Please forgive me for coming back to this party days after it’s been over. I know no one is even thinking about this party anymore, but I’m hardly on facebook, and I didn’t get a chance to participate to the degree I would’ve liked to. I use Twitter and my tweets go to Facebook. So other than the occasional glance, I’m hardly ever actually on FB. The last time I was on, this convo was goin strong. But I was on a PSP, which makes responding extremely difficult because it only allows for so many characters. But there were some things said that as a Christian I must address:
When I first saw this thread, I agreed with the presented point. Over the past 2,000 years, the visible institution of the church has not been all that it can or should be to say the very least. It is quite sad. But as I continued reading posts within the thread, it came to my attention that “the church” being spoken of was “The Church,” Christianity as a whole, as evidenced by the following quote:
“Keep in mind we aren't talking about individuals we are talking about the Christian church as a unit. And by church, I mean the ekkesia or the whole population claiming Christianity not the actual building. Church as its meant here is all inclusive.”
This statement indicates that we aren’t merely talking about all those who “proclaim or confess” Christianity, but also those who actually are Christians, Authentically. When I realized this, my position immediately switched. Though the failures of the visible institution of the church are many and undeniable, these failures DO NOT belong to the True Authentic invisible Church. I refer to the Authentic Church as Invisible because the great majority of its members have passed on to Glory, and its living members can’t be determined definitively by human standards and measureables. God alone has Saved these individuals, and He is sanctifying them, and preserving them. They have not defined their Salvation by a man telling them they are Saved, but by God telling them they are Saved. God does this in Scripture by His Word. When a person wants to know whether or not they are authentically Christian, they don’t compare themselves by others who proclaim to be Christian. They compare themselves to the Scriptures:
“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?” (II Corinthians 13:5)
Authentic Christians are those who mirror the standard of Christianity that the Scriptures present and not what men establish. They are held accountable by other Christians who encourage, help, and if necessary initiate discipline in love. This loving accountability may include telling an individual that they do not match the Scriptural picture of Christianity, and therefore may not be Saved as they believe. This affords one the opportunity to repent and to seek the Lord, rather than allowing one who is truly not a Christian to coast into doom all the while believing themselves to be Saved. The latter is taking place in nearly every church in America today.
“Compared to the other things in human society the progress the church has made (Islam and the Jews are included) is laughingly pathetic…”
Though the visible institution of the church has stated goals and intentions that I’m sure nearly all of them are failing at, the True, Authentic, Invisible Church is succeeding. It is imperfect, but it is growing in holiness, and looking more and more like Christ. How do I know this? Because God has decreed and foreordained that it would! He Himself has Saved and unified His Church! He has made it new and He grants it success:
19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. (Ezekiel 11:19-20)
17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (II Corinthians 5:17)
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)
What are we successful at, or in? The job that Jesus gave us. That job is to be WITNESSES:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
The job of Authentic Christians is to be witnesses of Christ and for Christ. “Of Christ” because every authentic Christian has had a personal experience with Christ in their regeneration by the Holy Spirit. And “For Christ” because we live out and proclaim the truth of Scripture. In addition to preaching the Gospel, we are to live and conduct ourselves in such a way that men know that Jesus is alive, and that He is King:
Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:35 NLT)
27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. (Philippians 1:27)
The Gospel is the Grace through Faith message that God has Saved His People from Himself, by Himself, for Himself. “From Himself” because condemned men don’t face the devil after death. They face the eternal wrath of the God whom they have sinned against, and who’s Law they have broken.(John 3:36) “By Himself” because God is Sovereign over Salvation and it is a Grace gift that no one who gets can earn or deserve.(Ephesians 2:8) And “For Himself” because all things were made by God and for God. And those who inherit Salvation will inhabit the “New Earth” and the “New Jerusalem” with the God who loves them. (Revelation Chapter 21)
This is “The Church” who IS succeeding.
“And the church was never expect to be perfect BUT it WAS expected to improve humanity's social and cooperative abilities by creating more cooperative and better functioning individuals.”
The Church HAS improved humanity’s social and cooperative abilities. It has created better functioning individuals. There are Authentic Christians in the world today, operating in the Will of God. They are everywhere in society, and may not be as pronounced as some who only “proclaim” Christianity. But the whole of society is headed downward. Scripture tells us so. All Biblical prophecy has yet to fully unfold. Revelation reveals dreads the likes of which we have not yet seen, but are sure to come. Ephesians 2 tells us that men are dead in sin. It is nothing but the Grace of God that allows society to thrive. The very same sin that brought the Genesis Chapter 6 flood would bring our society to its knees today if it were not for the Grace of God. But the idea that The Church is some “global force for good” meant to save the world by making everyone a Christian is false. Christians don’t make Christians. God does and He alone. Will He make everyone a Christian? No. But to his own Glory He has decided to Save some. A small remnant in comparison to the whole of humanity. It has been His own good pleasure to do this because:
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.(I Corinthians 1:27)
That’s how God operates. Genuine Christians DO operate as they ought to in Christ. They are capable of sin, they are not perfect. But their lives are defined by growth in holiness and lasting fruit. (Matthew 7:15-20) A Christian may examine him/herself in the Book of I John to see if they are truly in Faith. And the Spirit and Word of God will affirm whether someone is truly Christian or not. The bottom line is that the majority of professing/proclaiming Christians ARE NOT CHRISTIAN. There are 16 million Southern Baptists on paper. How many are real? Only God knows! The majority in this and other denominations are not Christian, yet they fill pews and pulpits all over this country, proclaiming to be Authentically Christian. This is the reason for the flagrant failures of the visible church institution. Mr. Maples, you affirm this by this statement:
“…less than 10% has ever even read more than 40% of the book they base they're belief system on”
Your statement is true! However, it’s true of merely “professing/proclaiming Christians.” Authentic Christians DO read their Bibles and know not only their system of belief, but they know their God! They are not created by the confession of a silly prayer or by answering three questions from a minister at the end of a sermon. They are born of the Will and power of God.(Romans 9:16)
Please be careful not to lump Authentic Christians in with the mere proclaimers. When you make them the same and proclaim they have failed, you essentially say that the God who Saved, founded, helps, and preserves them has failed. This is terribly blasphemous, and flat out wrong. When talking about another man’s wife, I use extreme caution. When talking about the bride of Christ, even more caution should be observed. For we will all one day meet and bow before her Husband.
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