Last Stuck Thought

I've been stuck on Jeremiah 6:10:21 for the past three days.  This is the last post on this passage, I think.

We hear a lot about the relevance of the Gospel.  I have been approached by people who wanted to change the way the Bible stated things because different groups of people found the language offensive.  I have read books that claim to be Biblical that suggest things to “more effectively” reach people groups that are anything but Biblical.  Elements of the Church are continually succumbing to pressure from the culture to change its position on one issue or another be it abortion, homosexuality, ordination of women, marriage and divorce, and a myriad of other pressures.  We are told that certain age groups have to be approached in ways that they can hear or we will lose them.  OK.

Look at Jeremiah 6:16.  First of all let me say that I agree that we have to work to communicate the truth in a way that those who are not in the faith can understand it.  That being said when people are in the faith, there are some basics that regardless of their age, cultural background, whatever label one wishes to use to filter them, are essential.  Those are the ancient ways about which Jeremiah is talking.  Obedience to the Word of God is one.  That assumes one knows the Word.  Prayer is another.  Being engaged with a community of believers in another.  Being a verbal and behavioral testimony to those around you who do not believe is another.

Israel refused.  As Paul says in Romans 15:4, that is recorded for our instruction.