Who Wants to Let the Light Shine?

Who Wants to Let the Light Shine?

“However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says . . . .” Acts 7:48-49.

When you look at the church buildings which the various religious denominations have built, you could believe that they didn’t know this scripture. They beg money for the mission field and for the poor, and then they spend thousands and millions on decorating a meeting hall by building steeples and such things on top of their churches. Their reputation rests on their church being beautiful and expensive and great in people’s eyes, the very thing that is an abomination in God’s eyes. Luke 16:15.

“Do not trust in these lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these.’ For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings . . . then I will cause you to dwell in this place . . . .” Jer. 7:4-7.

It was the same in former days. Their glory was in the temple they had built for God instead of in obeying God. Thousands of people live in this deception. Of course there is no life in the meetings in such buildings. They are assemblies of the dead, and as someone has said, “Their religious ceremonies are their shrouds.” They have nothing at all to do with what is written: “How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” 1 Cor. 14:26. Or as it is written in 1 Thessalonians 5:11: “Therefore exhort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.”

Here we can see that it is a life—it is a body. This is the church, just as it is written in Ephesians 4:15-16: “But that we, being faithful to the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edification of itself in love.”

This is the apostolic, Biblical church and life. Church ceremonies presided over by a priest or a preacher while the rest sit there with neither a message nor a ministry are assemblies of the dead, having an appearance of godliness without power. The apostle says this is how it will be in the last days and that we should turn away from it. 2 Tim. 3:1-5.

Supposedly they all stand up in their churches and meeting halls and say, “We are saved to do all these abominations”? Jer. 7:10. They reckon that as long as they believe that Jesus died for them on Calvary grace covers their life, almost irrespective of how they live. When one sees and hears all these things it is easy to understand Jesus’ words: “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8.

People believe this expression, “Once saved, always saved,” as if it were written in the Bible. On the contrary, we read, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die . . . .” Rom. 8:13. It is useless to say, “I am saved, I am saved,” if you live according to the flesh. If you do you will die regardless of who you are. Only those who are led by the Spirit are sons of God. Rom. 8:14.

We live in dark times. The greatest deception you can find is an appearance of godliness without power. But where are they who are willing to stand in the gap? God formerly also asked this question during times of apostasy. Ezek. 22:30. Then we read this sad statement in Isaiah 59:16: “He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor.”

We, too, have to wonder that no one stands up to speak God’s Word—lets the light shine—when they see all these abominations. Not only do they not let the light shine, but perhaps they are even offended at those who do let the light shine.

May Jesus also in these days of religious darkness find a flock that contends for the faith that has been delivered to the saints. Jude 3-4.