The worldly church is the false mirror of the true church. Similar to Christ’s church, attendees are told this is the best place to come to worship God, but this is accomplished by teaching the ‘gospel that mostly agrees with me’. They unknowingly confirm they are lost because the progressive gospel changes with the direction of the culture, enabling attendees to support societal beliefs and at the same time belong to a religious enterprise that supports their brand of salvation. This is usually topped off with a choreographed worldly message relating to ‘the good news’ of what Christ can do for you. This makes as much biblical sense as the funny story of an airline pilot announcing they have lost their directional instruments and don’t know where they are going, but proudly announce ‘the good news’ they are getting there in record time.
The ‘gospel that mostly agrees with me’ is the failed secular progressive instrument used by worldly churches, i.e. Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and the United Methodist Church. They have gone progressively farther away from the truth of the Gospel of Christ. John said, “Anyone who gets so progressive in his thinking that he walks out on the teaching of Christ, walks out on God” (2 John 1:8-9 MSG). These churches are teaching and supporting the cult of idolatry and immorality. This is “dwelling where Satan’s throne is” (Revelation 2:12-17) so as not to offend or lose their coveted source of revenue while selling their alleged superior biblical insight. This process is wrongly associated with Christ’s church because true shepherds are not salesmen, for they have nothing to sell. True shepherds strive with all their heart and souls to honor the truth of the gospel of Christ. There is only one-way, and true Shepherds teach “Christ is the (only) way and the (only) truth and the (only eternal) life” (John 14:6).
This proves when our motives are wrong, the way becomes wrong, and the result becomes evil.
In Proverbs 21:27 it says – “The offerings of wrongdoers are despicable to God; it’s even worse when they bring them with evil motives.” Paul wrote “For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it,” (2 Corinthians 11:4). This is the sales job the worldly Church is pushing on people to make them comfortable and happy on their way to hell.
However, Christ’s Church is not a building like Costco, or Walmart because one has to go to these buildings to get what they have to offer. The Spirit of God dwells in believers through their undying faith in Jesus the Christ. When Jesus declared, “on this rock I will build my church” (Mt 16:18) He was creating a gathering of Christians who confess their faith in Him because He is the rock of our salvation. The term Church in the New Testament is used for both the local community of believers and the overall collections of Christians. It is worth mentioning that in the New Testament, no synagogue, temple, chapel, tabernacle, building, or any other place is ever called a “church.” Christ, the chief cornerstone, built His church as a community of Christian believers. He then gave His believers the power and command to represent Him when He said, “…you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses …to the end of the earth,” (Acts 1:8).
Biblical examples of Christian communities in the New Testament are the Corinthians who lived in Corinth a city-state on the Isthmus of Corinth, and the Ephesians lived in Ephesus an ancient port city. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Therefore, the purpose of the Church was to gather believers into a community to make disciples in their towns, cities, state, and country. This is why Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Matthew 28:19).
Christians have to learn, they have been called by Christ to be a community of believers spreading salvation to the ends of the earth by speaking the power of God’s truth into the darkness of mankind so the Holy Spirit can turn the darkness of humanity to the light of Christ, (Acts 1:8 and 26:18). Our Faith in Jesus the Christ compels us to speak, (2 Corinthians 4:12 – 14), because without speaking the minds who are blinded by darkness will not see the light, (2 Corinthians 4:41), for the word of God causes the intercession, and inner conviction of the power of the Holy Spirit, (John 15:25-26). For the Spirit without the word of God is mute. The word without the spirit is powerless, (2 Thessalonians 2:13). Together, the spoken word of God and the Spirit is the living power of God, “Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart,” (Hebrews 4:12). Therefore, since we are God’s mouthpiece, we use great boldness of speech, (2 Corinthians 3:12). For all Christians war against evil by using the power of God’s word for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments against the knowledge of God, (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). All of this is for what believers can do as a community of ambassadors for Christ to make Disciples of all Nations.
David Howard Foxhole Ministry, Billings, Montana