In my previous article, “The Adulterous Bride” I wrote about the adulterous relationship of the modern Church to Christ, referring to the activities and behaviors that are superseding true Gospel teaching and worship of God as the “children of apostasy”.
I continue that teaching today by examining the antecedents of that apostasy and tracing some of the root causes that have led to the current state of affairs.
As anyone who came to Christ in a “conversion experience” will tell you, emotions run very high initially. There is great enthusiasm for sharing the Gospel, to learn more about God through study of the Word and to have fellowship with other disciples (believers). One old saw shared by many pastors is that new converts can be counted on to do the dirtiest tasks and to be called upon to expend their time, labor and substance lavishly on behalf of a religious organization. This is often referred to as the “gold mine” of conversion.
How incredibly cynical!
Eventually, however, that initial fervor tends to cool and settle until the new convert becomes a run-of-the-mill member of the congregation, pulling back and being far more judicious about expending time, labor and substance on behalf of the organization. Feelings of dissatisfaction often set in – and people will then often leave their “home church” to seek another church that offers them more excitement, a return to those first thrilling days of discipleship – a journey that can, and often does, lead to leaving the church altogether.
It’s a sad fact that, although 75% of Americans profess to be Christians, less than 35% of them attend a church on anything resembling a regular basis. Of those, how many are attending an actual Gospel-teaching and Spirit-led church, rather than one that specializes in various degrees of “worshiptainment’?
Why does this happen? What’s going on in our churches?
In a nutshell, church organizations have “lost their first love”, ie; the centrality and crucial significance of repentance to, faith by, belief in and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior to save one’s self from the penalty of God’s wrath for sin. They no longer abide in “Christ alone”, but attempt to provide “additions to” or outright perversions of the true Gospel message.
Leaders of religious organizations most often give their loyalty to the organization (denomination) that employs them, not to the Word as the NT teaches it. Individual saving faith in the Gospel, therefore, grows weaker while the hierarchy of the organization grows ever stronger and more powerful due to the generation of new converts for the organization - which effort then becomes of more importance than sharing the Gospel as Jesus told us to do.
After all, once a religious organization has established itself, the next step is to declare religious authority and spiritual discernment over the members of the organization. The creeds and/or doctrines of the organization become of more importance and are given greater authority than the very Gospel they are supposedly established upon and derive their authority from. This includes declaring what is “true” doctrine and what is heresy. With this authority, the organization then may claim the power to create new doctrines for the religious organization and to enforce a creed to be followed by every adherent - that is to be obeyed implicitly – even above the plain sense of Scripture.
This happens most blatantly in the area of various “cults” – but rather glaringly in the modern Prosperity Gospel, “Word of Faith” and “Name It and Claim It” movements where there is an emphasis on personal prosperity, even wealth, and the promise of perfect health – these “blessings” being seen as a sign of favor from God, in direct conflict with the plain sense of Biblical teaching.
Millions upon millions in the United States and all over the world have been bamboozled by the charlatans that are practitioners of these false gospels – and yet, they hold sway over what some have estimated as more than 50% of all professing Christians!
How did we get here? Is there not supposed to be but ONE Body? Why all of the denominations, etc.?
Apostatic religious organizations refuse to deal with those who point to their errors. They don’t even pretend to admit that the teachings of their organization could possibly be in error! By the leaders refusing to be honest and not allowing the examination of their theology in the light of Biblical truth, they then begin to use double-talk, lies, and propaganda to prevent serious inquiry into the legitimacy of their adherence to the Bible and to the truths spoken within it.
Finally, we see these organizations telling their followers that not only should they follow the doctrines and practices of the organization, but that everyone, everywhere must also do so.
The Catholic Church; at least prior to the days of the Reformation; is a good example of what happens when an organization with the power of total control over the masses (who are to this day required to give their complete and utter obedience to the Church above all others things) develops new doctrines that only serve the religious organization's perpetuity and prominence, rather than to obey the Great Commission of Jesus Christ - and then expect the same obedience to the new doctrines as to the old, not allowing for a hint of dissension. Intolerance of criticism is paramount and they will use every manner of diversion, lies, misinformation, propaganda, and even persecution of dissenters to defend their self-serving practices and retain control of the religious organization.
So, what are we to do?
All true Christians should demand an examination of their organization’s doctrine to see what is true and what is not. This is the only way to stop the apostasy and is what the New Testament tells us we are to do. Truth can bear any scrutiny – and if what is being examined does not bear up to that scrutiny – it must needs be discarded!! It is the teachings of Jesus that must be paramount above all other things. Any organization that refuses to do so, then, must be looked at with great suspicion.
Secondly, we ourselves, as individuals, must know our own Gospel! Studying with other disciples and being taught Biblical principles and truths by a pastor who is led of the Holy Spirit – these things are good – but cannot replace time spent in individual, private, prayer and daily reading of the Word. The Holy Spirit Himself ministers to us at these times, granting us wisdom and helping us to discern what that truth is and what it is not.
Finally, we must be willing and stand ready at all times to give answer to those who may question our faith, our doctrine – and even the Gospel we teach and preach. If what we say we adhere to, teach and believe cannot stand scrutiny, if we cannot show that our teachings, doctrines, practices and beliefs are in agreement with the plain sense of revealed Scripture, if we place any emphasis on anything other than the sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and following His commandments – then we have no right to call ourselves Christians.
In His Service,
Heidi Roberts
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