In my last post, I addressed some of the divisive concepts entrenched in the current Evangelical church movement. Before going any further in providing some sort of remedy to this particular malady, I would like to begin with a story.
Many years ago, I attended a Christian music festival at Estes Park. One of the featured guests was a man named Greg Buchanon, a harpist. He had a very usual testimony because the Lord had delivered him from homosexuality. During his presentation, he mentioned something I have never forgotten. He said something to the effect that, the one tell-tale sign of Christianity is not godliness, or a certain measure of a particular character but repentance. If you think about it, he is right. We all come from various backgrounds and cultures. Some emphasize great integrity or patience or purity of heart, diligence, or kindheartedness. For the new believer whose strengths may be found in one area but not another, a non-believer may seem rather intimidating. However, we need not compare ourselves to anyone but the Lord Jesus. His character is impeccable, absolute, ultimate and completely righteousness before which even the most honorable of persons is deeply humbled and laid low by their putred and soiled righteousness. Even their best of deeds is vomitous before a holy God. We are clothed, my dear brothers and sisters, in His righteousness.
The Christian, though, is not content, if he be a Christian, with the actions, words, and thoughts of his life. For he sees Christ and His imputation of righteousness, and desires to be more like Him. This response is repentance. Acts 17:10-11 says,
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
As we examine Scripture, are we willing to do the same? Are we willing to examine our own lives and cry out in repentance towards God?
My question then is how are we to arrive at the point of a real church. Let me first begin by explaining what a real church is not. A real church is not a church where there are no difficulties, no struggles, no sin, and no temptations, a church at the point of arrival. In other words, a real church, in the here and now, is not a church on the other side of glory. What this considers is our present and real struggle with sin, both individually and corporately. What a “real church” is is a church of repentance. I don’t think I need to convince anyone of ongoing putrefying sin in the hearts of His Beloved people. Now the crux of the matter is what shall we do with our sin. We have been well-instructed in many ways in how to respond to sin though our response is usually an individual one. We are told to cry out to God, confess to Him, and turn from it. The difficulties lie in that most sin effects more than the individual. Consider Achan and his wedge of gold in the book of Joshua. His covetousness cost Israel the battle. Do we not believe the same is true today? Proverbs 6:23 says,
“23 For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life”.
My brothers, I must ask, where is a willingness to administer godly discipline, to put into effect Matthew 18,
“5 "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.”
Where is the courage to love like this, the courage to speak the truth in love AND the love to listen to rebuke. Proverbs 12:1 says,
“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.”
Should we just be a people who are willing to speak the truth, but not a people who are willing to hear the truth? Though rebuke hurts and we definitely can hurt with our rebukes, are we willing to be a people of faith, who speak and listen to the words of truth in love? Proverbs 27:6 says,
“Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”
Can we trust our brothers and sisters enough to make us not just a little uncomfortable but wound us?
I would like to thank Richard Dawkins for the picture below. (He has been extremely helpful in steering me away from atheism.)
