'Come as you are' is a common and typical come one, come all phrase or clarion call that is often used by, or heard from, most Christian churches or institutions that claim to be Christian in nature. We also hear this phrase from non-Christians too, but most times, these days, the phrase is heard from those who profess to be of the Christian faith.
This phrase, 'Come as you are' is generally a welcome statement or 'come join us' message of invitation from those who have a reason to invite others to some event.
But ... from a christian view point today ... what does this phrase mean to so-called Christians? What does this commonly used phrase mean to those who use it? What does it mean, in the moment, to those who are told this and what does it mean, to them, later on down the road? How is this very phrase typically understood by many today?
So ... in other words ... What does this phrase truly mean?
From constant observation, over the past few decades, the meaning seems to have become increasingly evident. And what has become evident is that what is meant or intended, by use of this phrase, happens to be in direct contradiction to what is emphasized in these scriptures:
Psalm 34 vs 18
Isaiah 1 vs 18
Isaiah 55 vs 1
Matthew 11 vs 28
James 4 vs 8
Revelation 22 vs 17
The result, from the aforementioned observation of the use of the 'Come as you are' phrase, is that, in today's Seeker Sensitive Era, one is called to come as they are and then left to remain as they are, or even worse, indulge further in worldliness and more worldly pursuits because we are "covered by Grace" now. Hence the advent and acceptance of Progressive Christianity and boom of the Prosperity Gospel doctrines under New Apostolic Reformed and Hyper Charismatic beliefs have led to this misfortune.
Today, the Evangelical church and the Pentecostal church, on a very very broad scale is focused on walking the Seeker Sensitive path. Instead of preaching to and teaching the world about repentance from sin and instead of being distinctly different from the world, the church, now, conforms to be just like the world in an effort to attract the world. Hence, with this effort, forgetting that the Bible specifically says that one should not be deceived but evil associations corrupt good character (paraphrased verse from 1 Corinthians 15 vs 33).
Actually, there is a saying that goes like this:
If you dance with the devil, the devil doesn't change ... he changes you
It is indeed unfortunate, but the truth is that the church ends up becoming indistinguishable from the world. In lieu of this decision, people end up being completely led astray because the Besorah (Gospel) is watered down and is, then, mixed with false teachings and all sorts of heresies.
The church, today, has completely lowered the bar to where there is no room for truth to be taught, let alone believed. Instead, truth is now viewed as archaic and intolerant.
Now observe MASHIACH's perfect anti-seeker sensitive response from the scriptures:
And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Rabbi, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And YAHAWAHSHAH said unto him, Why do you call me good? there is none good but one, that is, ELOHIYM. You know the commandments, Do not break wedlock, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor your father and your mother. And he answered and said unto him, Rabbi, all these have I observed from my youth. Then YAHAWAHSHAH beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing you lack: go your way, sell whatsoever you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come, take up your cross, and follow me. And he (the young rich ruler) was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And YAHAWAHSHAH looked round about, and said unto his Talmidiym, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of ELOHIYM! MARQUS (MARK) 10:17-23
Entrance to the Kingdom is not for those who seek to have a god that bends to the will of people who want to have their way or those with divided allegiances between ABBA and the world.
No!! It is for those who give up all ... all ... everything ... for MASHIACH (as shown in the verse above). As we see here, in the verse above, MASHIACH did not adjust or lower the bar for the rich young ruler (the seeker), like today's churches do, in order for the man to feel comfortable, let alone feel justified. No!! No!! What MASHIACH did was proclaim the established & truly unyielding standard for entrance into ABBA's MALCHUT (Kingdom) while expressing the fact that the path to the Kingdom will come at a real cost.
The Reason: Salvation is free. Discipleship is not!!
Now to be crystal clear, especially for those who may not know, the Bible does not have a verse that says 'Come as you are' anywhere. Nope!! It does not! But we are encouraged to do so because we cannot save ourselves. No!! We cannot!! We are all desperately in need of a savior because whether we admit it or not:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of YAH; ... ROMAIYM (ROMANS) 3:23
And so in light of this glaring truth ABBA YAHAWAH, because of His immense Love for us, sacrificed Himself and provided us with a Savior, YAHAWAHSHAH HA'MASHIACH, to reconcile us back to Him:
For YAH so loved the world, that he gave his yachiyd (only begotten Son), that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
... YAHUCHANON (JOHN) 3:16
Now the scriptures teach that YAHAWAH is Love:
He that loves not knows not YAH; for YAH is love.
... YAHUCHANON RI'SHON (1 JOHN) 4:8
But in today's Laodicean church era, YAHAWAH being Love has been twisted wickedly to mean that YAHAWAH is only about Love. The church in a folly ridden attempt to appeal to the world has attempted to strip ABBA YAHAWAH of all other attributes like being Righteous and Just and Qadosh. They have set up a type of god, with their human intellect, that let's us get away with sin because he is love and only about love. They have intellectually separated him surgically from the True God, and YAHAWAH of the Bible. Splitting him from the old Covenant and reshaping him in their new Covenant minds to fit their desires and narrative and even their purposes.
So now when you hear 'Come as you are' from any "Christian" all they truly intend is to get increased church attendance numbers for their continued spiritual yet diabolical social experiment while the pastors get more and more flock to fleece financially. Meanwhile the evil lies, the new age philosophies and the deliberately watered-down seeker sensitive candy coated prosperity gospel of progressive christianity is continuously preached.
A commentary from https://www.gotquestions.org/come-as-you-are.html addressed this topic quite sincerely:
While the concept of “come as you are,” if understood correctly, is biblical, the precise phrase “come as you are” is not found in Scripture. But, again, the Bible does have a variety of verses that imply the same message, based on God’s amazing grace.
In Joel 2:32, where the prophet is declaring the terrible judgments of the Day of the Lord, God’s offer of deliverance is open to “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord.” In Isaiah 1:18, God offers the invitation to come, though your sins are as scarlet, and He will make them white as snow. Revelation 22:17 is an open invitation: “Come! Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” In these and other verses, the clear implication is that, even though we are sinners, God desires us to come to Him as we are, so that He can cleanse us.
As for the meaning and application of the phrase, we can go to the examples of how Jesus dealt with the sinners He encountered. Sometimes well-meaning Christians tell people that they have to “clean up their lives” before God will accept them, but that is not what we see in Scripture. When speaking to the woman at the well who was living with a man she was not married to (John 4:1–26), Jesus addressed the fact of her sin, then offered her the salvation she needed. Again, when the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1–11) was brought before Jesus, He told her, “Go, and sin no more.” The sin was never excused or ignored, but forgiveness was offered to anyone who recognized his sin and was willing to confess and forsake it. God certainly expects us to leave our sin, but that comes as a part of our salvation, not as a prerequisite. We are not able to clean ourselves up without God’s help.
“Come as you are” is sometimes misunderstood and misapplied in today’s church. Those churches identified with the emerging/emergent church or hipster movements, among others, sometimes take the grace of God and turn it into licentiousness (Jude 1:4) by teaching that it makes no difference how you live, as long as you believe. If you come to Christ in an illicit relationship, some say Christ will accept you just as you are and sanctify that relationship. If you come to Christ as someone who enjoys the night life, you can continue in that path, and use it to “reach others for Christ.” This may be a popular message, but it directly contradicts Scripture which clearly says that these things from our past lives should be left behind and that our former friends will think us strange for doing so (1 Peter 4:3–4). Romans 13:13 commands us to walk honestly, or decently, no longer participating in the licentious lifestyle of the world. Galatians 5:13 says that we are called to liberty, but that we cannot use liberty “for an occasion to the flesh,” excusing our continued sins.
God is amazing, gracious, loving, and forgiving, so He calls us to salvation, even though we don’t deserve it. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8), making it possible for us to receive forgiveness. He requires us to confess and forsake our sins when we come to Him, but He receives us just as we are, then begins to change us as we submit to Him in obedience.
There is a song by Hillsong called 'Ready or Not' that some churches sing. This song has lyrics that are typical of the very mindset of the Seeker Sensitive Progressive Christianity movement. This song contains scripturally questionable lyrics like:
'Come now As you are Or as you want to be' and 'He's alright with your past He's not mad at any one of us'
... amongst other lyrics/lines that are, according to the Bible, NOT TRUE!!
There are other songs that promote this Progressive Christian ideology which is totally self centered in focus like the song by Christian Contemporary Music artist Francesca Battistelli called 'He knows my name' which is clearly self centered just from the title alone. Though it seems to hold some veneer of reverence for MASHIACH's sacrifice for mankind and our ABBA's amazing love for us, it either naively, unintentionally, or is diabolically intentional in pointing to one's self as the most important center of focus.
Our focus must be on MASHIACH, on ABBA YAHAWAH, not on ourselves.
Another very unfortunate and most diabolical thing, that is evident with this Progressive Christian ideology, is the active demoting of ABBA YAHAWAH's Sovereignty, Majesty, Deity, Holiness & Divinity to man's level ... making man equal to ABBA YAHAWAH in some form or fashion ... hence lowering ABBA to the level of man. Then they deify of man, raising man to the position of elohiym. Claiming man to be gods (lower case 'g').
Which is the reason why there would be a song, by Cory Asbury, that declares ABBA YAHAWAH, or His Love, to be reckless?
Merriam-Webster.com defines Reckless as ...
Marked by lack of proper caution : careless of consequences
IRRESPONSIBLE
and another definition online says ...
(adjective)
Without thinking or caring about the consequences of an action (of a person or their actions).
This is how ABBA YAHAWAH in Heaven and His actions, ... His Love, is being characterized or categorized by progressive Christian music like these.
We must deny self and live for Adonai MASHIACH. We are required to pick up our cross, according to MASHIACH's Words in Matthew 16 vs 24 and follow Him. For ye are dead and your life is hid with MASHIACH in ABBA YAHAWAH as the scriptures have told us in Colossians 3 vs 3 according to the letter from Apostle Paul. In fact, in yet another letter, Apostle Paul says the following:
I am crucified with MASHIACH: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but MASHIACH liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of YAHAWAH, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2 vs 20
So though we may come as we are, we must let RUACH HaQodesh in-dwell us, move in us and renew us too, hence, let Him change us from within to the outward. Then we, who did come as we were, will grow in Ruach and proceed upward and onward as a new creation (according to 2 Corinthians 5 vs 17) that, now, lives for MASHIACH daily.
Remember:
The evidence of your belief, your change of heart and habits, is the manifestation your fruit from your works as declared in James chapter 2
Shalom!
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