The raison d'etre for the church universal and local is more than to provide a sanctuary and home for worshipers to get their spiritual batteries recharged; its main purpose is to infuse truth into a darkened world that doesn't see the light of day. Just as Jesus said that He came into the world to bear witness of the truth and that he, who is of the truth, listens to Him, so we are to fearlessly proclaim the gospel truth even if it falls on deaf ears. It is untoward to us that the German church turned a deaf ear to Hitler and failed to expose him before it was too late--let this be an example to learn from history!
Pastors and preachers have the thankless job of preaching truth and the sign of a prophetic message is that it makes the uneasy feel comfortable, and the comfortable to be thrown out of the comfort zone of ease. We have too many at ease in Zion today, just as Amos observed. Yes, complacency has set in and we even have few who are willing to stand up and be counted when the truth or true doctrine is at stake; denouncing heresy and apologizing for the faith has become passe and unpopular, and even uncool!
The way of the world is to live and let live and to become eclectic in our faith, but this kind of philosophy may be doable for an individual in his private life, but it is unthinkable that a church gives up the quest and thirst for truth. We should never think we've arrived at all truth and that it is shrink-wrapped and freeze-dried, so as to need no new investigation. Yes, we do know the doctrines of grace and the gospel message, but we are not to think we need not learn more and teach more. The world looks to the church for salt and light or for a cue to what to do in this evil age.
We need to take stands and fly our colors for the Lord, being willing to follow Him no matter where He leads--and sometimes the truth leads to unwanted places. We must be willing to go wherever the truth may lead, if we want to ever know the truth; i.e., if you won't admit you're wrong you don't have the right mindset for finding truth--we must admit our ignorance, and this is where churches come in, as they boldly proclaim the truth, even if it offends the standards of society and the norms of culture. The Bible is the guide, not the variables and givens of this world.
We don't need preachers who are people-pleasers and seek popularity or approval of man and not of God. We need ones who dare to preach the truth when it hurts and even to their own shame. In summation: we don't just go to church merely to hear a sermon that will make us feel good, but to go to a sanctuary of the truth and not platitudes--if we cannot rely on the church for this, where else can we go? As Jude was admonished: "Contend for the faith" in Jude 4, so we also have a mission to relate Christianity to the real world in application to all areas of life. Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastors and preachers have the thankless job of preaching truth and the sign of a prophetic message is that it makes the uneasy feel comfortable, and the comfortable to be thrown out of the comfort zone of ease. We have too many at ease in Zion today, just as Amos observed. Yes, complacency has set in and we even have few who are willing to stand up and be counted when the truth or true doctrine is at stake; denouncing heresy and apologizing for the faith has become passe and unpopular, and even uncool!
The way of the world is to live and let live and to become eclectic in our faith, but this kind of philosophy may be doable for an individual in his private life, but it is unthinkable that a church gives up the quest and thirst for truth. We should never think we've arrived at all truth and that it is shrink-wrapped and freeze-dried, so as to need no new investigation. Yes, we do know the doctrines of grace and the gospel message, but we are not to think we need not learn more and teach more. The world looks to the church for salt and light or for a cue to what to do in this evil age.
We need to take stands and fly our colors for the Lord, being willing to follow Him no matter where He leads--and sometimes the truth leads to unwanted places. We must be willing to go wherever the truth may lead, if we want to ever know the truth; i.e., if you won't admit you're wrong you don't have the right mindset for finding truth--we must admit our ignorance, and this is where churches come in, as they boldly proclaim the truth, even if it offends the standards of society and the norms of culture. The Bible is the guide, not the variables and givens of this world.
We don't need preachers who are people-pleasers and seek popularity or approval of man and not of God. We need ones who dare to preach the truth when it hurts and even to their own shame. In summation: we don't just go to church merely to hear a sermon that will make us feel good, but to go to a sanctuary of the truth and not platitudes--if we cannot rely on the church for this, where else can we go? As Jude was admonished: "Contend for the faith" in Jude 4, so we also have a mission to relate Christianity to the real world in application to all areas of life. Soli Deo Gloria!
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