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"Like":
The Facebook society.

by
Dean Gotcher

All you hear these days is the word "like" being injected into every comment being made. Seeking affirmation (which is of the flesh) all the children want these days is the approval of men, i.e., "self" 'justification. "Like" can be summed up with "If you 'like' make me 'like' 'feel good' (affirm me) then I will 'like' (affirm) you. but if you 'like' do not make me 'like' 'feel good' (do not affirm me), i.e., if you 'like' make me 'like' 'feel bad,' then I will 'like' 'unlike' (un-affirm) you, i.e., I will 'like' make you 'like' 'feel bad.'" Man, in God's eyes can never become good by doing "good works," i.e., by making other's "feel good." Only God is good. All blessings we have come from God. By worshiping them instead of Him, we make pleasure the standard for "good," making Him, who often stands in the way of pleasure, "bad," un-liking Him. It is the difference between being a child of the world and a child of God.

When you "like" someone, i.e., who makes you "feel good," you look the other way when they do something wrong or make a mistake, giving them "a pass." But when you do not "like" someone, who does not make you "feel good" or who makes you "feel bad" you will find fault with them even when they have done no wrong or have made no mistakes.  When "feelings," i.e., "like" becomes your means to happiness, "lust" for the carnal pleasures of the 'moment' that the world stimulates becomes our path, making your thoughts and actions slave to it. The same goes for the word "yes," which people use when they lose their train of thought on what they are doing or thinking about doing that they "like."

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." 1 John 2:16

"And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24

"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" Romans 6:16

"Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." Luke 16:15

"The heart is deceitful above all things [thinking pleasure is the standard for "good" instead of doing the father's/Father's will], and desperately wicked [hating whoever prevents, i.e., inhibits or blocks it from enjoying the carnal pleasures of the 'moment' it desires]: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9 We can never see our heart as being deceitful and wicked because our love of "self," i.e., pleasure is always standing in the way. Not until we humble, deny, die to our "self," doing the Father's will, can we see our "self" for what we are (in our "self"), deceitful and wicked, i.e., loving pleasure and hating restraint.

 "And for this cause [because men, as "children of disobedience," 'justify' themselves, i.e., their love of "self" and the world, i.e., their love of the pleasures of the 'moment' over and therefore against the Father's authority] God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie [that pleasure is the standard for "good" instead of doing the Father's will]: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth [in the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ], but had pleasure in unrighteousness [in their "self" and the pleasures of the 'moment,' which the world stimulates]." 2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12

"The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good. He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil." Psalms 36:1-4

"Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." Ephesians 2:2,3

"For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them." Ephesians 5:5-7

"And through covetousness shall they with feigned words [plastic words, Gr.,] make merchandise of you." 2 Peter 2:3

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

"And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven." (Matthew 23:9

"For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Matthew 12:50

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6

© Institution for Authority Research, Dean Gotcher 2019