PROBLEMS FACING THE CHURCH #2 James W. Boyd PLEASE THE WORLD The church is being overwhelmed with the emphasis and concern with this world and is failing to “set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2). While we are in the world, we are not to be of the world. Worldliness has sapped the influence and power of the church everywhere. We are to save the world, not conform to the world (Rom. 12:1-2). Love of the world has generated a lax, worldly minded and permissive people toward immorality, drinking, dancing, gambling, and many other worldly excesses we see about us, and among some so-called Christians. Pulpits have become silent as death in condemning the sins of the world among the members. (It might cost the clergy-preacher his high paying job and popularity). It is evident that many in the church are striving for their pleasure and material gain more than the welfare of their souls and the souls of their children. If you doubt this, just observe closely the tremendous loss from the church of the young among members of the church. Family after family has so stressed this world that their children are not “in the Lord.” Jesus taught, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness, for man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15). Paul warned, “For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:7-10). Worldly emphasis has helped create the preacher shortage. While there is seemingly no shortage of those clamoring to get on the “staff” and payrolls of churches, there is a shortage of faithful men who will preach the Gospel without fear, favor, compromise, or perversion. There are those who readily compromise truth in order to retain their level of income. Covetousness affects the contributions and hinders the work that could otherwise be done. Works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19- 21) still prevent entrance into the kingdom of God. We need to ask if we are influencing the world or is it the other way around. The willingness to discard as useless whatever has gone before and the craze for the new without regard for the true has captivated the ambitions of too many, and the church is reeling beneath the pounding it takes from the worldly minded members. The reproach that is heaped against Christ because of the worldly lives of so-called Christians cannot be measured for magnitude of it and the damage it causes to His cause for which he died. How people can live for the world and claim to be of Christ is an inconsistency that cannot be explained. THE NEW RATHER THAN THE TRUE Change for change’s sake is the watchword with some. While we may improve our methods and expedients that are lawfully used, some have changed the message and mission in order to appeal to the world, bringing people into fellowship without converting them to the convictions they must possess to be children of God. Many are being deceived by the lies of false teachers who say they only wish to change in matters of opinion, but upon examination of their message, it is obvious that the message they preach conflicts with the doctrine of Christ. We are naive to think false teachers are sincere. It is increasingly evident that the lives of many members of the church are not lights in the world nor are they the salt of the earth. They hide the light of truth beneath the bushel of hypocrisy and imitation of error. It still rings true, however, that we are not to love the world (1 John 2:15-17), and when we are friends with the sinful things of the world, we are no longer friends of God, but His enemies (James 4:4; cf. John 15:14). LIBERALISM AND MODERNISM Doctrinally, the church is beset with modernism and liberalism. This really has no relationship with being modern or generous. Modernism is a system of thought that denies the Bible is the Word of God, denies the miraculous, denies even the existence of God, including the Deity of Christ and the evidences of it. Modernism contends the first eleven chapters of Genesis are myths and only figurative language. Liberalism embraces the doctrines that have divided and torn the church apart through the years, as men imitate the substitute churches of denominationalism, adopt doctrines of men, slander faithful brethren to gain their own fame and fortune, and generally disrupt the brotherhood in order to create a “do-your-own-thing” approach to religion. Forsaking the need for authority for what is said and done, they go their own way, ridicule the “old paths,” and heap unto themselves teachers of error. Many churches, once faithful, are submerged in liberalism. This attitude toward Scripture has seeped into the church through brotherhood papers, books, Bible departments of schools, modern speech so-called versions of the Bible, and the “scholars” who have absorbed the modernistic teaching they studied while gaining their religious titles and degrees at the seminaries operated by modernists and denominationalists. It has gained favor through big-name brethren who have had influence, but who have digressed from the truth. For years on end these people have been polluting the minds of generation after generation until the church is staggering from the blows of digression and apostasy. The climate that only the “intellectuals” have any right to say or know anything, that others need to keep quiet, has captivated the “thinking” of too many. As in the day of Paul, those who profess themselves wise are fools because they have turned their heads from Biblical teaching and adopted the ways propagated by men in contrast to truth (1 Cor. 1:17-29). LETHARGY/APATHY/PEACE AT ANY PRICE Atop all this is the pathetic and tragic lethargy and indifference that holds control of the minds of members and their leaders alongside the disposition to “go along to get along.” This is not a problem with all, nor is this something brand new among brethren. Revelation 3:16 and the lukewarm church in Laodicea blazed the trail for this kind of religious stupor. So many manifest a “who cares” attitude. So many are unwilling to take a stand. So many are unwilling to work and bear their part of the load. You may see a lot of activity here and there, but often it is activity that is not the Father’s business, but just busy-ness. You hear a lot about love, love, love, but it is not the love of which one reads in Scripture, but a permissiveness and tolerance of sin, an acceptance of false doctrines and doctors, a pseudo-love that appeals to emotions but fails to manifest itself in genuine deeds that seek the other’s highest good as God defines the good. Some who cry for love are among the most vicious people on earth. They have no love for the truth nor those who stand for it and defend it. Their love is for their own bellies, their own way, and whatever means that gains for them their goals and ambitions. This lethargic indifference is seen in letting the other fellow do his work and mine too. It is seen in being against everything and for nothing. It is evident with the lessening interest in evangelism. Many churches are merely “house keeping” for the Lord and not even doing a credible job at that. It is seen in the decline of accepting personal responsibility, the unwillingness to cooperate and work. Interest is centered on self and what one wants, what makes one feel good, rather than what is the revealed will of God. There is compromise of truth, and “dialogue” with those in apostasy under the guise of seeking unity. They seek not unity, but fellowship in spite of division, and in spite of God’s prohibition of it. They preach we are to have “unity in diversity” which means to agree to disagree, and that doctrinal differences make no difference. The church is now plagued with the development of the “staff” and clergy of congregations, the soul-winning experts without each Christian making his or her effort to even be faithful, let alone be soul winners. It is seen in the attitude that nothing applies to me, but everybody else ought and will do what is necessary. This is a strength-sapping and energy-draining disposition against the welfare of the church. Nonetheless, all is not evil, and the Lord has promised to be with us. With these and other problems, like the lack of discipline, weak leadership, failure of training, absenteeism, the Lord’s people face hard times. It is up to the faithful to try to prevent, face, solve, overcome, and endure the problems in the church without developing hatred and bitterness toward those in error, for that would destroy us. Problems mean that we must be sure and more determined to keep step with the Master. We work for a remnant to keep the flame of truth burning brightly after our term of service ends in physical death. May God help us to be faithful to Him. 2720 S Chancery St. McMinnville, TN 37110
Posted on: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 09:29:17 +0000
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