The Reprobate Mind

Bible Christians in the Western world are soon to come under intense persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ. In Europe, Canada and the USA, pastors and chaplains are being persecuted and prosecuted for praying publicly, “in the name of Jesus.” That’s not happening here in Australia yet, but given that this nation is a follower that embraces all things good and bad from those places, persecution is around the corner without a shadow of doubt. What will Bible Christians do? We know what Bible compromising Christians will do. They have already declared their hand when tested with abortion and same sex marriage so they’ll roll over without a murmur.

Will they do the same when told they’re not to publically or privately proclaim Jesus Christ as the only way to receiving the gift of salvation and eternal life? John 14:6. What will Bible Christians do? Even though we are all at different stages in our walk with God, we know that by His great power and grace we will stand our ground. Through diligent and disciplined prayer, daily Bible reading and serious study, we already know we’re being prepared for such a day. While Bible compromising Christians are enjoying the luxury foolishness of rejecting unpalatable Scriptures and caving in to political correctness and the like, we are embracing them – some to our hurt! What do I mean by hurt? Standing on the word of God is costing us in relationships, career prospects and money!

But now, we’re in the process of being enabled to confess like the apostle Paul, we have no confidence in the flesh,……But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ……..and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ…….. Philippians 3:3-11. Bible Christians, unlike Bible compromising Christians, rightly view the Bible as a lamp to my feet and a light to my path Psalm 119:105. That’s why we can readily declare at any time, every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him Proverbs 30:5.  We know it by our experience; Bible compromising Christians can’t say that because it is not their experience. If it was, they wouldn’t compromise! Bible Christians are God-pleasers, not self-pleasers or people-pleasers.

Unlike Bible compromising Christians, Bible Christians do not bow to the dictates of people whom God has given over to a reprobate mind Romans 1:18-32. It is in this passage of Scripture that we find the very worst of human nature; God deniers, God abusers, God haters, creation deniers, truth suppressors, truth deniers, truth haters, religious idolaters, sexual perverts, people full of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness, violence – all of whom are, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving and unmerciful. Take a good look again at that list … these are the people Bible compromising Christians are bowing to. These are the ones targeting Bible Christians in every nation.

Vast numbers of these degenerates hold influential positions within the institutional church too, as well as in the seminaries and Bible colleges. Bible Christians learn this truth through the Holy Spirit’s gift of spiritual discernment. Bible compromising Christians are spiritually undiscerning and therefore become easily deceived by false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ 2 Corinthians 11:13. They don’t see that inwardly these people are ravenous wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing with only one goal in mind. Bible Commentator Matthew Henry spoke of such devils: “Nothing so much prevents men from entering the strait gate, and becoming true followers of Christ, as the carnal, soothing, flattering doctrines of those who oppose the truth.”

To be given over by God to a reprobate mind, is to be given over to, as another Bible Commentator John Gill, said over 260 years ago: “a vain empty mind, worthless, good for nothing, devoid of all true knowledge and judgment; incapable of approving what is truly good, or of disapproving that which is evil; a mind that has lost all conscience of things, and is disapproved of by God, and all good men.” Take a good look at that list again too. Whether we believe it or not, this is the mind soon to govern all nations across the world. This is the mind that says, “Good is evil and evil is good; right is wrong and wrong is right.” This is the mind wielding the greatest influence  in kindergartens, primary schools, secondary colleges, universities, business houses, plus local, state and federal governments.

Too, it is the reprobate mind that controls the media and entertainment industries. Both industries are increasingly engaged in spurning Almighty God, the Jews, Jesus Christ, the Bible and Bible Christians. The reprobate mind hates everything and everyone that the true God represents and loves. Does this mean I’m saying Bible compromising Christians have been given over to a reprobate mind? No. But it is the reprobate mind that has their greatest attention. Just like Eve in the Garden of Eden, instead of embracing the known word of God revealed to her and making it her final authority, they listen more readily to ever-questioning Satan, the father of reprobate minds, “Did God really write the Bible? You mean to say you take that antiquated book literally in this scientific day and age? What planet are you on?”

And rather than lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him (God), and He shall direct your paths Proverbs 3:5-6, they gradually acknowledge the reprobate mind instead and embrace his or her viewpoints on the matter. Whereas, Bible Christians know they’re in possession of the mind of Christ 1 Corinthians 2:16 and they will determine always to accept nothing that would harm or usurp that mind. We seek no instruction from the natural mind, reprobate or otherwise! It has nothing to offer us and never will. On the day that we humbled ourselves and turned to the Lord Jesus in repentance for our sin, not only did we receive forgiveness and blood-cleansing, we also received a new life – the life of Christ Himself!

Those given over to a reprobate mind know there is a true God; He has placed that knowledge within them through His creation – The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handy work Psalm 19:1. Creation is God’s grand witness to His reality. For nearly two thousand years the completed Bible has been God’s grand witness to His will and ways and, for nearly two thousand years Jesus Christ has been God’s Grand Witness to seeking and knowing how to live life supernaturally according to God’s wisdom and knowledge. Rejecting all of that, they became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools….. Romans 1:21-22. Two biblical meanings of the word ‘fools’ here: ‘simpletons’ and ‘morons’!

Remember that, Bible Christians; when confronted by so-called sophisticated, educated, certificated, evolutionary humanists who think you’re a simpleton and a moron because of your stand for biblical Christianity, that’s exactly what you are looking at and listening to. There’s no need to feel you’re being judgmental, rude, unloving and harsh; that’s what God says, not us. Besides, Satan will always accuse you of being what he is himself! God did not call him the accuser for no good reason! Someone asks, should you not be blessing these people instead of cursing them? I’m not cursing them, God is. They’re already under His curse. If He wants to reverse that and prompts you to pray for them at least you’ll know what to pray against before you pray for. Spiritual discernment is what it’s about.

Bible Christians sometimes discern God telling them not to pray for certain people. Is that because they’re reprobate? Not necessarily at this stage, but it does mean that they’re defiant and rebellious before God for some reason and they’ve stubbornly refused to shift from that position. If people keep that up, then at some stage God will give them over to what’s in their heart and they will die in their sins John 8:24. Unbelief is the real sin here, and it needs to be said that most people who live in unbelief, die in unbelief. That’s what it means to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. All who do that are beyond redemption. Bible compromising Christians spend lots of time praying for such people, unaware that their prayers are falling on deaf ears.

Bible Christians view the Bible as their final authority in all matters. Bible compromising Christians do not. That’s why there is no unity between us when it comes to embracing what the reprobate mind is forcing upon society and the church – abortion, euthanasia and same sex marriage. Someone asks the Bible Christian his/her view on those things and we have one answer, “The same as that of God, I stand against it.” Not so the Bible compromising Christian. Seeing us as unloving, intolerant and lacking compassion, but seeing themselves as the exact opposite, they sit and listen to what the reprobate mind has to say about them and the more they do so, the greater they become seduced by what they hear. Human reasoning seduces them, not divine faith!

It is human reasoning that the reprobate mind will use to get Bible compromising Christians to take the final step – the rejection of Jesus Christ as being the only Way to God. The reprobate mind will not tolerate one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all Ephesians 4:5-6. Presently the reprobate mind is using political correctness and manipulation to seduce them, but not many days from now they’ll cast those aside and use intimidation and tyranny. In other words, reprobate Satan and his reprobate followers will remove all masks and show their true colors. But, thanks to the on-going intercessory prayer of Bible Christians for Bible compromising Christians, many will respond to the light of the Holy Spirit at that time.

Bible Christians also view the Bible not only as authoritative but also prophetic. In the Old Testament we see that before God judged the wicked and the reprobate, He prophesied long in advance His intentions of doing so. The Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, heathen nations, Israel – all were warned by God that judgment for wickedness and reprobate behavior would come. For the most part they did not believe Him, but it came anyway! In the New Testament we read similar prophecies from Jesus and the apostles. For the most part, people don’t believe those either! They too will come anyway. The wicked heart and the reprobate mind must stand before God. His justice demands it. Intense persecution is one thing; the lake of fire is another! “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” Ephesians 5:17.