hmmm…..
We have a church in our community who has named itself “THE CHURCH”. I am not sure whether to laugh, cry, be insulted or be angry!
Our little community is filled with churches. Someone told me that there are 128 churches in our town of 12,000. I am not sure if that is an accurate count; but if it is, that’s a lot of churches! To me that means that there are many different ways that people want and need to worship, to fellowship and to serve. In our church we try to be open to the idea that even if we are in different locations on Sunday mornings, all of us who practice the Christian faith are striving as best we can to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, our Servant Savior.
Maybe at times we don’t do so well. Maybe at times we compare ourselves to the “bigger” church down the street. Maybe sometimes we even try to compete. Yes, we do those things. But our churches also serve together at the Christian Clinic, the Food Basket and the Center of Hope. We don’t claim to be the one and only, we just claim to try and love our community and Jesus Christ.
There is too much divisiveness in our country right now to carry it over to irresponsible claims to be THE one and only of just about anything. Well… maybe Coca Cola can claim that, but it is just full of fizz and not much else anyway! Hopefully, THE CHURCH will fizzle, at least in name, and we can all get back to serving God’s church together.
hmmm…..
Valid critique for sure. Few churches can get away with it, unless you really own a geographic location or using Biblical imagery that requires the specifier.
ReplyDeleteAll those who have a genuine personal relationship with Jesus belong to "The Church" regardless of where and when they meet. When you find those fellow pilgrims who are journeying along "the narrow way", and entering through "the narrow gate", there is real fellowship and joy in sharing about our Savior.
ReplyDelete"Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth..." 1 Corinthians 13:6
It is getting harder to share truth in this age where Isaiah 5:20 is being fulfilled publically more than ever before: "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!"
Websites like: http://www.faithinamerica.org that declare "Religion-based bigotry is the No. 1 impediment to equality and full human dignity.." have no tolerance for the truth that really leads to full human dignity: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Sharing the truth is the real loving thing to do, even when it is difficult. To cause the fornicator or drunkard think they are just fine wallowing in their unrighteousness is a truly hateful thing to do. Mark 9:42 "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea." spoken by our Lord Jesus is a serious warning for those who call good evil, and evil good even if they themselves believe they are otherwise living a moral life. Jesus was crucified for the truth He spoke in love, and He told us that: "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." Mark 13:13
Maranatha!