The local
church was meant to be a place of worship, fellowship, discipleship and
stewardship of God given gifts. Unfortunately, as in the case of the Corinthian
and Galatian churches, it becomes a battleground. The problem isn’t the Devil,
although he will encourage the conflict. The turmoil is fought out when God’s
redeemed people allow their Ego, prejudices and views seek to dominate, not
serve.
Almost
every letter in the New Testament points to or hints at how some of the saints
behave in a very unsaintly manner. Read Galatians and be warned. Acts 15 was
the 1st and most important church council. There it was agreed that
Gentiles didn’t have to be circumcised and live under Jewish culture and the
Mosaic Law. This didn’t prevent well-meaning but legalistic saints from
infiltrating the churches.
These
people were sowers of discord and division by smooth talking and insidious
undermining of the congregation’s faith and doctrine. They expected believers
from other cultures to adopt their Jewish culture to become fully Christian.
This was contrary to the Church Council’s decree. Because their tactics were
devious they acted similar to the sneaky, creepy approach of the false prophets.
Paul unmasked them and called them for what they were, carnal men causing
dissension and division. If they had stood on the street corner and heralded
their views that would have been acceptable. Open debate allows for good
discussion. Ulterior motives are brewed and promoted in the dark corners of the
soul.
The
Corinthian church had its individuals endeavouring to manipulate and coerce
their ways onto the congregation. When Christ isn’t the focus of a person’s affection,
devotion and worship some other factor dominates. This can lead, as it did in
Corinth, to chaos and loss of integrity and testimony. Were they trying to
siphon off some from the church so as to form their own? That still happens.
Romans 16:17-18 says mark such people and avoid them.
In one of
the churches with whom I ministered a similar tension and conflict was
developing. Some of the church members, who were also my friends, had been
attracted to a particular view of worship and doctrine. They were intent upon
getting others to accept it in an underhand and insidious manner. I talked with
them about their approach. I said they could stand outside on the street and
raise the ‘flag’ of their doctrine but don’t use the Devil’s methods to do what
you consider are God’s words and ways. They accepted that. We remained friends.
My sadness was that for those involved some marriages fell apart and loss of
faith developed.
The
warning of 1 Corinthians 3:17 is still operational. ‘If any man defile the
temple of God, him shall God destroy (Greek word means ‘defile’)…’ Such sneaky,
creepy saints may seem to prosper and capture an audience but they are frowned
upon by the Lord. By the power of their soul their work will be impressive, but
it will not be blessed. Such divisive persons may be saved but they will be
losers of Christ’s blessing around His judgement.
2
Corinthians 4:2 is a short and simple principle for leadership and worship in
the local congregation.’[We] have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty,
not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by
manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in
the sight of God’.
Jesus
impresses me with His openness and honesty. Deceit was not in mouth. Deception
and infiltration were not his strategies. His words to inquirers included the
cost of walking with Him. The local church is most at risk when God’s people
try and do the Lord’s work in a sneaky, creepy way. The Saviour calls us to
walk as He walked – in the Light. He was transparent in His dealings. So should
be His people.
Next
week. What are Christian ‘dead’ to?
