The Church

The Church

The Lutherans divide the country into parishes and place a priest in each parish. The people living in the parish are called “the church,” even if they are thieves, robbers, adulterers or murderers. The Scriptures say that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal. 5:19-21.

When people get converted, they often form new churches, and having done so, they remain there long after all signs of a life with God have vanished. As long as they have a form of godliness, they don’t really care if they deny its power. 2 Tim. 3:1-5.

Christ is the Head of the church, and the church is His body. The church is subject to Christ. Eph. 5:23-24.

Christ is alive, so the church must also be alive. The Head gives orders to each individual member. The church is a living organism. A person who is spiritually dead can no more be a part of the church than a dead eye (or any other dead member) can be a part of a living body.

The Corinthians were enriched in everything by Christ, in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in them, so they fell short in no gift. 1 Cor. 1:4-7. Nevertheless, the apostle could not speak to them as to spiritual people, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. Read from 1 Corinthians 3:1. The evidence that they were carnal was that one said he was of Paul and another said he was of Apollos. Paul planted and Apollos watered, but he who planted was nothing and he who watered was nothing, for it was God who gave the increase.

History is repeating itself in our time. One person says he is of pastor X, another is of preacher Y and a third is of reverend Z. Are they not then carnal? They heap up for themselves teachers, because they have itching ears. 2 Tim. 4:3.

People become members of churches and then resign just as if they were members of any other organization. Could a member of the body of Christ detach himself and then later reattach himself? Could you chop off a leg one month, and then put it back the next? People actually think they can run in and out of churches, or what’s worse, they don’t think at all.

As far as I can see, in the midst of all this chaos, the leaders are busy thinking about making money. If God sends revival, then one party claims that the revival is theirs. They jump and dance around this revival, as Israel did around the golden calf, long after the revival has ceased. They write and speak to get people worked up, and then they say, “This revival came to us and belongs to us and is the evidence that God thinks our denomination is the right one, the one God approves of.” Based on this revival, they can then establish churches and make money.

The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. It is not written anywhere that they had to submit a membership application to Peter, James or John to join the church. Since it was the Lord who had added to the church, I imagine the apostles were reluctant to accept membership applications. But nowadays they are not ashamed to receive applications for membership; neither are they ashamed of granting membership based on the application. The next thing you know, they will make people pay some sort of entry fee to become members. With leadership like this, who knows where it all will end?

When we belong to Christ, we belong to the church, whether or not people accept us as members of their assembly. The church was purchased with the blood of Christ, so we don’t need to submit applications to people who themselves need salvation.

Jesus wants to use our life and activity within the church to teach and mold us and to present His church without spot or wrinkle. Eph. 5:27. Each individual will receive his own spiritual education when the members of the body effectively exercise their spiritual gifts. No one has the right to exclude a person from the church whose ministry is to keep the church pure. Usually, it is financial speculation and self-interest that prevail, so what is written comes to pass: They will put you out of the synagogues, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. The only option left is to go out to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. Anyone who desires purity and godliness will almost certainly be criticized as being hard and stubborn. His zeal, like Isaiah’s, will reduce the number of members in an assembly, and that is intolerable for the leaders. The multitudes have the money. Away with the prophet, away with the truth; let’s have the money—but they wouldn’t dare call it 30 pieces of silver.

What should be done then? Should we enroll in any church at all? No! We are baptized with one Spirit into one body; that is the church. Col. 1:24; 1 Cor. 12:13. If God has written our names in the Book of Life, we should not allow others to write our names in their book with pen and ink. If your name is not in the Book of Life, and if the Lord has not added you to the church, you certainly will not be added to the church just because you have enrolled in some assembly here on earth.

Where two or three are gathered in the name of the Lord, there is the church, and the Lord will be in their midst. “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” John 4:23. The church is a gathering of such worshipers, and among them He has raised up apostles, shepherds, evangelists and teachers. The gifts are also present: tongues, interpretation, prophecies, healing, helps, administration, etc.

Do not become a slave of men, because you were bought at a price.