How Impotent is the Local New Testament Church!

“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18

I wanted to use Matt. 16:18 as my starting point, not to debate the local church verses the mythical universal church. My thought here is the importance of the local church, because so many today do not reverence the church. The word reverence here means -by analogy to be in awe of- the church as though she is metaphorically the body of Christ and one day will be the bride of Christ. Therefore, the church must be respected for the glorious and holy institution that she is, not as a simply place of pleasure. The church is important to the Christian because she is the pillar and ground of truth. “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15 If a church is not the pillar and ground of truth then it is not a church, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Revelation 2:4 – 5 The church is where you not only find truth it is where you find Christian love. This love is of Jesus Christ and He instituted the church in the world to have love, share love, and a place to praise and love God. The church is the most holy place on earth, not Israel, not the Holy Lands, not any symbolic thing or place on earth, just the local New Testament Church. The church must be the immovable pillar where the absolute truth is taught, where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is taught and respected as the absolute Sovereign Beings that they are. The church is about one focus, worshipping the Triune God in spirit and truth. The local church is the seminary of truth and only truth should be taught there. This is the reason the church, when assembled is Holy ground. Every member of a local church is a part of the body, and every member is very important to the local body. “For the body is not one member, but many. (24) For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: (28) And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” 1 Corinthians 12:14, 24, 28 Therefore, you as a member was set in the local church to serve God, Jesus Christ, as it pleases Them. “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.” V. 18 What a true blessing, God saves by His grace, then God sets us in the church as He chooses, to serve the purpose He chooses. God chooses the building and body parts and calls them the body of Christ which gives us all a more special membership. Being a child of God is so special and being a member of the Lord’s church is also very special, however both can be abused. God’s grace can be abused by Christians sinning at will, by others not seeing your light shine. The blessing of being a church member can be abused by not attending church, this is an awful disobedience to God. There are very few true reasons for a Church member not to be in church. God said, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25 Another failure by many members is tithe and offering to the Lord’s house. It is a fact that the Lords churches suffers in many ways, but the two most common ways are attendance and money. It’s a real blessing to see God’s children following the scripture and walking in His word, but a sad thing when we see those not following the scriptures. If you are saved and you’re not a church member you truly need to join and be a part of God’s church. Second, if you’re a church member that doesn’t do as God commanded it’s time to straighten that out. Every Christian is saved because God saved them for a reason, and that reason is not to disobey the word of God.                   

The battle is ours; we must be prepared.

Ephesians 6:13 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

As Christians we are much hated, hated by Satan, hated by Satan’s servants called demons, and hated by Satan’s children on the earth some even “called” Christian. However, it is not us they hate, it’s Jesus Christ, they hate us because we are true Christians. “The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” John 7:7 However, the worst of their hatred is strongest with the men of Truth (Ministers), the people of truth (Christians), and churches of truth. The stronger the truth the stronger the hate, “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.”  1 John 3:13 The Lord just told us not to wonder “why” or “if” they hate us, but just know they do hate us. People of this world have always hated God’s people whether it was Adam and Eve who turned on God because they elected to disobey Him, or their son Cain who hated his brother and killed him because he was God’s man. Throughout history Christians and churches of the Lord has been hated by Satan’s children on the earth. Tens of millions of men, women, and children were martyred just because they were God’s children. Most of them by people looking like and proclaiming to be Christians. “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. (14) And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:13, 14 These evil sons of Satan transforming themselves into “angels of light, or apostles of Christ” appearing as though they are Christians or churches for the Lord Jesus Christ all the time hating the real Christians and churches. They are deceivers, they belong to Satan and not Christ, they have many lost followers, and others that are deceived Christians. Satan has blessed them with money and earthly things like large Mega buildings and many worldly programs to make them look more desirable as a tool to deceive the very elect. Always remember that Satan is our adversary, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” 1 Peter 5:8 The word “adversary” means - an opponent but to the Christian it means the arch enemy – which means - a person who is extremely hostile or opposed to someone or something. – So, Satan and his workers are extremely hostile Christians because they hate God so much, as His Son, His Word, His people, and His churches. This is something we must be continually sober minded about and always thinking about. “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” 1 Thessalonians 5:6 Most people refer this word sleep to the lost, but Christians can also have a mind to sleep. It must mean Christians here because the Lord warned us as Christians not to sleep. The Lord said, “Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.” Proverbs 19:15 The word “slothfulness” means – indolence, which means avoidance of activity or laziness – keeping our minds always awake and active to God’s word keeps us awake and active. It is the job of the Pastor to keep watch over the flock because they are the “overseers and under-shepherds” of the Lords flocks. They are the Lord’s watchmen, and when a watchman sleeps, the flock sleeps. Israel had this problem, “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.” Isaiah 56:10 Your Pastor is not being nosey into what you are doing in life, they are being watchful because you are a part of their flock. The truth is, we are all watchmen, the Pastor watches the flock, and the flock watches the Pastor, nether is above wondering! A Pastor must remember what God told Israel, “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.” Ezekiel 3:17 The word of God’s mouth is His word, from Genesis to Revelations, teaching the Truth no matter what. If a Pastor fails in teaching the all the truth, then the Truth will fall by the wayside and the church will fail in these areas.

Our life as Christians, churches, and warriors for the Lord is a constant battle, every day, there is never a day off. It requires our sober mind and full attention every moment of everyday. This is the only way we can he ready for battle with Satan, His army of so many, the Lord called it being “strong in the Lord,” but this strength comes only from the Lord, “in the power of his might.” The closer we are to the Lord, His Son, His word, and His church, the stronger we will be in this battle. Our weakness is failing in this area, it is like taking medicine, if you take it, you get better and then well, but if you fail you get weak and could fall asleep. Weak Christians, weak Pastors, and weak churches are very subject to Satan’s lies, he is watching and waiting for a chance to destroy everything he can that is the Lord’s. Don’t forget folks, what we are fighting is not human, it is not small, God said, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  Ephesians 6:12 The battle is Satan Vs God we are simply God’s personal property Satan uses against God. Our strongest weapon is our faith, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Ephesians 6:16 Keep your faith strong in the Lord, He will never fail you, His word is your sword, always be ready for battle and always depend on your sword to fight the battle. “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” Ephesians 6:17 and finally, don’t forget that prayer is a great necessity, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…” V. 18a