Every day, it seems, I have an encounter with someone that serves
as a spark for these devotions. Yesterday,
I was talking to someone about how a particular local church (not the one we
are attending) had treated a relative of theirs. I have add similar conversations in the past
with other people. The local church is
supposed to be a haven. A place where
Christians gather together. A place where you can be vulnerable and find compassion
and encouragement. That is certainly the Lord’s intent. It is, in fact, that very place, but there is
a glitch – it’s called people.
The local church can only function as it was intended when
the people in the local church are saved by faith and are being led by the
Spirit. But there are a number of variables
in this equation.
First. Not all the people who attend a local church
are Christians. You can’t know them by
looking at them. Or perhaps even talking
with them. They may be faithful attenders. Even tithers.
They may be involved on Sunday school or small groups. Keith Green, a Christian singer, said being
in a church building doesn’t make you a Christian any more than being in McDonalds makes
you a hamburger. The church building is
not what makes the Church the Church. Faith in Jesus and obedience to the will
of God does that.
So, if you approach someone at church and expect them to be
or do as a Christian when they are not, you will be disappointed .. and most
likely disillusioned. It is like when I
go to Home Depot and ask someone with an orange Home Depot vest on a question
about a tool or product in the store.
They don’t have a clue, but they do have a vest! And yes, I am disillusioned with Home
Depot. And I have adjusted my expectation
accordingly.
Second. Not every Christian attending the church is
walking in obedience by faith. There are
many Christians, always have been, that are not growing in their faith. They are so immersed in the world and the
things of the world, they are indistinguishable from the those that are lost
and headed for hell. Expecting spiritual
help from them is like one teenager telling another teenager “I will be there
for you.” What does that mean? One drowning
person telling another drowning person, “I will be there for you.” If a
Christian is living a carnal life, they have nothing Spiritual to offer
you. Don’t be surprised when you ask for
a fish and they give you a stone. It is
the best they have to offer.
Years ago, during a men’s prayer meeting I was leading, I encouraged
them men to be open about their lives and pray for one another – a Biblical mandate.
(James 5:16) “Admit your
faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The
earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.”
One of the men said “No way! If I do that I will hear what I said from somebody
that is not in this room!” And sadly, that may not be too far from the
truth. Not everyone in the room was a
Christian walking in obedience to the Spirit.
Third. There is always the possibility that you are
the problem. I know that is a stretch. But if you are dealing with the consequence
of your sin and you have not repented, then you are part of the problem. Jesus said (Matthew 7:3-5) "Why do you look at the speck
of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own
eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,'
when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take
the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the
speck from your brother's eye.”
Often times we are not looking for spiritual solutions but merely
relief. When we don’t get it, we blame others – even the local church.
The bottom line. Very
often we look to the church for solutions when we should be looking to the Church. Do you see the distinction? In the case of the conversation I had, the
person affected was questioning their faith and God because of how the church had
responded to them. I quote this verse often
– (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) “God is the
God of all comfort who comforts us in our afflictions so we might comfort
others with the same comfort we, ourselves, have received.” That is the Church in action. Use discernment when you
seek help from the Christian community. Don’t misjudge or condemn the local Church
by seeking comfort from those who are incapable if giving it. And make certain your heart is right before
God when you do. CHARLEY
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