Knowing The Church Series Part 12
I can only imagine how it must sound that someone unknown, such as myself, speaks so harshly about the Church. By way of transparency, I came to Christ in 1967 through the preaching of Billy Graham. Through a mainline "Christian" religion, I had been caught in a family religion because my belief came from the family. It would be about six years until, by the grace of God, I learned to start thinking for myself.
Understanding a Fallen Church Through David
Only one man in God's word is referred to as a man after God's own heart. The man is David, the shepherd boy turned giant slayer, anointed by the prophet Samuel to be King. David then became a mercenary as he was pursued by King Saul for 14 years out of envy and to protect his position of power. Those who aligned themselves with David were nobodies and discontent with Israel, who became mighty men of valor, which one we are told was able to slay a thousand men.
Afterward, David was given the kingdom he earned through hardship, the grace of God, the constant threat of death, courage, honor, prayers, and authoring many inspired Psalms and prophesies. Then, one year, having gone to war as a way of life, he stopped. He let his eyes gaze upon a fair woman who did not belong to him; he lusted for her, took her, and afterward had her husband seemingly killed but, in reality, murdered to protect his "integrity."
A Fallen Church But Not Fallen From Grace
Did David suffer much chastizement as a beloved child of God? Yes! Did David cease to be a godly man in the sight of God? No! The Son of God, who was prophesied to sit on the seat of David, and prophecies cannot be broken or be unfulfilled by the covenant-keeping God, asked the religious leaders of His time a most pertinent question regarding David.
"What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?" They said to Him, "The son of David." He said to them, "Then how does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' (Adonai [My Masters]) saying, 'The LORD (Yehovah, I AM) said to My Lord (Adonai), "Sit at My right hand, until I put your enemies beneath your feet?" (Matthew 22:42-44)
The names I have added to the text are in Hebrew, which are names for God. The point I am making, which Jesus Christ made to the religious leaders He confronted, is that David called Jesus Christ my LORD or I AM, while at the same time, Jesus Christ was to sit on his throne as a son. My more significant point is that God never rejected David as King or salvation as a child of God, but God's everlasting love and grace remained on him.
What about the Church? Like David, who was blind-sided by the devil, deceived, and made to fall into sin, even so, the authentic Church, made of regenerate believers, can and does depart the right way, end up in the ditch, stumble, and fall and discredit the ministry. I do not intend to discredit the Church; I understand that the Church has done that very well on its own.
The Supreme Reason For The Fallen Church
I stand in the wake of the Apostle Paul's warnings to the Church to avoid dishonor and discrediting the ministry of Jesus Christ through the Church. "And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain— for He says, "At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the Day of Salvation I helped you." Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION"— giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships..." You can read the rest yourself. (2 Corinthians 6:1-4)
The Apostle Paul's point is this. "Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide. You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections. Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide to us also. Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial (the devil; emphasis added), or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?" (2 Corinthians 6:12-15)
It is my humble opinion, after walking with the Church for over fifty years and now being guilt-ridden by association and for not doing more in my sphere of influence to denounce the disobedience of the sin of mixing believers with unbelievers in the same building. In so doing, we have helped unbelievers to trust themselves to be going to heaven when they are going to hell.
The fact that no one knows the state of another person's heart regarding salvation did not stop Jesus from commanding the Church to follow His instructions in Matthew 18:15-20 to ensure the division between believer and unbeliever.
"If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses, every fact may be confirmed. "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the Church; and if he refuses to listen even to the Church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. "Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."
"Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." This last section is in the context of Church discipline and restoration and should be interpreted as such.
To Understand a Fallen Church, a person must mature beyond denominational beliefs that distort Biblical demands.
May God forgive me for being too silent or too harsh.
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