Winter 1992

Tragedy of the Rejection of The Christ
Edited from material written by
Seeley D Kinne

The wreckage and the judgments that have befallen mankind due to the rejection of Christ, the Creator and Messiah, have been appalling. Words fail to convey the sorrow and the sufferings of mankind that have followed His rejection.

To ignore the Word of the Lord is to reject Christ, for His Name is "The Word of God." To disobey the spoken Word is to reject it. "Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee" I Sam 15:23b.

Man was created a spirit being of a high order. Although he was physically related to his earth environment, his gifts, powers, and capabilities were of a wide range. Possibilities of attainment in both material things and in spiritual realms were vast and high. Only one, all wise simple prohibition was imposed upon man by the Word of the Lord. Adam was to refrain from one tree.

But the one command to abstain was too much for Adam and Eve to keep. They disobeyed. They rejected the Word of the Lord and fell with a terrible crash. The Divine (Shekinah) covering, a cloud of the Holy Spirit, was rent,and they were left (spiritually) "naked" and fell into an earthly state. They died that day. They died to their previous intimacy with their Creator. They died to that wide and exalted spirit realm within whose borders they dwelt. It was a precipitous descent to the lower regions of a physical sense realm.

As a result, aspirations to spiritual advancements were obscured. The spiritual use and activities of their senses became deadened. It was a dreadful slump. Its effects have wrecked the human race. Sin, degradation, disease, disorder of every member - like a pall of death, settled over all. The degradation and descent of early mankind never ceased until all but eight human beings perished in the flood. So fearful was the effect, that it cost the life and blood of the Son of God to make possible a way of recovery.

The amazing love that God had for His wayward creatures would not allow Him to abandon them. Therefore, He made a heroic effort to reach and rescue them. Through intervention, He chose Abraham and trained him, his son, and his grandson, by various revelations, teachings, and testings. Then God waited until they grew to be a nation. He trained them in Egypt, in the wilderness, and in Canaan. He gave them the Holy Oracles of Divine revelation. His Presence, as an angel, went with them to guide and to protect. He gave them lively oracles, drove out the nations, opened the way through the waters, fed them, provided water, and performed many miracles for them. Paul tells us that this was Christ, who followed them.

"Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in
the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have
prepared. Beware of Him, and obey His voice, provoke
Him not; for He will not pardon your transgressions:
for My Name is in Him. But if thou shalt indeed obey
His voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an
enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine
adversaries. For mine Angel shall go before thee"
Exodus 23:20-23a.

"In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel
of His presence saved them: in His love and in His pity
He redeemed them; and He bare them, and carried them all
the days of old. But they rebelled, and vexed His Holy
Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and
He fought against them" Isaiah 63:9-10.

The scattering and sifting of Israel throughout the world, and their untold sufferings for their rebellion is one of the most terrible of punishments. Their persecutions and slaughter, because they opposed Christ as the Angel of His Divine Presence, is a fearful thing to contemplate.

Storms of persecutions have followed the message of the Gospel of Christ to the Gentile nations with martyr's blood drenching the earth. Among governments today, there is no consultation or consideration of the mind of the Lord, or of His Word through the Prophets. In business, right and justice are little regarded. The Day of the Lord is upon us. The Gentile cup of iniquity is running over. The wrath of God is about to flame forth in judgment unto destruction.

When the New Testament Ecclesia was first established, Jesus Christ Himself was its Head. All of its movings and activities came from Him, pouring forth through the gifts of the Spirit within its members. Then men took over the government and human rule came in. It was still called the Church of Christ: but He was no longer its Head. It sank deeper and deeper into form, spiritual harlotry and abominations.

After the reformation, churches sprang up one after another. These churches often became the persecutor against true spirituality, and spiritual power. To testify to holy living, to operate in the power of God and use the gifts of the Holy Spirit brought persecution.

At the turn of this century, there came forth a great spiritual outpouring, commonly called Pentecost. The Power of God was mighty. But today, its adherents and Pentecostal meetings have all too often dropped down to the natural plane. Too often, the operations of the Holy Spirit are controlled. When one is genuinely moved upon by the Holy Spirit, he may not be permitted to speak, or the word will be heard, but not heeded. Workings of the Holy Spirit are seldom sought after and little regarded.

We cannot dwell upon the many accounts of national punishments for neglecting and rejecting Christ; such as the nations of Canaan, Egypt, Babylon, Nineveh, Tyre, Edom, Moab, Baashan, and many others. Or the cases of numerous individuals, ancient and recent, upon whom judgment has fallen, for the rejection of Christ. "For the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God" Exodus 34:14b.

What a startling array of rejections of Christ. Adam disobeyed the Creator's word; The antediluvians and the Canaanites rejected the Lord for idols; Israel and the Jews disregarded the Divine Angel; Gentile nations rejected and neglected Christ over and over; the New Covenant Church and its many branches have persistently rejected the fullness of Holy Spirit movings and full Divine control. The comparatively few men of God who have attained to deep spirituality stand out like beacon lights along a desolate shore.

That Christ has ever been rejected by Jew and Gentile, Church and State, is undeniable. Many profess His Name, but deny His Power. In effect, they say "We will not have this man to reign over us." What an awful Christ rejecting race is Mankind.

Considering man's rebellious nature toward God, and this terrible and prolonged exhibition of the rejection of Christ in so many ways, would it not be wise for us to more seriously examine ourselves, asking God to help us? Am I rejecting Christ? Am I disobeying Him in some way? Am I unwittingly neglecting His will? Would it not be best for me to earnestly and persistently cry to the Lord: "Show me where I stand?"

Am I, even in some small degree, rejecting or failing to keep the word of the Lord? Many have been deceived, even to thinking they were doing God's service when they killed His servants. The human heart is treacherous and deceiving; and so prone to be mistaken. Eternal issues are at stake for my soul. Take no risk here. God can show each one of us His ways, if we will but open our hearts to Him.