Here is what Jesus said concerning the church of Thyatira:
I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death.... Revelation 2:21-23a
And the church of Sardis:
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; ...I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Revelation 3:1
And the church of Laodicea:
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked....
Revelation 3:15-17
How did the Church - as seen in the three prophetic portraits, above - become so degenerate? What dark forces must have been at work, over many centuries of time, to bring about such apostasy and spiritual deadness as Christ judged to be the case concerning his own Church? Surely, those same forces that brought about such gross corruption in the Church must still be evident, today. Indeed, they are.
In view of the severity of Christ's own pronouncements involving three of the 'seven churches in Asia'; and, in view of what the Bible has foretold concerning the apostate condition of Christendom at the end of the Church Age: it ought not to be objectionable to see that Christ has raised up some to do the work of a spiritual watchman, whose responsibility it is to sound the alarm when soever the Church is facing danger.
The thing I find most alarming, though, is how few there appear to be who are willing to speak out against the gross apostasy and abuses (if, in fact, they are aware of those) that engulf the churches. I have long understood that, among other kinds of threats to the Church, there is a pervasive 'principle' or, rather, a belief that is suffocating the Church; which, belief, has been a serious threat to the Church since the days of the Apostles. I'm talking about what Christ called the "deeds" and the "doctrine" of the "Nicolaitans" (Rev. 2:6,15).
"[T]he word, Nicolaitane, comes from two Greek words: Nikao which means to conquer, and Lao which means the laity. Nicolaitane means, "to conquer the laity." Now why is this such a terrible thing? It is terrible because God has never placed His church in the hands of an elected leadership which moves with political mindedness. He has placed His church in the care of God-ordained, Spirit-filled, Word-living men who lead the people through feeding them the Word. He has not separated the people into classes so that the masses are led by a holy priesthood. It is true that the leadership must be holy, but then so must be the whole congregation. Further, there is no place in the Word where priests or ministers or such mediate between God and the people, nor is there a place where they are separated in their worship of the Lord. God wants all to love and serve Him together. Nicolaitanism destroys those precepts and instead separates the ministers from the people and makes the leaders overlords instead of servants" (Source).
In view of the severity of Christ's own pronouncements involving three of the 'seven churches in Asia'; and, in view of what the Bible has foretold concerning the apostate condition of Christendom at the end of the Church Age: it ought not to be objectionable to see that Christ has raised up some to do the work of a spiritual watchman, whose responsibility it is to sound the alarm when soever the Church is facing danger.
The thing I find most alarming, though, is how few there appear to be who are willing to speak out against the gross apostasy and abuses (if, in fact, they are aware of those) that engulf the churches. I have long understood that, among other kinds of threats to the Church, there is a pervasive 'principle' or, rather, a belief that is suffocating the Church; which, belief, has been a serious threat to the Church since the days of the Apostles. I'm talking about what Christ called the "deeds" and the "doctrine" of the "Nicolaitans" (Rev. 2:6,15).
"[T]he word, Nicolaitane, comes from two Greek words: Nikao which means to conquer, and Lao which means the laity. Nicolaitane means, "to conquer the laity." Now why is this such a terrible thing? It is terrible because God has never placed His church in the hands of an elected leadership which moves with political mindedness. He has placed His church in the care of God-ordained, Spirit-filled, Word-living men who lead the people through feeding them the Word. He has not separated the people into classes so that the masses are led by a holy priesthood. It is true that the leadership must be holy, but then so must be the whole congregation. Further, there is no place in the Word where priests or ministers or such mediate between God and the people, nor is there a place where they are separated in their worship of the Lord. God wants all to love and serve Him together. Nicolaitanism destroys those precepts and instead separates the ministers from the people and makes the leaders overlords instead of servants" (Source).
The above picture is typical with respect to what it reveals not only about mega churches but, indeed, what it reveals about practically every Christian church. Specifically, notice how that one man is the focus of everyone's attention, in the above picture. Even the architecture of the building and the physical arrangement of the auditorium is designed to direct attention to 'center stage' - where 'ministry' happens. 'Church' has become, in most cases, not much more than a stage show, with performances including: music - complete with special effects; drama and theater; multimedia presentations; and climaxing, usually, with a speech given by the pastor. Intersperse that mix with a gratuitous solicitation for donations (so-called offerings); an opening and a closing prayer: and, voila'! that is what it means to do 'Church'!
Granted, that in most smaller churches the stage production is comparatively limited (due to the lack of resources). Nevertheless, the structure is still very much the same. In the great majority of church services, the members of any given congregation seldom are more than spectators.
Behind the scenes described above, however, something even more sinister happens. That is to say, that practically all of any given church's functions are under the control of one person or, at most, of a very small group of persons. Every decision that affects: how a particular church's monies may be used; what kinds of ministries the church may (or may not) be engaged in; who may perform what services within - and, often, even without - the church; who may sing; who may speak; who may not; most if not all of those decisions typically are heavily influenced by - if they are not actually under the direct control of - one man, the pastor (and, sometimes, a church board).
Such practices in the Church of the living God are nothing else but the "deeds" and "doctrines" of the Nicolaitans: "which thing", Christ said, "I hate" (Revelation 2:6).
The manner in which the great majority of Christian churches (in America, at least,) function, does not at all resemble the New Testament Church of Jesus Christ. The dissimilarities are not cultural; but the Christian assemblies, together with their respective services and ministries, are categorically different. Their beliefs and practices are substantially different from those precepts and examples set forth in the New Testament. But how did such distorted beliefs and practices come to be almost universally accepted as normative in Christian churches? In a word, denominationalism.
Virtually all of the mainstream denominations of Christian churches, today, are apostate. Their doctrines and practices are so deeply entrenched, and so thoroughly inculcated, among their respective churches, that reformation is not possible. Their respective hierarchical structure, moreover, politicized as those structures are, further secures the denominations against genuine spiritual reform. Thus, the doctrines and practices of the denominational churches are anathema. That is not to say, of course, that every individual church affiliated with a denomination is accursed; although, they must stand in very great danger of such condemnation, by reason of their close and ongoing association with their respective denomination.
Historically, in America, practically all churches were denominational churches. Only during the most recent generation or two have numerous independent churches arisen, which came into existence largely as a reaction against the increasing apostasy of the denominational churches. Significant to the point, however, is the fact that most independent churches still cleave to a model of church organization and function 'inherited' from former generations of denominational churches. Independent churches, while not affiliated with any denomination, still follow, essentially, the pattern of the denominational churches.
In much plainer words: In most American churches today, church services are largely a one-man show. That idea comes not from the Bible but from the hierarchical structure of denominationalism. Denominations command enormous amounts of financial resources. Like their spiritual Mother - the Roman Catholic Church, her whorish daughters (Protestant Denominations) have learned how to accumulate and control both material wealth and political power. To be sure, the denominational entities are very careful in the training (indoctrination) and management of their respective church leaders (pastors, and others); all of which, church leaders, are beholden to their own Denomination for such things as 'ordination', the use of Denomination-owned facilities (church buildings), and, not least, an income. In consequence of the covenantal relationship that exists between denominational institutions and their pastors and other church leaders, the denominational hierarchy extends all the way down to individual, that is, to local churches, where even the manager (pastor) of a local church has a vested interest in maintaining the legal and financial integrity of his or her Denomination. Given such an intricate and dependent arrangement, then, it is 'suicidal' for a pastor of a denominational church to 'rock the boat', so to speak, where any manner of question, concern, objection, or practice might be perceived as disrupting or otherwise threatening the money-flow into that local church.
Those are some of the slightly obscure factors that, whether consciously or unconsciously, powerfully influence practically all denominational pastors, leading them to maintain the status-quo pertaining to the operations of local churches. There is an old saying: "You don't bite the hand that feeds you". Denominational pastors are basically hand-fed - in a roundabout sort of way. Although the local congregation supplies the funds to pay the mortgage and to maintain and operate the local church, as well as to pay the pastor's salary; yet, the Denomination actually owns the real property including the church building, and determines the rules governing the pastor's salary. Importantly, the Denomination - and not the local congregation - has the power to install and/or remove the pastor.
It should not be too hard to understand why the majority of denominational pastors perceive themselves to be something like the CEO - and not the servant - of their church.
The spirit of Jezebel has taken over the pulpits of America! It is foremost a controlling spirit. It is a deceiving spirit. It tempts men to become 'as gods', to become lords and rulers; whereas, in fact, they themselves are being controlled in ways they do not want to acknowledge. The spirit of Jezebel is self-seeking and self-willed. It seeks its own glory and its own way. It wants the preeminence, to run the show, to be seen and heard at the head of every action. The way is prepared for the spirit of Jezebel to take hold of the reins of power, by first insinuating into the midst of a people the 'deeds' and 'doctrines' of the Nicolaitans. Only when people's minds have been conditioned to accept the idea that the Church is subordinate to the will of men, instead of being obedient to the will of God, can that spirit of Jezebel then usurp authority over the Church.
But God called pastors to be servants to the Body: not dictating what every member may or may not do for Christ in His Church; but feeding, nurturing, guiding the Flock of God, by precept and by example - while allowing Christ to fill and to use each and every member of His own Body according to His own will. Only in that way can the Body truly minister to itself in love, nourished and built up by that which every part supplies.
Let the pastors stop lording over God's Heritage! Let them humble themselves to serve the spiritual needs of the congregation. Let the people speak in the churches! Let them ask meaningful questions. Give them a chance to express their concerns, their ideas, their spiritual gifts. Let every member serve both in and out of the Church as the Spirit of God leads and equips.
It's high time to break the mold. It's high time that Christian men and women - those who really care about preparing for the soon coming of our Lord, and who truly care about Revival and soul-winning, must awaken to the profound corruption of the contemporary Church. It is high time that the true Body of Christ, in America, must return to seek the knowledge of God's will in His Word, and to live and function as the Church not according to the traditions of men but according to the will of God.
Let the pastors stop lording over God's Heritage! Let them humble themselves to serve the spiritual needs of the congregation. Let the people speak in the churches! Let them ask meaningful questions. Give them a chance to express their concerns, their ideas, their spiritual gifts. Let every member serve both in and out of the Church as the Spirit of God leads and equips.
It's high time to break the mold. It's high time that Christian men and women - those who really care about preparing for the soon coming of our Lord, and who truly care about Revival and soul-winning, must awaken to the profound corruption of the contemporary Church. It is high time that the true Body of Christ, in America, must return to seek the knowledge of God's will in His Word, and to live and function as the Church not according to the traditions of men but according to the will of God.
Sadly, that is not likely to happen in the denominational churches. For most professing Christians, their patterns of thought, regarding what 'Church' is supposed to be, are almost wholly identified with certain longstanding traditions of men. And even though those traditions are oftentimes oppressive and abusive to the truth, yet - as the Scripture in a certain place testifies:
"The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?" Jeremiah 5:31
"But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that those that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not..." 1 Corinthians 7:29-30
"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of [spiritual Babylon], my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Revelation 18:4And know this with certainty, that the Lord will judge his people.
No comments:
Post a Comment