Are you the ‘purple hippo’ Christian?

It’s important to be an impartial advocate of the truth, and to remove the log out of our own eyes. Therefore I’m going to examine this comic from a different angle. Though Pelagius was a false teacher, are you the man sitting on the purple hippo?

The man on the hippo is an accurate depiction of a majority  of those that profess to be Christian. Our buildings that we wrongfully call “church,” are full of people that are not preaching (or sharing) the Glorious Gospel to the lost, they do not engage our culture with the Sword of the Lord. But instead, they sit on their hippo and criticize those that do. Though they may be present in our sanctuaries on Sundays and maybe even Wednesdays. But they cease to ‘be the church’ on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

This is not a criticism of the Lord’s beautiful church (His bride). I’m ‘calling-out’ the dead and lukewarm that Jesus warned about in Revelation. But the dead and lukewarm are not just Pelagians. They are Armenians, Calvinists, and everything in between.

Jesus said to the dead church,

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,

‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’ (Rev 3:1-6).

Jesus said to the lukewarm church,

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,

‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’” (Rev 3:14-22).

Are you kingdom building?  As Paul Washer said, “You are either called to go down into the well, or hold the rope for those who go down. Either way, there will be scars on your hands.”