So, I have been doing more than a little thinking about Jesus Christ and the last 2000 years of human history (probably my two favorite subjects), and something has become very real to me. When the true Gospel and truths of Jesus Christ are lived and breathed out in a society, the society itself tends to shifts its values, morality and productivity. The problem is, most of modern Christianity and the secular world has an impossible time understanding what the true Church of Jesus Christ is throughout history. Much of it gets blurred in the lines of history as what Christianity is to the eye of the historian is simply a name one group of people in one culture might label itself. Its the religion of this people group or that people group throughout history, or its that institution in that culture, or its that nations 'official' religion. What our modern world needs to know is that what the Christian religion is has nothing to do with what one person or groups of persons might call themselves or what one institution professes to be throughout history. No, no, no. This is such a terrible misconception. The true Church of Jesus Christ is the people who have been called by God at one point or another in history to do the will of God and by the grace of God are the living body of Jesus Christ on the earth. Now, does that body hate, kill, promote greed and idolatry? Does the New Testament allow for a church of luke-warm half-hearted people serving God only in word? Does the true church leave the world as they found it?
I find absolutely no room for such a Church in my Bible, do you? No, I think you will find throughout most of our history that there are many tares sowed into the wheat fields and often those tares have consumed the wheat field, leaving only threads of the true teaching of Christianity alive. I think if you really begin to look at history, there are very few times that the Church that looks most like the New Testament says it should look is not persecuted, even often persecuted by the professing church as a whole. This is just the truth of our history. Now, is this somehow surprising? Not at all if you have read the New Testament all the way through. Let us look at just a few of the many passages that speak directly to the falling away of the professing church:
Matthew 13:24Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.27So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
And continued:37He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
2 Timothy 3:1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2 Tim. 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Philippians 3:17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.
Virtually the entire book of Jude: Jude
Galatians 1:6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
This is just the beginning of the passages I could point to about this, but there is little doubt that not only is there foretelling of what is to come in these latter times (and I think it can be relatively easily stated that by most references of 'latter times' in the New Testament it is meant the times after Christ) but also in the apostles letters, the direct rebuking of the very present falling away that is already occurring. And remember, that many who cry 'Lord, Lord' will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven, no, its those who have made themselves as children before God and come to Him on bended knee and have been transformed into Christ's likeness and born the fruit of that in their lives. Unfortunately, while the New Testament explicitly lays these things out there, when asked about some of the things people might have done under the guise of the Christian religion, we quickly say, "well yea, the church has messed up in its history"... "Ya, we are saved, but we are still sinners." Yes, we are not perfect, but do you really think a man filled with the Holy Ghost ordered the burning of thousands of people who were actually trying to reform the Church? Do you really believe that the true church supported the terrible treatment of slaves and the institution of the so called "Middle Passage" once the information about these things became realized? Do you believe that the true church was responsible for the raping and pillaging that went on in misguided crusades? Did the Christ Jesus full of Love, mercy and grace dwell in the hearts of these men? Certainly not! I would use more forceful language in person.
No, the true Church members of the body of Christ were dying as missionaries in far off lands. Many of the true Church members of the early centuries were slaves in the Roman Empire as over 1/3 of the empires population were slaves; why do you think Paul spends several sections of his letters discussing this? Christianity has been and will always be a religion for the oppressed, even when the oppressors profess something of the Christian religion. The true Church was actually selling their bodies into slavery in the first several centuries so that they could buy others out of slavery and show the hands and feet of Christ to the those in bondage. The true Church was the driving force behind the emancipation of slavery in both England and in America. This is Christ's body, redeeming the world from the curse that it has been under since the beginning of human history. The curse that almost immediately manifested itself in what one old Christian has called "the combination of all human vices rolled up into one," slavery. I find it somewhat remarkable that this is one the greatest marks of the Church.
Now, today, you will find more slaves on this earth in many places where the gospel is not well known, and while Christ has redeemed and continues to redeem cultures throughout the world, turning people from the darkness of sin and death to the light of Christ (manifested in so many ways as cultures evolve under the gospel's influence), ee still face an incredible struggle not only out there, but back here as the glory of Christ's light dims in much of our culture. And what I desperately, desperately want the world to know and especially those who are apart of this Church, this Body, in this age, is that Jesus Christ has overcome the world. Do not retreat from it! Take this light out into the world! Put on the armor of Christ and stand in Him against all injustice, immorality, and all abominations to God that the world produces. The Bible gives us everything we need to know about what the Church is and is to do. Do not settle for less than what it has for us and calls us to be.
Acts 3:19Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
So, as we go, remember to call everyone to Christ, for in His resurrection, we find our regeneration and new life and as one man after another comes into the kingdom of God, Christ's body will become more and more complete until the full number of those who are called to Christ will come in. I find it very interesting and purposeful that we are called to pray for the coming of the Kingdom of God. Are you doing this with any purpose? It says in the book of Revelation that the prayers of the saints go up before God as an incense and at the time of God's ending of the days, it will be at the prayers of the Saints. I truly believe that while God has His appointed time that we do not know, it will certainly come about because the fervent prayers and activities of the saints present on earth. Is it under our control? No, but I believe with all my heart that when we as a body of Christ live out the great commision, we grow closer and closer to that day. Do you not long for this? Will you have faith? Will you pray that harvesters might be sent into the fields? Let us pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven...
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