THE BATTLE IS WRONGLY IN THE CHURCH

D a v i d   P a m   M c Q u e l

Jesus said in response to Peter’s declaration, that the church would be build upon a rock, and the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. This shows us clearly that the battle would be at the gates of hell not the gates of the church.

Unfortunately it is not the case. The church has forgotten that it was born for battle. The church has resigned to individual struggles in pursuit of individual goals.

And the church has been left with not defenders. The church was to be a warring church not a relaxation church. Many consider God the father to be merely a Father Christmas figure. As far as they are concerned, He should be doing something for them daily.

Therefore the battle today rages at the gates of the church. In fact, the battle has gone past the gates of the church, it is inside the church.

Not having enough - it is called Greed.

Greed is eating up the church. Three decades ago, people were so thankful for what they have and patient for what they don’t have. Today, it is different. People are hardly happy or satisfied.

We have an ungrateful society. This is because greed is eating up people.

Money

Jesus our Lord rightly warned us against loving money. He said we cannot serve both God and Money. We have to choose one. Why is it so?

This is because money is a god. It demands service. People in church worship money. Money is the motivation for them in everything, not the love of God. Money is the driving force in their lives.

This is sad.

We cannot fix our focus on how much is in it for me. The Lord called us to sacrifice. He called us to show love and kindness to people everywhere. He laid down his life for us all, we ought to follow His example.

Money should never be our driving force.

Fame

Paul writing in 1Corinthians 13 said that you can give all you have to the poor and even offer your body to be burnt, yet without love.

People can do so much just to earn the applause of the world. Out there, people compete, kill others, tear others apart, deceive, lie and do so many things in order to outpace others and earn a trophy.

It is so gratifying to stand before the world, wearing a gold medal or before theatre podiums taking in the applause and receiving an award.

So much craze for celebrity status, fame, human adoration and human pride.

The Christian should be seeking only God’s approval and His recommendation at the end of life. Many celebrities, gold medallists, and trophy recipients end up very terribly in life.

Influence

The innate yearning of an unregenerate human being is to lord over another. People can pay a very high price just to have influence over others.

It is gratifying when other human being bow before a man and pay allegiance. And this insatiable urge makes people give up their conscience just to have it.

So it has become fashionable in huge church auditoriums and full capacity cathedrals to have the largest crowd and hold people spellbinding.

It is diabolical and many church leaders either don’t know or ignore that they will give account of their stewardship.

Friendship with the world - it is called Secularism

When the church was born in Jerusalem, Luke recorded that Acts 5:13-14”No one else dared join them, every though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.

Deception of wealth and riches

The battle between wealth and riches on one side and the believer on the other side is only raging stronger. Many people have erred, in judging spiritual progress by how “God” blesses you materially. The claim if you are serving God will He will bless you materially.

That is only a half truth, unless we let God bless us in His own time. But many go out and work the blessing themselves. They indulge in ungodly ways and methods and even horrible dealings that even some unbelievers may never do.

Indifference

For every unacceptable conduct, there is a whole fashion of finding a softer word for it. Sin is called error. Anger is called emotional outburst. Sexual perversion is called romantic progress. Lying is just merely speaking incorrectly. Falsehood is now preference.

And the church in all these things is mute. We are unwilling to offend anyone. Trying to appeal to the world and get an award. Doing charity but removing the name of Christ because it is offensive to the Muslims or others.

This indifference weakens the church and make her gradually irrelevant and insignificant. The battle is in church now, we have to win the church and take the gospel to the gates of hell.