To be holy is to be morally blameless. It is to be separated from sin and, therefore, consecrated to God. The word signifies separation to God, and the conduct befitting those so separated… To live a holy life, then, is to live a life in conformity to the moral precepts of the Bible and in contrast to the sinful ways of the world. It is to live a life characterized by the “(putting) off of your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires… and (putting) on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22, 24).
Jerry Bridges

Simons Christian hang out

Simons Christian hang out

SIMON’S

Right here in the Denver area there is a church called The Christian Fellowship of the Rockies. This particular church sponsor’s a music hall called Simon’s. What is Simon’s? Simon’s is a place for people to go to listen to heavy metal rock bands such as Zuriel, Halo, Vengance, and many others.

I went to Simon’s to see just what it was all about. I went to get a firsthand account of what goes on there and this is what I found…

A C H R I S T I A N O R G A N I Z A T I O N ?

Simon’s is supposed to be a Christian oriented place. A place where young people can go on a Friday or Saturday night to listen to heavy metal rock and roll under the guise of Christianity. That’s right, it’s supposed to be a holy place, doing all in the name of Jesus. So I went to see just what makes this Simon’s place so different from any other worldly place that kids go to on the weekends. The answer: NOTHING.

Simon’s is just another place to fulfill the desires of the flesh … in the name of Jesus. Just another place to fulfill the following passage …

II Peter 2:18-19 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity–for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

Simon’s claims to be an alternative to the worldly night life scene. Maybe they don’t have as much in the line of drugs or booze, but it can’t be looked at from that angle. The question is how much of Jesus are they really offering people? And the answer is simply, how much of what they do is in line with the Word of God?

I N O B E D I E N C E T O G O D ‘ S W O R D ?

Well, I went to Simon’s and the answer is a resounding NOT MUCH! As II Peter says, they are trying to win people to Jesus by proclaiming that they can keep their long hair, worldly dress, make very few changes if any, and somehow come into a relationship with the Holy One of Israel. The messgage that rang out loud and clear there is that Jesus accepts you where you are and all you have to do is believe in Him and continue on your merry way and someday you’ll be with Him in Paradise. If they were really wanting to call the world into a life of OBEDIENCE in Jesus, they would be setting the example by living in obedience to the following passage themselves …

I Corinthians 11:14 Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,

But the majority of the men there claimed to be Christians and at the same time had extremely long hair. The music was so loud the words couldn’t even be uplifting to someone who didn’t already know the words. Basically, Simon’s is just a place to go and indulge in the pleasures of this world, to keep the sinful nature and somehow lay claim to Jesus at the same time.

Psalms 73:9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.

Or somehow to worship what they want and worship Jesus at the same time.

Exodus 32:5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD.”

Simon’s claims to hold these rock concerts as a “festival to the LORD.” But they are really just times of pleasing the flesh disguised under the name of Jesus. What an utter abomination in the sight of God!

G O S E E F O R Y O U R S E L F !

In short, I left Simon’s not the least bit encouraged in the faith, but rather with an empty feeling and one of indignation at the so-called “ministry” they claim to have there. If you find this hard to believe, perhaps you should go and see for yourself, and you will surely get indignant with what you see happening there … but, then again, maybe you won’t. Or perhaps you’ve already been to Simon’s. Maybe you’re a regular. Maybe this article offends you. It should. It is intended to offend all who would be attracted to such a false gospel call as the one put out at Simon’s, which is no gospel at all.

Galatians 1:6-9 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel– which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

L O O K F O R O B E D I E N C E !

Remember, if you do go, don’t look at the emotional hype for confirmation of a true gospel, nor at the fact that there are no drugs, alcohol, etc. Just look and honestly ask this … Are they in obedience to the Word of God. For as much as Simon’s is in obedience to the Word of God, that is as much as they are putting forth the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the reverse is true, as much as they are in disobedience to the Word of God, is as much as they are a false gospel. Don’t make a judgment based on your own opinion, ask the only True Judge to reveal the truth to you, the truth as is found in His Word.

Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.