What is today’s church? What is the body of Christ functioning as in the earth today? Are we worthy of commendation, who lead the faith and religious gatherings? Are we not now merely social gatherings? Country clubs as it were, favouring the rich and gullible? Once we were called Spiritual gatherings; but has the Spirit not been summarily dismissed amid our actions and inactions, disunity, dissensions, constant attacks – verbal and otherwise – passing judgement with impunity on social media channels? Where is the honour for God and His ministers?
Paul afforded us definite counsel when he wrote that we ought to forgive one another lest we give satan an upper hand (2 Corinthians 2:10,11). But in making room for satan in our ways, sin and animosity now abound: the very things that now seek to destroy utterly, our unity as a church. Employing devices ranging from doctrinal and denominational differences, legalism to libertinism, intolerance to complacency andthe like. Thus, we have traded our identity as salt of the earth and light of the world for tastelessness and dimness. Neither can God enjoy an aroma of life from us, nor is the world disturbed by our scent that has become so much like theirs
.“LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF.”
I remember when the church lived by these words. Then a time came when they became little more than cliché. Today, unfortunately, these words of life are all but forgotten. Men appointed to lead God’s people have become unlike the good soldier (2Timothy 2:3) and entangled themselves with this passing world. It is now a most difficult undertaking to differentiate God’s ministers (i.e. preachers) from Mammon’s (i.e. worldly businessmen, greedy investors, wicked politicians, self-centred capitalists). Many have abandoned the race for eternal reward and are racing to invest substantial sums in matters that are not of eternal value rather than raising disciples. Have servants of God not abandoned the vineyard, taking the allegiance of men for themselves in order to build temporal legacies on the earth? This is food for thought
Our youth and children are learning to equate the name of Christ with ‘business as usual;’ the world is trudging on in darkness, unaware of our claim to be light. Who will redeem us? Christ has redeemed us, and “it is finished.” Now, we must contend for the faith (Jude 1:3) and return to our first love (Revelations 2:4). Lest the KING return unexpected and find us wanting.
