Would The Church Be Better Off?
Some people in the church allow Christ to be the Lord of their life. To such, Christ asked, "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). There are people in the church who deny themselves nothing, but still want to be called "Christians." To these Christ says, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23). Many in the church want to stand with one foot in the world and the other in Christ, but Jesus said, "No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other." (Luke 16:13). Further, Jesus said, "He that is not with me is against me," (Luke 11:23). It all boils down to the fact that some people want God to serve them while whey will not serve Him. They want just enough religion to satisfy what they think the world requires of them, but not enough to make them different from the world. "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity of God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world is the enemy of God," (James 4:4). Who are these people?
They are the ones who go to dances on Saturday night and to church on Sunday morning. They are the ones who hypocritically blush at the word "prostitute," but who dress and paint themselves up to look like one. They are the ones who detest drunkenness, but feel it's alright to drink (alcohol) socially. They are the ones feel gambling at the race track is wrong, but that gambling "for a good cause" is alright; or participating in the office pot at world series time or during football season. They are who preach a false modesty and then take their clothes off, revealing their nakedness to the world at the public cesspool of moral corruption - the public swimming pool. They are the ones who think it is alright to skip activities at church for worldly matters, but somehow don't think it is ever right for them to skip worldly activities to attend church activities. They are the ones it does not good to preach to because they already know everything, have their minds made up and are not going to change. Who do some people go to church?
These people are hurting the church and bringing shame upon the name of Christ. They give the unconverted the wrong impression by setting the wrong example of what the Christian life is all about. They hurt the good influence of those really living lives dedicated to the Lord might have. They make it harder for struggling Christians to live as they know they would. They make the task of rearing children according to Christian principles most difficult. In every way they burden the church. They serve as Satan's most effective tool in dimming the church's glory before the world and in discouraging those who are in Christ, causing them to fall by the wayside. They have compromised and will have conflict with everyone who refuses to compromise. Let us face facts. The church would be whole lot better off without some people. It could be more effective in setting an example for good. Its task of keeping the saved from falling from grace would be a lot less difficult. Just why do some people go to church?
We do not want anyone to stop going to church, but we would like for all of us to look at our lives and question whether or not we are really committed to Christ. Are we a help or a hindrance? Do people see that we are sacred, separated from the world, or do they see us basking ourselves in worldliness? Do we believe God will save us, worldliness and all? "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?" (Romans 6:1-2) "...as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be to you a Father, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:16-18) "Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world," (James 1:27). Brethren, would the church be better off without you? Or is it made better because you are a member? You know the answer.
From Our Archives, 1983
By: Tommy Hicks