All that leave will arrive. It’s this (SAD DEPARTURE) of
truth that is so disturbing. Its living absent, of the BIBLE that is sadly
being more and more the norm of this present day.
How in this day have we gotten here? Sadly, someone left. And
that someone arrived. They arrived at a place that no longer even resembles the
church as GOD built.
Ephesus in Jesus’ personal letter to the seven churches. The
BIBLE reads that of Ephesus simply left.
Statistically speaking, “the church” today is decreasing. We
should ask why? We should be open enough to want to see the reason or reasons. As
you read this, you probably already picked up on my use of the word “church.” I
use this loosely or at least as its defined by the religious. Those who say they’re
the church. This of course without anything that shows the real church in what
she is to look like, act like, and be like.
If you are familiar with the church in its past to its
existence today. Surely, we would admit that we can all see the difference.
The so called “church today” is seen with its much more
modern conveniences. Its seen today with its desire of creating a greater draw.
Its colored lights. Its coffee shops and popcorn snacks in
its foyers. Its comfortable in seating, and parking. It has daycares and nurseries
for the little ones. Its seen in its progression in music and singing. The hymn
book and songs of a promised heaven has to some delightfully been discarded as
an ancient relic of the past.
Sports has weirdly I might add has become part of the
“church of today.” It’s seemingly nothing to have a movie night, a super bowl
Sunday, and even an MMA event in “today’s church.”
Why? And to what purpose? How did we arrive to such a place
as this? What are the possible answers to this question? Please, allow me to look
at this closer.
1)
Has the decrease in attendance scared us so that
we have to lower our standard and our spirituality to get any in the pew?
2)
Has the low crowd diminished in its social
status; thereby creating the exodus?
3)
Is it possible that we think that we are taking
the church out of the dark ages and becoming more relevant to our world today?
4)
Is it perhaps the thought that the “church
today” needs a face left so it can be more tolerant, accepting, and comfortable
to “today’s Christian?”
5)
Is it possible that the feeling, is the lack of money?
6)
Could it be the church today lacks in spiritual
power and authority and thereby must reach for things to make it seem as though
it has not?
7)
Could the answer be more closely related to the
lack of preaching against sin and satan?
Is the answer in making the church more relevant today
thereby causing the changing of its look, feel, and operation of what used to
define “the church?”
What is your assessment? Is any of these as listed close to
perhaps the truth of what is happening in this present generation?
We are seeing walls torn down. We are seeing a dismantling
of norms piece by piece in the “church.”
Do we have the answer? Do we even know the answer? Do we
want to know the answer?
We could all walk down this road and perhaps come up with
more questions than answers. Or yet answers that don’t really give the true answer
to these questions. However, I would say that if we know what the church looked
like and acted like in the day of its infancy. I believe history along with the
BIBLE can answer this question. If the church preached the message they preached? If the church practiced
the message they preached then the
answer shouldn’t be so hard to arrive to.
Acts 4:31 And when they (the church) had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,
and they spake the word of God with
boldness.
32 And the multitude of them that believed were of
one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the
things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
33 And with great power gave the apostles witness
of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. KJV
CAN THE CHURCH BE WHAT THE CHURCH WAS WHEN IT CAME TO BE?
Is that not the question? One perhaps would answer. Why
can’t we do and be all that with all of what we are doing? Is this not the same
question that Paul asked of the Galatans?
NEVER HAS ONE STARTED OFF WITH A CARNAL MEANS AND METHOD AND
ARRIVED TOO A SPIRITUAL GOD GIVEN PLACE AND DESTINATION. AND VICE VERSA. ONE
CANNOT START OUT IN THE SPIRIT AND SUDDENLY THINK AS THE GALATIANS. COME TO THE
THOUGHT OF BEING PERFECTED BY THE FLESH.
Even Paul asked this of the Galatian’s.
Gal 3:3 Are ye so
foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? KJV
Any denomination, organization, congregation, individual
that thinks the flesh is going to get them to a greater spiritual place with
GOD. If their thinking they are going to be more spiritual by such compromise, tolerance,
and calling sin grace. They will find themselves as all such churches that
thought the same.
·
Ephesus- left…
·
Sardis- was dead and dying…
·
Thyatira- was in allowing sin to exist alongside…
·
Pergamos- was in such sin, they even made a
place for satan’s throne…
·
Laodicea- the worst of all simply called their
sin grace...
This was all a lie of course and that is one thing they all
had in common… All were deceived into the believing of a lie…
This departure got them to what we see in the so called “church
today.” That is a non-effective and ultimately non-existent “church” that
simply pretended at being the “church.”
Thank you for reading
PS. The church lives or dies by its faithfulness to the
truth of the word of GOD.
The truth of this is found in the “church” of Scotland. In
1956 its recorded that they had 1.25 million members and 2,200 congregations.
In 2015, the “church” of Scotland had fewer than 400,000 members and down
approximately 800 ministers serving 1,400 congregations. This happened all because
they thought that had to move with the times. And thus, moved off the moral
standing of the word of GOD.
The sad truth of the departure of the word of GOD. And it’s
everywhere.
Thank you again for reading my ramblings.
