Two years after the Covid debacle it is time to reflect on the state of the Church. Many states, during 2020, ordered Christian believers to stop worshipping in the House of God. Almost unanimously Pastor’s complied with this edict. No questions were asked and Romans 13 was quoted as justification for compliance. Like sheep they capitulated to the ruling authority without hesitance. Surprisingly, there was little pushback from leading denominations. Fear gripped the followers of Christ to the point of crippling their dependence on God.
Thankfully there was a smattering of Pastors who understood that they had a responsibility to their flock. Internet worship was a poor substitute for gathering together as we are commanded in Hebrew 10:25. These men stood on the authority of God’s word and were unshaken in their faith.
There has been a lot of criticism leveled at these men. They were considered reckless for putting people in jeopardy for no valid reason. The media seems to take special glee in demonizing them as religious kooks. Unfortunately there are believers that share this view.
The question I want to ask is why was their choice to worship and offer connection to believers considered so dangerous? Many would instantly site the contagion that had been the pretense to shut down the nation as the compelling reason. Others would complain that they were putting people in peril for a frivolous reason. Many saw these men as being arrogant and desired them to be punished. In the mind of the secularist the Christian message is irrelevant and the Church an archaic relic, therefore, worship is merely a privilege granted by the powers that be.
The Church has been under systematic attack and ridicule for decades. Sadly there have been charlatans claiming the name of Christ who have robbed widows houses and led the unsuspecting into fanatic captivity. For the media and the godless these are representative of every Christian everywhere. Seldom will you find real Christianity portrayed by the mainstream media. Human tendency is to highlight the negative and call out hypocrisy (which ought to be done) and to ignore the multitude of self-sacrificing believers laboring without recognition to minister to suffering humanity.
These faithful Pastors may seem to have been irrational to the fearful and submissive, but, they were living out their faith according to their conscience. Every effort was made to belittle and ruin the reputations of these individuals.
Some may argue that the right to worship God according to our conscience is codified in the Constitution. However, the right to serve God freely predates any edict of man. Our right to worship comes to us directly from God, He needs no middleman to ensure the rights of his people.
Many Christians parrot the media’s disdain for all things Christian. This self humiliation and self loathing by believers has created a timid, weak and fearful Church. Christians have been relegated to the buildings they have built to gather for worship. Even worse believers live as though they have no relevance outside the walls of their meeting house. The Church is not a building or a denominational name, instead it is the flesh and blood followers of Jesus Christ are the Church. Believers have forgotten that they are the leaven of society. They are to permeate the culture with the claims of Christ and model the moral, ethical and spiritual behavior that God expects of all men.
Believers have been programmed to accept that they are irrelevant, that the gospel is only a Sunday thing. That we should only live our religious convictions when we are called to worship because, according to the world, it has no bearing on social issues, politics, or daily life.. Because of this we whimper and apologize for daring to even talk about Jesus.
However, the relevance of Christianity is seen in the lives that have been changed by divine grace. When drunkards, addicts, prostitutes and all who have fallen into the misery of sin are transformed society is elevated with them. When men and woman learn to be honest and ethical society is benefited. When those who stole, lied and cheated make restitution for the wrongs they have perpetrated their victims lives are elevated.
The power of Christianity is grounded in its founder. Jesus came into the world, not to make us happy, but the make us holy. These are not fanciful fairy tales, as the media and others believe. Jesus is a historical figure who lived and died and was resurrected from the grave. This Jesus, who is the savior of the world, has the power to transform the most profligate person into a loving, caring and vibrant believer. It is this transforming grace that makes the church the most relevant institution in modern life. The message of redemption was, is, and always will be indispensable in the lives of a fallen race.
Unfortunately many churches have forgotten this unchanging truth. Many within the church have never forsaken the very things that made them sad. They grasp for the benefits of Christ’s death with one hand and tenaciously hold onto the lifestyle that destroyed their hope with the other. Too many pastors are fearful to preach the true condition of humanity and the only remedy for it through Jesus Christ.
Christianity has become a mere club where we meet friends and enjoy companionship. Although those things are part of the Christian experience, those social amenities can be had without a church. This socialized Christianity has done much to perpetuate the sense that Christian belief is not needed as a viable part of life. We have ceased to seek a higher calling and in doing so have become the enemies of our own and especially Christ’s endeavors.
Our brothers and sisters are tortured and slaughtered in the middle east and can we not face the ire of an antagonistic media? God save us from our cowardlice! God give us the courage of those who have gone before carrying the blood stained banner. We serve the King of kings and Lord of lords and of His kingdom there will be no end.
When the church awakens and rediscovers her privilege and power in Christ the world will experience hope. While she wallows in subservience to the baser elements of life, she will continue to have little or no impact. Our heritage promises better things than this. Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong (1 Cor. 16:13 ESV). The Lord of hosts is on your side.
For Christians to meet and worship their redeemer no permission is needed from any man. It is time for the church to step up and boldly live her faith. We follow in the vanguard of countless martyrs and saints. We have the richest heritage of any other group of people on earth. Jesus is our morning star and as we keep our eyes on him the designs of the wicked can never harm us.
Managing Life Today 