What Does Your Church Do?
What does your church do? ... Meaning: What is it accomplishing? Specifically: What
is it doing to make the world a better place?
The question is based on a premise – that the purpose of a
church is to do good in the world, to feed the poor, to care for the sick, to
bring about social justice etc. It’s a premise very much at work in our world
(going through phone book calling churches to find one that would help her pay
her rent, or people leave because they want to be part of a group that’s doing
stuff in the community).
Is the premise (assumption) really biblical?
If you accept the premise that the commission Jesus has for
His church and His follower is to make a difference in the community or even
the world … then compared to a lot of other churches out there you would have
to say “we don’t accomplish much”.
Part of that is a matter of scale, we are very small. Some
churches are sitting on vast sources of wealth and personnel… take the Catholic
Church (the biggest of the big). Lots of money, lots of workers… with all that
they certainly haven’t “fixed” the world. They have accomplished some good… but
they have also contributed to the suffering and oppression in the world. It’s a
mixed bag.
We could say…
1.
We are calling people to reconciliation with God
and receive of eternal life… but not many
2.
We run some small scale projects in foreign
countries, members and congregations are involved in small scale projects like
supporting shelters for battered women… etc. But nothing that draws much
attention, or makes any kind of meaningful dent in the world of human suffering,
poverty and oppression all around us.
But the real answer is: the Church of God does not accept
the premise.
What is God doing to save the world (or fix it) now?
Is God feeding the poor? Is He eliminating disease and
suffering? Is He bringing about social justice?
Some say… God’s purpose is to do these things through His
church(es). But, whether by supernatural intervention or through calling people
to make it happen… the observable results are rather weak. Therefore you have
one of two conclusions:
1.
God is too weak to make this stuff happen (bad:
equal to doubt & disbelief)
2.
Making this stuff happen is not God’s purpose
(logical conclusion for those who believe)
God is not competing with Satan for supremacy and justice… God
is not competing with unbelievers to save humanity… neither is He waiting on a
church to fix things. When God sets his hand to save the world/to change the
world… it will be changed, and it will be saved.
Matt 24:14 – God
promises to set His hand to that task… and that promise… that prophecy... is the
gospel
When will the world be saved?
Some people are right now being saved from death and called
to eternal life (otherwise why come here each Sabbath)… but most are not saved
or called (not at this time, nor in this age).
On other days and at other times we’ve covered the matter of
how that calling to salvation works as a process of repentance, overcoming sin
(as defined by the commandments of God… all of them, not just the ones we
personally approve of), receiving the H.S. growing in grace and knowledge unto
the fullness of Christ. That’s all happening now among the first fruits
(pictured by the spring holy days).
But by observation, and according to scripture it is a small
number… a small flock.
What about the BIG
PICTURE? – the planet – the governments – the billions of people – the poor
– the hungry – the oppressed – the deceived – the blinded – when will all the
suffering, violence, injustice we see in the world be put right? (discuss the
context of Matt 24)
God will address these issues at a specific time He has
appointed. The time is set Ã
the day is coming Ã
and the impact will be huge! Real solutions begin with the return of Jesus
Christ… as prophesied.
Through Christ, God sets His hand to the whole “save the
world” question. Not before. This process is pictured by the fall holy days.
1.
Christ take control of all governments (trumpets)
2.
Satan is kicked out (atonement)
3.
Then follows 1,000 years of peace, prosperity,
good life etc. (tabernacles)
Revelation 11:15
Revelation 19:11-16
the only one who is 100% just, true, compassionate, merciful
Revelation 20:1-5
you are called to participate in the process… are you just, true,
compassionate, merciful. Are you growing into the fullness of Christ?
The firstborn will be co-heirs with Christ and will help Him
rule the earth. To assist in bringing salvation to every human then alive and
all those born during that millennium period.
That 1,000 years of righteous rule is pictured by the Feast of Tabernacles!
Q: why have I not
heard about this anywhere else?
This is a true teaching from scripture which has been
largely rejected by the churches of this world. It was part of the testimony of
the church from the very beginning. Here is some historic testimony from the
early years of the church as to the presence of an understanding of this
doctrine before it was suppressed by the churches of this world.
·
2nd century – Papias (70–163 AD)
·
2nd century – Irenaeus (110/120 AD – AD 202 AD)
·
3rd century – Tertullian (c. 155 – c. 240 AD)
·
4th century – Roman church tried to
remove the book of Revelation from the bible. Why? Because of its specific
references to the millennium
The Roman church had basically merged with the state and was
very active in the governments of man… even to the point of playing a leading
role in international politics. They saw the Roman empire as the kingdom of God
(in their own day, a force to change the world). They didn’t want to hear about
Christ. taking over the governments of this world and establishing the KOG long
off in the future or a 1000 year rule. They wanted to run the show.
You could say it is from them that we get the premise that
the church is to be a force for change in the world at large… and therefore the
church is to be assessed by what it accomplishes along these guidelines. With
all their vast wealth, power, the results from the churches of this world were
(and are) mixed… some good… plenty of bad… definitely off track.
Ending hunger, sickness, and suffering, ending war,
establishing perfect social justice, reconciling all humanity to a right
relationship with God… these all happen… at the time of God’s choosing. And the
results will not be a muddled mix of truth and error.
You’ll hear about this at the Feast of Tabernacles. Great
prophesies like Isaiah 9:5-7.
What is the Church of God doing now?
We have a 2 part commission:
1.
Matt
24:14 Proclaim good news of the Kingdom of God as a witness to all the
earth. Its good news because it is the time when all these problems we see will
be addressed by God
o
With this in mind do no take lightly
faithfulness in tithes and offerings or earnestness in prayer for the effective
preaching of the gospel.
2.
Matt
28:18-20 To make disciples, and teach them the ways of God. So they might
become LIKE Jesus Christ and therefore be fit and suitable to reign with
Christ… king, priest, judge etc.
What about doing good in the world?
Yes, this is very much what God want to see in you. He says
“do good to all, especially the household of faith”. Helping the poor, the
sick, the oppressed are important ways that you demonstrate the life of Christ
in you… and build the mind of Christ.
It is important for you to become this type of person… But
this is not the mission of the Church.
Likewise fixing the world is not God’s present purpose. Name
a problem that He couldn’t fix… how about hunger…. He could rain down manna
from the sky. Yet with ALL power at His disposal He is not making it happen
(either directly or through a church). That time will come.
What is God doing right now?
1.
To provide a witness
a.
God is allowing mankind an allotted amount of
time to prove in every way and every variation that flesh and blood humans do
not know the way or peace, and do not know how to govern themselves… no human
being has the character to fix the world
b.
Through His church He proclaims the good news
that when that allotted time is up He will provide that leadership and
governance, and that way of peace
2.
God is preparing a people to work together with
Him to “fix the world” when the time comes
Post a Comment