. Let's face it#1501there is no Christian sin!

 

Prayer

Deliver me from so-called Christian sin, Lord. May I be painfully truthful for Your glory.

 

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https://www.cmallian...s/tozer?id=1271

Tozer Devotional

Thu, August 17, 2018

 

Deceitful Practices  

Still other deadly sins exist within the very circles that make pretense of the most advanced type of godliness; such, for instance, as professing great compassion for the sick, conducting giant meetings for the purpose of bringing healing to them, but slyly separating the hopeless cases from those less serious and more susceptible to psychological impressions, and all the while growing rich on the miseries and pains of humanity. Some of these prophets own large estates, drive huge cars and boast of fabulous wealth tied up in equipment, while the suffering multitudes whose blood they suck hobble or crawl or are carried to meetings.

 

Investigation of one such man carried on by some godly pastors revealed that he had been hiring healthy persons to come up for prayer and pretend to be healed. This was done, he explained when faced with the deed, to "encourage weak faith." Thus lying and deception were deliberately made a part of the purported methods of the Holy Spirit.

 

Others base everything on the power of money and personality, yet testify that they are trusting wholly in the power of the Spirit. And many introduce into their religious work every gimmick known to the world, and so destroy the very thing they profess to cherish.

 

It is sufficient evidence of the moral insensibility of such men that they violently resent even the mention of these things; and it is further proof of the success of their methods that the very public they have betrayed will rush to defend them.

 

 

Verse

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. Second Corinthians 11:13#150;14

 

 

Thought

May God deliver us from masquerading as His servants while resorting to dishonest practices or supporting those who do. We cannot do the work of the Lord using Satan's tactics.

 

 

Prayer

Father, give me discernment so that I am not deceived into sinful practices under the guise of serving You.