Whose Church Is It Anyway?

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.            -Matthew 16:18

It seems almost superfluous to ask questions regarding ownership of the church. Shouldn’t the answer be obvious? From its very beginning, Jesus claimed ownership of the church. He did not tell Peter that men like him could build their own churches – it belongs to Him. There are few within Christendom who would argue against this fact.

Yet, in spite of the fact that ownership of the church seems to be a settled issue, we must ask ourselves, “Whose church is it?” If we believe that what we are part of is the church established by Christ, then how should we function as such a church? What responsibilities fall upon us, and what work should be left to God? Are there times when we are taking authority that was never entrusted to us?

Our understanding of the church must begin with the fact that it is not our church. We speak of it in those terms when we refer to “our church”, and the use of that language may betray what some actually believe at times. Though the Bible says that the church was purchased by Christ with His own blood (Acts 20:28), modern Christianity has subjected it to the ever-changing whims of contemporary society. There is a distinct possibility that we have allowed the work and direction of the church to be determined by the culture in which we live. Rather than allowing the church to be counter-cultural, it has been molded and conformed to the image of the society it was intended to change. However, the relevance of the church is always a direct result of its distinction from worldly cultures. If the church cannot be holy, or set apart, from the world, neither can it be relevant to the needs of humanity. So, even though it seems unnecessary, let us consider the implications of Jesus’ ownership of the church.

The Foundation of the Church

Jesus’ statement about the church was in response to Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Son of God (Matt. 16:16). Jesus told Peter that it was not man who had revealed this truth to him, but God Himself. He then asserted that this is the rock upon which the church would be built. What rock is Jesus describing? Peter’s name signifies a stone, or a fragment of rock. Jesus was not referring to a stone, but to a rock that would provide a solid foundation for the church. Peter confessed his faith in Jesus as God’s Son, and it is on this firm foundation that the church was built.

On what foundation is the church built today? Jesus said that those who hear His words and respond to them (Matt. 7:24) are building on a foundation that will support them. The church must be built on Jesus Christ and what He teaches. There is no greater foundation than the Incarnate Word who brings the light of God into this fallen world. All that we do must be built on the work, and character of Jesus Christ. We are not given the authority to choose our foundation, but it is laid for us in all that has been done by Christ.

The Builder of the Church

The Bible is clear that humanity is a necessary part of the church. The Bible says that we are the blocks that make up the temple of God. You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5). It is important for us to understand our place in the church Christ builds. We are a part of His church. It is always built through the saints, but it is never designed by them. It is not our purpose to structure the church according to our desires, or for our own ease. It is always Christ who puts the members in place where He sees fit. And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11, 12). There is no doubt, the body must be built, but it is the work of Christ to erect the structure through the call He places on His people.

 We are stones, but it is not our purpose to be architects. All that is built grows out of the work of Jesus. Every ministry, ever committee, every organization must grow out of the work and purpose of Jesus Christ. He is the master builder, and the church always surrenders to His design.

The Purpose of the Church

We talk a great deal about purpose and vision within the church today. Conferences are offered, and books written, to help us identify our vision and establish goals that will help us pursue them. At times, it seems that we believe it to be our purpose to determine the direction of the church, but what we miss is that He has already provided direction. The gates of hell shall not prevail… The work of the church is to march into battle to conquer that which hell possesses. The imagery used in Matthew 16:18 is not one that requires the church to sit back and hope to endure. In ancient times cities were surrounded by walls. There were gates in those walls to protect the citizens, but no nation every marched into battle with gates. They are always a defensive structure. So the implication of Jesus’ statement is that the church is to be an offensive force against the powers of hell. We must be willing to fight the spiritual battles before us in the name and power of Christ.

The church of our day has become a collection of spiritual pacifists in many cases; unwilling to stand for the truth of God’s Word. Some have abandoned doctrinal principles that have been held orthodox for centuries to gain acceptance with society. How can this be when it is the stated purpose of Christ for the church to stand against the sinful things of the world? Jesus established the church for a purpose: to bring light to the darkness of the world. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). It this is true, then our purpose must be to boldly proclaim that which makes the church different from the fallen world in which we live. The purpose of the church, according to Jesus, is to march against the gates of hell.

Based on the words of Jesus, what do we believe about the church today? If we believe the words of Jesus, do we see the church that He established when we look at our congregations, or the church at large? If we are to be the church today, we must first establish where ownership lies, and that is always with Christ.

Visions of Christ

Visions of Christ

Revelation 1:9-20

 

            Every once in a while you read something that leaves a lasting impression; something that forces you to consider it even years after you’ve read it. I read such a book in high school. In 1953 Ray Bradbury’s book, Fahrenheit 451, was published. Bradbury’s story described a society where truth was hidden at all costs and self-centeredness was the rule of the day. The people did everything possible to shelter themselves from the realities of the world. They lived in a self-induced stupor having been intoxicated by their self-indulgence. Bradbury wrote about people whose lives were consumed by their entertainment and were lived vicariously through the televisions that ruled their living rooms.  The people were happy to live in self-delusion with their allusions of joy until they were brought face to face with the harsh reality of war. When the time came that they had to face truth they had no idea how to handle it. They were ill-prepared to face the trials and tribulations of life. As terribly equipped as such a society seem, are we really much different?

            John faced a similar situation. The Romans filled coliseums with countless thousands of people who went to find some kind of fulfillment and happiness. The empire provided all the entertainment people needed through sports and wealth, but they did what was necessary to hide the truth. That’s why John found himself on Patmos.

            Sometimes it seems like the world will stop at nothing to hide definite truth. We see it all around us. We read stories of scientists who are pressured by politics to make sure their studies find what is considered acceptable by the powers that be. There have been college professors who have lost jobs because they refuse to blindly promote unproven theories of evolution in favor of intelligent design. Many dictators have controlled the media of their country, and some have gone so far as to censor what people are allowed to read.

            Suppression of truth is a means of inhibiting the freedom of people as they try to understand life. By directing them to specific, well-chosen information they are led to a conclusion that is desirable for their leaders. This has even happened in the church. There was a day when Bibles were chained to pulpits and the common man was not allowed access to God’s Word. This allowed the rulers to maintain control over the conclusions that people would draw by denying them access to all that is available to them. We see it in the church once again today. The Bible is not kept from God’s people, but they have willfully allowed themselves to live in ignorance of what it teaches, and the result has been leaders who have led the church astray.

            We look around us and see a church that is largely failing in America. Our leaders continue to promote leadership techniques and programs while the church continues to decline. Outreach is the theme of the day, and if we aren’t growing in great numbers we are not successful. Scripture teaches us that the church grew in the New Testament as the Bible became more important to the Christians. “And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7). When we do not know Scripture we do not know how to deal with life’s circumstances, so we turn to leaders who will give us instruction. Is this not how the Christian life is lived today? We don’t go to the Word, but to some self-help guru for our direction. The absolute truth of God’s Word has been confined to the shadows of the world, and hidden in the dark corners of the church. Over a couple thousand years it seems that some things haven’t changed all that much.

            John, the great apostle who proclaimed God’s truth to the early church, was exiled to Patmos as a way of keeping the truth from people. F.G. Smith explains, “Having confined him to a barren spot [Patmos], the emperor no doubt thought he had effectually cleared the world of this preacher of righteousness…But when men think the truth is dead and buried out of sight, God suddenly gives it a resurrection with thirty-fold greater glory. It was so in this case.”[1] Just when it seemed like the truth of God might be stamped out of existence, the apostle received a vision on the far reaches of the prison of Patmos. He was not given a structure or program that would obscure the glory and power of God. He was not given instruction on where to find the nearest church growth seminar, or tips on the amendment of bylaws.

            When God’s Word was hidden away the church received what she needed most: visions of an all-powerful, resurrected, living Christ! As John contemplated the church on the Lord’s Day a vision of a triumphant church came forth through the words of Jesus. It is in times such as these that we experience visions of the work of Christ. It is when the truth seems to be losing ground to the lies of man that God speaks to His people and directs them back to His Word, and to His revelation. It is in such times that God brings revival to the submissive heart.

            It is important that we understand the victory that God is showing in this vision. There are many who insist on a literal interpretation of what John saw on Patmos, but to look at this in such a way is to take away from the victory won by Jesus. We do not interpret Jesus – or His work – in light of the visions of apocalyptic literature, but we always interpret such literature in light of Jesus Christ and His victory over the powers of hell.[2] It is truth that sets us free, and for that purpose God revealed the truth about a victorious church through the book of Revelation. That purpose must be kept in the forefront of our thought as we read the visions of John. Jesus told us in John’s gospel that He came for the purpose of freedom. “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’” (John 8:31, 32). Paul also told the Galatian church, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1). God has provided visions in Scripture that will free us from the bondage of worldly ideas. We find ourselves in bondage to the world, but the church need not live in that prison. The truth, if sought and applied to our lives – individually and corporately – will truly set us free.

 

It Is During Tribulation That We See Christ

 

            We cannot deny that the church of John’s day was facing tribulation. This has often been a result of the world’s response to the faith of God’s people. Faith in the Word of God offends the sinful hearts of the world and brings conviction to their souls. When we place our trust in the moral standards set forth by God it gives us a hope that the world does not possess. By putting our trust in God’s Word we are making a clear statement that the testimony of His Son will be the example by which we live. We will not settle for the relativity of the world, or the universalism that has become a part of the beliefs of so many. John was sent to Patmos for this faith. Many Christians have lost their lives for the same type of faith. God’s people have been martyred, exiled, beaten, imprisoned and publicly shamed for their commitment to something greater than the government rulers of this world.

            It is during these times of great trial that the church has historically risen to new heights as men and women of God come together to support one another as they endure hardship. In verse 9 John claimed to be partnered with the church in tribulation, the kingdom, and patient endurance. We experience the presence of Jesus today during these times as His body lives in harmony with one another. As we encourage and carry one another we see God at work. This is what John meant when he said he was their partner in the kingdom. We live together in mutual submission to God’s reign even under the most sever tribulation. “Just as Jesus suffered in order to establish his rule so must believers. Those who put themselves under the lordship of Christ open themselves to tribulation in this in-between-time before Christ’s return and the final consummation and destruction of all evil.”[3] History proves that Satan will do anything to keep God’s people from submitting to His reign. We will face trial, tribulation, difficulty and obstacles, but God will overcome all these things through His people living together as His kingdom. Visions of our King remind us of the One whom we serve as we face this opposition of the Devil.

            God has not left us alone to face difficulty. It is during this time that we experience the work of Christ. We see Him move through His church, and in the lives of His people. We experience His peace and comfort, His love and mercy. If our faith remains steadfast in Jesus, we will never face a trial without a “partner” in tribulation. When we meet obstacles we see Christ work.

 

It Is When We Are In the Spirit That We See Christ

 

            It is no coincidence that John was “in the Spirit” when he saw a vision of Christ. The Spirit is the one who reveals Christ to us. He testifies to the work of Jesus. “He will glorify me, he will take what is mine and declare it to you” (John 16:14). Since the Spirit reveals Christ to us we see Him most clearly during the times when we are led by the Spirit. John Stott pointed out, “It is only logical. If Christian maturity is maturity in our relationship to Christ, in which we worship, trust and obey him, then the clearer our vision of Christ, the more convinced we become that he is worthy of our commitment.”[4] Stott went on to say, “For the discipleship principle is clear: the poorer our vision of Christ the poorer our discipleship will be, whereas the richer our vision of Christ, the richer our discipleship will be.”[5]

            It is the Holy Spirit who allowed John to look to the heavens and see the vision of Christ rather than to his immediate circumstances of difficulty. The testimony of Christ that we see in Scripture helps to teach us that it is never our circumstances that should dictate the way we live, but the Spirit of God. When we become bitter over troubles we face visions of Christ are more difficult to see. The church has been called to live in a world that is hostile to her culture, but we must live in light of the visions of Christ that Scripture reveals to us. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2). If our witness is to stand, we cannot afford to respond to adversity in the same way the world responds. We can’t allow ourselves to live in panic and worry over what is going to happen. Jesus said, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34).

            The Spirit of God will always direct us to Christ. When it is the Spirit who is guiding our decisions and responses we will always respond in light of our vision of the work of the Son of God. It is from this position that John sees the vision of Christ and His triumphant church.

 

It Is Among the Churches That We See Christ

 

            John did not simply see a vision of Jesus. He saw our Risen Lord walking among seven golden lampstands. In fact, the text would lead us to believe that John the first thing John saw after hearing the voice of Christ were these lampstands. We are not left to guess what these lampstands must be; Jesus told John exactly what they are: “As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches” (Rev. 1:20).

            It should come as no surprise that we find Jesus among the congregations of His church. Jesus told His disciples, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matt. 18:20). He also reminded them before He ascended to heaven, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).

            Jesus walks among His people today – just as He walked with the church in John’s day – to fill the role of high priest. “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come…” (Heb. 9:11). In Old Testament times it was the responsibility of the high priest to trim the lamps in the tabernacle. “And Aaron shall burn on it incense of sweet spices; every morning when he trims and fills the lamps he shall burn it” (Exod. 30:7 AB). The lamp was put in place to light the holy place in the tabernacle. Without the light of these lamps the tabernacle of God would be dark, so twice a day the high priest filled the lamps with oil and trimmed the wicks. This kept deposits from building up that would eliminate the light that was given. Jesus fulfills the same role in God’s New Testament tabernacle.

            The churches give off the witness of God’s power and glory. Jesus walks among the congregations to tend their lamps. It is through visions of Christ that the witness of the church is carried into the world. As we see His revelation in Scripture it trims and removes deposits from the wick that lights God’s lamps today. He continually works through His Spirit to empower the church to do His work in the world today. As we are built up into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5) we see visions of Jesus walking among His people to fulfill His role as our high priest maintaining the work of God within our lives. It is the presence of Jesus that makes this tabernacle the church. It is this presence that allows us to rightly consider ourselves the temple of God. John was given a vision of one who trims the lamps.[6]

 

It Is In Humility That We See Christ

 

            It is important that we see Christ through His Word and His church. We must understand the work He does through His church. We must also respond to these visions. John responded to the presence of God’s Son as many have reacted throughout history. His response mirrors that of Ezekiel, “Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking” (Ezek. 1:28). Moses removed his shoes and bowed before God (Exod. 3:5).  Even the Apostle Paul fell on His face before the Risen Christ, “And falling to the ground he heard a voice” (Acts 9:4)…

            A real vision of Jesus Christ should give us a sense of inadequacy, and should leave us standing in wonder and awe of our God. As we begin to understand what God reveals to us through such a vision it reminds us that even the brightest and best of our day cannot compare to the wisdom of Jesus Christ, and His power working through His people is unmatched by anything that is spawned within the finite mind of man. This revelation of the mind and will of God is what has drawn His people back to Him in times of revival over the course of history. Dennis Kinlaw commented, “I am convinced that every great revival in the history of the church has started when God’s people began to seek ‘the mind of Christ.’ When they set aside the normal human way of thinking about the world and allowed Christ to direct their lives, the world has been turned ‘upside down.’”[7]

            For decades the church of our day has stood as a darkened tabernacle, not knowing whether or not our high priest stands among us. We have turned to programs, gimmicks and fads to light the lamps of the church once again, but nothing has reignited the fire among God’s people. Visions of Jesus Christ serve to reignite the passion of God’s people. These visions bring revival to the church. As long as we continue to look within ourselves for guidance we will never be the lamps that burn brightly in the dwelling place of God. It is through visions of Jesus, and the revelation of the mind of Christ that the church moves in power in this sinful world. We experience God’s power when we respond to visions of our Lord as Isaiah, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isa. 6:5). Our trials are not overcome by our own ingenuity, but by visions of Jesus Christ and His plan for a triumphant church.

 

            It is during eras of difficulty that apocalyptic literature was written by the Jews before the time of Christ. It is in the same kinds of circumstance that John was given this vision. “Here is the meaning of the vision: A living, holy, majestic, omniscient, authoritative, powerful Christ stands in the midst of the churches, holds their destiny in his hand and says: ‘Stop fearing. I was dead. I am alive forever. More than that, I hold in my hand the keys to death and the grave. You should not fear to go to any place to which I hold the key. You may be persecuted to death but I am still your king.”[8] It doesn’t matter what we are facing today – individually or corporately – we are kept by our risen Lord. The Apostle Paul’s words still hold true today:

           

            "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall     separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom. 8:31-37).

 

            Do we live in light of a Scriptural vision of a risen, victorious Christ? One who stands amid a Spirit-led, triumphant church?

 

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[1] F.G. Smith, The Revelation Explained, 36

[2] Richard K. Eckley, Revelation: A Commentary for Bible Students (Indianapolis: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2006), 57

[3] Carol Rotz, Revelation: A Commentary In the Wesleyan Tradition (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 2012), 59

[4] John Stott, The Radical Disciple (Downer’s Grove: IVP Books, 2010), 42

[5] Ibid, 47

[6] David Ravenhill, The Jesus Letters (Shippensburg: Destiny Image, 2003), 33

[7] Dennis Kinlaw, The Mind of Christ (Anderson: Francis Asbury Press, 1998), 19

[8] Ray Summers, Worthy Is the Lamb (Nashville: Broadman &Holman Publishers, 1951), 105

The Church: You Can't Beat the Real Thing

And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth.    -Rev. 12:1-2

 

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters…” And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast…The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.  -Rev. 17:1-6

 

In 1991 Coca-Cola released a new slogan, “can’t beat the real thing.” The implication was that other colas are nothing more than a poor counterfeit of the product they sell. They were telling us that we wouldn’t want to drink and inferior copy of their product, and that anything other than what they produced would not bring us the satisfaction of drinking Coke.

 

Coke is not the only thing that others have copied. There is a counterfeit for almost everything. The job of the Secret Service is to keep money from being counterfeited. We get patents and copyrights on our work so that others cannot claim the work we’ve done. In school, and especially in college, students are continually reminded of the dangers of plagiarizing, which is to steal the intellectual property of someone else and portray it as your own. It seems as though there is nothing that someone has not tried to copy, and this is even true within the church.

 

From its establishment, the church has dealt with various claims as to what kinds of doctrine and teaching carry with them the authority of God. Over the course of Christian history we’ve seen the rise of various cults and religious groups, and just as many have faded into oblivion when people came to the realization that they were nothing more than a copy of the real thing. We wonder today as we look around the countless thousands of denominations within the church, “What could possibly be real?” With all the varying views and beliefs is it possible that anyone really has it right? There are countless thousands of people today claiming to be the church.  Many want the benefits of Christianity without the commitment or hardship that comes along with serving Christ. They want to be wealthy and prosperous without having to give of themselves at the altar of God. The apostle Paul told us that in the last days there would be people like this, who love the things of the world and having the appearance of godliness deny its power. Despite their claims. This can never be the real church.

 

There are some who would have us believe that the church is simply an institutional organization. That it is defined by some type of human standards put in place in our manuals and policies within man’s  organizations. They tell us that we have the right to define what membership is in the church and to decide what doctrine we will teach and what standards we uphold. Some even claim that the church is what we make it. They tell us that the activities and functions of the church rise and fall of what we decide to do and how we carry out the ministry.

 

The truth is, it doesn’t matter how we define the church. It doesn’t matter how denominational leaders define the church, or even what society tells us the church is supposed to be. Jesus told us in the 16^th chapter of Matthew and he would build his church. And that church, built by Jesus Christ, is what Scripture reveals to us. The church is not something created by man, but something established within the hearts of men by Jesus Christ through his redeeming work. We look around us today and see great leaders within the church fall, we see congregations close their doors for the final time each week, and we have to wonder, in this society, what can we really believed in?

 

In the Church of God, we used to ask the question, “have you seen the church?” We were not asking if people saw buildings on a street, if they understood the intricacies of denominational structure, or if they were familiar with the writings of the newest and most popular Christian leaders. We were asking if they understood the church as Scripture reveals it; if they had seen a church that transcends all of the denominational structures of the world and all of the organizational schemes of man. We were asking if they were familiar with something far greater than any institutional organization that has ever been created in the history of Christianity. It is this kind of church that Scripture reveals to us, it is this type of church that God intended to create in the 21^st century, just as in the first century. The church you can believe in was planned in heaven, ordained by God through the blood of Christ, empowered by the Spirit at Pentecost, predestined for every good work, prepared and empowered for victory. It is when we leave behind man-made organization that we find this divine institution. This is when we understand what it means to be a part of the church that we can believe that; what we understand what it means to be the real thing.

 

The book of Revelation provides for us in contrast between the real church and all those counterfeits that we’ve seen over the course of history. Let us consider the characteristics of the authentic church:

 

Authenticity is Defined by Apparel

I know it sounds ridiculous to claim that the church is defined by apparel, but the clothing to which I refer is not the worldly things that we buy our local department store. It is not the earthly garments we wear that define us, but the heavenly garments. The 12^th chapter of Revelation tells us that John saw a woman in heaven. He goes on to tell us that she was standing on the moon and she was clothed in the light of the sun. Scripture teaches us that this sun in which she was clothed is Jesus Christ himself. Malachi 4:2 says, “but for you who fear my name, the Son of Righteousness shall rise.”  John tells us in his gospel, “in him was life, and the life was the light of man.”

 

The church is defined by the light which she wears. When we are clothed in the character and witness of Jesus Christ it becomes obvious to the world who we are, and whose we are. It is not for us to decide what the church looks like, or what she wears because the church belongs to God. D.S. Warner and his associates used to travel the country proclaiming the message over and over again that it’s God’s church. It does not belong to man, and is not organized by man. Arlo Newell explains, “while history gives recognition to the prophets of old, John the baptizer, and later reformers in the Christian faith, Christ alone is the true foundation upon which the church ultimately stands.” We do a lot of things to try and control the witness that we portray in the world, but ultimately it is up to God to clothe the church with the witness that he wants her to maintain this world. His desire is to present to Christ a spotless bride dressed in the perfection of beauty - a bride who has no blemish, wrinkle or any such thing.

 

Though we know the adornment of this spotless bride to be the will of God  scripture also provides a contrast. The bride is adorned in what comes from God; in light that only he can create. But on the other hand the 17^th chapter Revelation shows us a great harlot clothed in all the things that the world finds important. John tells us that she was wearing purple and fine linen, dressed in some of the greatest clothes that the world could produce in that day. But the real church is never clothed in things that are valued by the world. She is recognized only by that which comes from heaven. The church you can believe in is a church that does not look like the world. We can offer things that may entice the world, we can do everything that we can to make ourselves appealing, but that does not make us the church that will change the world. There is only one church that can change the world. There is only one that is empowered by the Spirit of God. There is only one that carries the full authority of heaven into the societies around us. That is the real thing. It is the church of God – not one singular movement or group, but the church of the Bible.

 

Authenticity is Defined by Location

Though Scripture teaches us to clothe ourselves in heavenly garments, there is more to the authentic church than apparel. The real church is one that lives and works in the location where God places her. That’s where John saw the church in Revelation 12. The woman is protected from her adversary by fleeing to “a place prepared by God.”

 

The church is the ecclesia of God, or those whom He has called out of the world. We are not simply called away from sin, but to a place where we can be nourished and cared for by God. In the midst of the chaos and turmoil of the world, we are called to a place where God will provide for our needs. We do not need the favor of political institutions because Jesus Christ will provide for His Bride. The church was never intended to wander aimlessly through this world hoping to find the Light of God, but was called to a specific ministry, and a place that was provided by God. It is a place where the church can not only survive, but thrive. It is when we place ourselves before God that we see His power at work within our ranks, and the difficulties of the world are overcome. The church you can believe in is a church that flees the things of the world for the holiness of God. She is clothed in His garments and lives in His presence.

 

John tells us of a contrasting vision of a harlot seated on a beast. Daniel 7 teaches us that this beast represents political institutions and systems. John gives us a description of the origin of this beast in Revelation 13:1: “And I saw the beast rising out of the sea…” He also tells us what this sea represents: “And the angel said to me, ‘The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.’” These descriptions would lead us to the conclusion that the beast is man-made – it came from his conceptions and institutions.

 

The real church is never a denominational structure. It can never be confined to the thoughts and ideas of man. Though God works through us and uses us we cannot be the church without His power. Though denominations have many who are members of God’s real church, that church cannot be contained by the structures of man. In fact, these structures only serve to hinder the work of God, eventually quenching the Spirit to the point that the work is overcome as the organization grows. R.T. Kendall reminds us, “While some see an emergence of a new denomination as what began in revival, the truth is that the new denomination being formed is more likely the end of the revival. Once people try to organize themselves around a new movement of the Spirit they unwittingly render that movement yesterday’s anointing.”

 

Kenneth Jones explains, “It is not truly helpful to think of the church as an institution, but rather dangerous. It puts the focus on obedience to the human leaders, and detracts from the concentration on the relationship with the triune God.” The purpose of the church is not – and has never been – to maintain some type of organization. Its purpose and mission is always to draw men and women to God. This happens when we live in the place of God’s provision, not something of our own design.

 

Authenticity is Defined by Action

The woman in heaven is prepared to give birth to a male child. This woman represents the Bride of Christ. She has a male child because a male carries on the work of the father. The church you can believe in carries on God’s work in this world. This church represents its Father’s name, and reveals Him to the world around us. Though this witness and work may bring us pain (much like the woman preparing for labor in the vision) God’s work is carried forward nonetheless. Scripture makes no pretense about the idea that God’s people will be persecuted, and will find great difficulty in this life. Jesus said, “Blessed are you when you are persecuted for righteousness sake…” The authentic church realizes that there is a price to be paid if we are to be victorious.

 

By contrast, the harlot is not involved in work or labor. She is seated on a beast, drunk with the blood of the saints. The harlot works only to eliminate that which confines and exposes her immorality. The false church rejects the truth of God’s Word for a life of comfort, ease, and pleasure. This church does what feels good and will be accepted by the society. It rejects the work and mission to which God has called us for leisure and enjoyment in the sinfulness that has crept into her midst. This church has forgotten what Bill Konstantopoulos reminded us, “The greatest bondage in life is not being physically captive to someone, but to be free to do as you please and in your freedom you reject truth, God, His Word and His will.” When we place man’s preferences above God’s truth we sacrifice doctrine and righteousness on the altar of the ever-changing whims of pop culture and the fickle penchants of society.

 

The authenticity of the church is defined by the work she carries out.

 

Authenticity is Defined by Children

The woman in heaven gives birth to a male child who is “caught up to God.” The home of this child is the throne room of God. This child walks daily in the presence of the Almighty, and finds rest in the shadow of His wings. These are the children who realize that they are pilgrims and travelers passing through this world looking for a more permanent home. “If this earth were our eternal portion, then our treasure should be laid up here. But since it is temporal, we are commanded to lay up our treasures in heaven. Though we may be poor in this world’s goods, yet if we serve God we ‘shall have treasure in heaven.’”

 

The focus of the harlots offspring is directed entirely to earth. The counterfeit church knows nothing greater than what will take place on this earth. It denies the miraculous and seeks what will bring fleeting feelings of happiness in this life. It teaches us that God wants us to have great wealth and prosperity while never having to face persecution or difficulty. If chooses only the passages of Scripture that make us feel good about ourselves accept the sin of the world.

 

The authentic church has a completely contrary focus when compared with the counterfeit. Anything that tells you that we must look like this world is not the church. Anything that tells you that God’s desire is simply your happiness and wealth, or that Christianity is easy is not the real thing. The church is not structured and directed by man, but is always the creation of God. Prepared before time in His heavenly plan, ushered into the world in the power of Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and anticipating the coming of her Groom, Jesus Christ. This is the church.

 

“Those people whom God has used throughout the centuries have had a great and glorious conception of the Christian church. She is not just a human institution. She is a spiritual society, a church of the firstborn. And it grieves their hearts to see her in rags and in worldliness and in utter confusion. Do we have this concern for the honor and the name of the Christian church? And do we long to see her functioning as a church, uttering no uncertain sound but the certain sound of the gospel and clothed with might and power and honor and glory?”

The Problem With Lukewarm Living

Revelation 3:14-22

Have you ever been confronted with something with such gravity that time seems to slow down as you consider its magnitude? These types of things consume your thoughts and can sometimes be life-changing events. We have all faced such things. Sometimes the circumstances of life and the reality of what we face seem to affect us this way.

            I have spent many nights considering such events. From God’s call to ministry to things that would affect my life forever, there have been a number of them. But in spite of situations that seem overwhelming at times, the longest night I ever spent was in early March of 2003. The specific day has faded from my memory over the years, but I think it was the 8^th. That was the night that I came face to face with the reality that my walk with God was lukewarm.

            That evening I was in my dorm room, in Dearborn Hall at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. I was there to study music, but I did all the things a good Christian is “supposed” to do. I read my Bible every day and prayed before my meals, but that was the extent of my Christian walk. I was involved in a lot of activities and stayed pretty busy. I had every excuse in the world not to be involved in God’s work. But that night, as I read the third chapter of Revelation I confronted the words, “because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” What would cause such a rejection by God? Surely it must be the result of a terribly sinful life. But the very next verse showed me that this is not the case. “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing…”

            That verse is a precise description of the way I was living. Everything was great. I was in college pursuing what I wanted to do with my life. My goals were beginning to fall into place and everything was going just as I had hoped. There was nothing more I needed. But was this really true? Could I really go about my business expecting God to bless my plans without any input on His part? I fully expected to live that way, but that night the gravity of this letter to the Laodicean church was more than I could bear. The words of God’s rejection of this lifestyle, and His judgment on those who live this way became overwhelming. I looked back at the opportunities I had been given over the course of my short life. I had taken advantage of every chance to advance as I studied and pursued a career in music, but I avoided situations where I could serve God like the plague. I didn’t want to be bothered with them because they did not fit my plan. As I considered these verses I began to wonder how many lives were affected by my unwillingness to submit to God.

            The epitome of lukewarm living is not some terrible sin. It is not characterized by pornography addictions, or abuse. It is simply a refusal to take part in God’s work. It is when we are willing to wholeheartedly do everything but His work. Sadly, I was not the only person who has ever lived this way. This Laodicean attitude continues to affect the work of God’s church, and the lives of His people today. Lillie McCutcheon commented on the situation, “The striking comparison between Laodicea of Asia Minor and the Laodiceans of the twentieth century is too close for comfort. Our materialistic world must learn that money may buy houses, but not homes; science may produce medicines but not health; nuclear weapons may exert power but fail to bring peace; religious formality may salve the conscience, but only true salvation can save the soul.”[1] Like the Laodiceans, we must learn that it is not the things of the world that are worth pursuing, but the work of God.

            Laodicea was a wealthy city, known for the fine purple linen they made. It was also known for its hot springs. These familiar springs are what Jesus used to relay His message to the church. The springs burst up from the earth, but the water had to be used close to its source. If it was carried back to the city it was lukewarm by the time it was used. It began to smell of sulfur, and was nauseating. It was better to use this water cold than lukewarm. Incidentally, the risen Christ says the same thing of the Christian life. It is better to be cold than to be lukewarm. He would rather we be hot, fired by a heart that cannot be quenched in its love for Him, but even cold is better than lukewarm. Unfortunately, if there is anything that characterizes the church in our day, it is this Laodicean infection of lukewarm living for God. Many congregations struggle to find teachers, volunteers, and people who are willing to take time away from other pursuits to do the work of the church. As Diane Leclerc wrote, “Christian pastors and teachers find themselves increasingly in the position of the first-century apostles. Their task is not simply to convert pagans or to indoctrinate converts. It is to Christianize the Church.”[2]

            It would seem to us that this lukewarm lifestyle would not be extremely detrimental to the church, but Scripture teaches otherwise. Not only is it unhealthy for the church, but it is a disease that will eventually drag our spiritual life to an unexpected death. Consider the character of lukewarm living:

 

Lukewarm Is an Easy Way to Live

 

            I spent that long night in college considering the fact that I had consistently raised the bar in the things I wanted to do. I pushed myself to be a better musician every day. But my spiritual life had been the same for a long time. I learned little, and seldom did anything new for God. I was comfortable, just like the people in that first century church. I knew what the Bible said, but I didn’t know what God was revealing through what it said. My lukewarm life required no commitment to God’s word. I knew about a life of salvation in theory, but did not live such a life.

            There are countless thousands of Christians today who claim a belief in God, but do not live in light of His word. They are committed to the idea that God is there to provide our needs, bless us and take us to heaven, but they seldom examine their own lives against the Scriptures. This superficial mindset dominates the lukewarm life. In a society that pushes us to raise the bar in our education, at the workplace, and even in our sports and hobbies, the bar is seldom raised in the Christian life. Children go to school and memorize multiplication tables – among many other things – but we will not ask them to memorize the Beatitudes, the 23^rd Psalm, or the Ten Commandments. The fact is, many adults don’t know these things. We don’t want to overload anyone, but have no problem filling our lives with every other worldly activity we can find. In our lukewarm state we never even stop to think what priorities we are modeling to others.

            As we live lives consumed by the world, our Christianity slowly fades into oblivion. It is not opposition or suppression that will kill Christianity in this country, it is apathy. Consider the words of John Oswalt, “If Christianity ever dies in North America, it will not be because a jack-booted commissar steals it from us. Rather, it will be that we blithely let go of the realities of our faith as we reach for the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Then when we are prodded by some pressure, be it political, social, or ethical, our faith will be revealed as a husk, hardly worth the pain to defend.”[3] Ray Dunning commented further on our state of mind in the American church, “You can take away our jobs, you can close down the churches, you may tear apart our families – but don’t ever try to restrict the play time of Americans. Many adults devote greater concentration and efforts to making the most of their leisure hours than they commit to their productivity on the job. Our philosophy and practices related to leisure activity explain much about American perspectives on life, happiness and values…Little League games, soccer competitions, and similar activities that take children and parents out of church can weaken the witness and spirituality of a congregation.”[4]

            The Christian whose life is fully focused on leisure and enjoyment is one who was described by the Apostle Paul as, “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power” (2 Tim. 3:5). In our desire to live like the world and enjoy all that it offers, we have forgotten the power of a life lived in light of Scripture. We have been blinded to what God will do through prayer. Our minds have been numbed to the power of heaven that God’s Kingdom brings to our lives.

            Scripture tells us that it is through trials that we see the character of our Christian lives. In fact, we are told that trials are something in which we should rejoice. A lukewarm life will not pursue the work of God if it costs something. This life will not give up social activities, hobbies, or anything else to carry out God’s call. This is an easy life to live, but it is hardly what Scripture teaches us is a Christian life. The life I lived for so many years was easy, but it did not draw me any closer to Christ. It gave me nothing eternal.

 

Lukewarm Living Is Rejected By Christ

 

            The Laodicean lifestyle was rejected by Christ because it does not provide an accurate portrayal of His work in the world. The people of that church relied on their riches and wealth. The relied on the things they produce, but not what God wanted to provide. They did not model a reliance on prayer, or a dependence on God’s power, but a desire to live up to the standards of the world. The responsibility of the church is to show these things to the society around us, but this cannot happen when we are lukewarm.

            It is the spirit-filled life that models the nature and work of Christ. This life in the Spirit can never be lukewarm. It is the Spirit that lived in Jesus Christ who inhabits our lives and overcomes our depravity by teaching us what it means to love God with all our hearts. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). A Spirit-filled life cannot be rejected by Christ, but in spite of this fact many claim the infilling of the Spirit while living a life apathetic to God and His purposes. Lukewarm Christian and Spirit-filled believers are two mutually exclusive things. “Now if some are compelled by their doctrinal positions to insist that the Laodicean Christians were actually full of the Holy Spirit – because they insist that to be a Christian is automatically to be filled with the Spirit – then what they are saying is this: Jesus was vomiting Spirit-filled, Spirit-controlled believers out of his mouth. If that’s the case then lukewarmness means nothing and the words of Scripture become meaningless.”[5]

            Not only do the lukewarm fail to exemplify the work of Christ in the world, they do not even show His work in their lives. Jesus told the church, “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by the fire…and white garments…and slave to anoint your eyes…” Lukewarm living hides our purity in our efforts to look like the world. It compromises our witness as we fail to stand for God’s truth. It blinds us to the realities of the work God does through our faith. We trust more in ourselves and the sin-cursed world in which we live than we do in God’s power working through us.

            The fact is, Jesus wants us to live a life filled with His power. He wants to display God’s glory to the world through you and I. He came so that we could live as His sanctified, holy people. He sent us into the world to witness a commitment to His truth. He wants to reveal the eternal mercy and love of God through each of our lives as a victorious church marches boldly through this world with hearts set ablaze for the work of Jesus Christ.

 

Lukewarm Living Creates a False Sense of Security

 

            In my lukewarm days, I believed everything was alright. I thought I lived a normal Christian life, but as Henry Blackaby wrote, “Christians can grow so accustomed to spiritual barrenness that we no longer realize how desperately we need fresh dewdrops.”[6] We rely so much on the wealth and comfort of this world that we forget about the power of heaven. Leonard Ravenhill reminded us, “The New Testament Church did not depend on a moral majority, but rather on the holy minority. The Church right now has more fashion than passion, is more pathetic than prophetic, is more superficial than supernatural.”[7]

            A lukewarm life leads us to believe that we stand in the proper place when, in reality, we have not grown closer to God at all. We lead ourselves to believe that as long as we are content everything is alright while forgetting about the glory that God has called us to show the world – His glory!

            The Old Testament teaches us that the glory of God followed the Ark of the Covenant. When the Ark was brought to the temple the presence of God settled in that place. As the years went on, the people became so accustomed to the presence that they ceased to notice it. They came to believe that it was their ritual and routine that displayed God’s glory. And when the glory left many never even noticed! The Laodicean church did the same thing. “They did not have enough piety nor zeal to cause them to do anything for the honor of Christ and his cause, neither were they open enemies. They were merely lukewarm, insincere friends, and, as such, were in a position to do the greatest harm.”[8]

            The Apostle Paul taught to the contrary. He wrote to the Ephesians that all glory should be ascribed to God. “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Eph. 3:20, 21).

 

Lukewarm Living Distorts Our Perception of Reality

 

            We live our lives based on what we believe about reality. When we are on fire for God, and actively seeking His will we see the realities of His power. When we are lukewarm we see only the reality of the temporal world. Jesus told the church, “you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.” It is this attitude that leads us away from Christ. “The lukewarmness of Laodicea is the worst condition to which a church can sink. It is worse even than Sardis, where a glimmer of life remained. The only good thing in Laodicea is the church’s thoroughly good opinion of herself – and that is false.”[9] Our word is never the final word. It is always against God’s word against which our lives, our ideas, and our actions, and our commitment to Christ are measured.

            When we assess the realities of our lives there are always things that we do not know. Jesus pointed this out, “Not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” God sees things that we do not. When we walk in relationship with Him these things are revealed to us. When we rely only on our own understanding we make decisions that are not based on reality.

            Pastors generally receive complaints. Sometimes people voice them privately, and other times they come up in public places. Scripture tells us that if we have an issue with someone (including pastors) we should first go to that person. The reason is because we do not know all the circumstances surrounding things. It seem like complaints in the church often come from people who are involved in the church work the least. They don’t know why decisions are made, or what circumstances surround them, but they have no problem voicing them publicly. The reason Jesus said to go to the person with whom you have the trouble first is because it gives us a chance to better understand circumstances. It keeps us from jumping to conclusions, or getting other people unsettled, before we know the facts.

            Lukewarm lives tend to be lived based on a distorted reality. Facts are not necessary, and perception is the driving force behind action. Those who hold a staunch commitment to Christ will heed His word and obey His commands out of love for Him, and for His work.

            When we look to the world for our reality, we find ourselves using worldly methods to carry out the supernatural work of God. The reason a triumphant church can never be lukewarm is because they understand that no worldly works will ever adequately substitute for God’s heavenly power.

 

Lukewarm Living Drowns Out the Voice of Jesus

 

            The church of Laodicea, like every other church of their day and this day, was called to “hear what the Spirit says…” To hear carries with it the implication to act on the call of the Spirit. We act on a lot of things, but how often is it the voice of God’s Spirit? It is never enough to simply hear the words, but we must understand how God is teaching us to act. Failure to discern this leads us to say “amen” when we listen to sermons but disregard them when we go to meetings. It leads us to weep over the revelation of God’s word while ignoring our opportunities to apply it.

            It takes effort to discern the voice of the Spirit. The type of effort the lukewarm are not willing to make. It takes fervent prayer, persistent study, and discernment through consideration and meditation on Scripture. This is the greatest hindrance to the lukewarm, they cannot hear the voice of the Spirit! They do not hear the call of Christ as He knocks at the door of our hearts! They hear only the countless voices of a sinful world as they vie for our constant attention.

 

            In spite of all the things that draw our attention, Jesus Christ stands at the door today, knocking and calling out to us. His Spirit longs for our attention and commitment. God desires our love and waits patiently to show us His mercy and grace, but we go on, day by day, consumed with worldly interests. We acknowledge God in a token effort to ease our conscience and soothe our soul, but peace and power will never result from lukewarm Christianity. It comes only from a soul that burns to know God.

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[1] Lillie McCutcheon, The Symbols Speak (28)

[2] Diane Leclerc, Discovering Christian Holiness (71)

[3] John Oswalt, Where Are You, God? (24)

[4] H. Ray Dunning, Abraham (110)

[5] Jim Cymbala, Holy Spirit Rising (39)

[6] Henry Blackaby, Fresh Encounter (5)

[7] Leonard Ravenhill, Why Revival Tarries (57)

[8] F.G. Smith, The Revelation Explained (66)

[9] Michael Wilcock, The Message of Revelation (57)