Relating Or Rebelling Against God: Part 2
Strife. Envy. Division. Gossip. Murmuring. Backbiting. Sounds like an episode from asoap opera, but this describes the state of the church in Corinth and unfortunately, a picture of many of today’s churches.
Written about A.D. 55, about 20-years after our Lords ascension, to a largely Gentile church located in a major cosmopolitan city where idolatry and immorality abounded, the Apostle Paul said, “For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder” (2 Corinthians 12:20).
Previously, Paul had addressed the issue of division in the church: “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought” (1 Corinthians 1:10). Most likely, Paul’s statement was based on what Jesus had taught: “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:25).
What does it mean to "agree with one another," allow for "no divisions" and "be perfectly united in mind and thought?” Certainly it does not mean that everyone should believe exactly the same thing. It is perfectly acceptable to have an opposing viewpoint. However, it is never acceptable to become divisive over an opposing viewpoint. We are to work toward harmony, unity and peace and this can only take place when we agree on the absolute essential – Jesus is Lord. We are to speak and behave in such a way that we do not fuel division - in such a way that we reduce arguments. Pettiness and petty differences should never be allowed to divide believers.
Paul identified worldliness, walking in the flesh and not in the Spirit, when there is jealousy and quarreling in the church: “You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?” (1 Corinthians 3:3)
Why is it that the church has become so much like the world? Everyday, church splits take place over carpet color, stained glass windows, steeples, and whether we like this minister or that one and this is an abomination to God, detestable, and sinful. It is witchcraft anytime a divisive spirit is allowed to grieve the Holy Spirit of God. According to a Focus on the Family study, an average 1,500 ministers leave the church each month in America. Today, 50 good and godly people will preach their last sermon, close their Bibles and walk away from the pulpit forever. Why? Research says that the number one reason they leave is because they are sick and tired of dealing with rebellious, rogue spirits – people who think it is their job to correct, rebuke, and control the church. And though there are a few churches that experience unity, it is rare and fleeting. Why? Because today’s church looks a great deal like the church at Corinth, operating with the same earthly wisdom and yielding the same disorder, chaos, confusion, and every other evil thing. We desire the power of God without the purity of God. We demand excellence, freedom, and community but we live in mediocrity, enslaved as prisoners, and in isolation. We judge without consideration and evaluate with regularity. God says that bitter envy and selfish ambition are inspired by the devil. We listen to the loud voice of society: “You deserve it,” “You’re a self-made man,” “God helps those who help themselves,” none of which are the small, still voice of the God of Abraham and we are allured and deceived into thinking that greed and competition and gossip and divisiveness are healthy.
God forgive us.
Anytime a church exchanges the truth for a lie, biblical principle for pop theology, or maturity for marketing, the church is headed for certain disaster. And when we replace sound biblical teaching with amusement park enlightenment, we are sustaining and escalating a soulful appetite that cannot be satisfied. Does this mean that we should not be culturally relevant? By no means. We should do all that we can to reach today’s generation just as Paul did. But God’s Word and His message should always be paramount.
And though these problems persist, they can always be traced back to leadership. If children are unruly, undisciplined and ungoverned, it is because their parents have either failed to adequately teach them otherwise, or because they are more interested in placating than disciplining. As a dad goes, so goes the family. God ordained leadership is anointed, effective, and empowered by God if they adhere to God’s Biblical blueprint. God has given church leadership authority to guide the church under His direction. However, most everyone in the church today is biblically illiterate when it comes to understanding authority in the church. We know more about the NBA playoffs than we know of God’s Word, His principles, and His character. We must understand God’s perspective on leadership and authority in the church. Without this, our church looks like nothing more than a stadium filled sports arena where everyone cheers on their favorite players and despises those whom they consider of lesser significance – the very issue Paul addressed with the Corinthian church.
“What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ" (1 Corinthians 1:12).
The believers in the Corinthian church favored different preachers. Some followed Paul; some followed Peter; others followed Apollos; some followed Christ. The church was in danger of dividing. Paul mentions Jesus Christ 10 times in the first 10 verses of First Corinthians making it abundantly clear Who should be emphasized by all teachers and preachers. The message of God is far superior and to be honored far above those who bring the message.
With so many church flavors available today, it is easy to become divisive and divided. In so doing, we divide Christ Jesus. True disciples of Jesus will never allow anything to divide Him or them. Allegiance should only be given to Christ. God is not interested in our building cathedrals of denial, but houses of prayer and worship, where real people with real problems find real solutions from a very real God.
Bitterness is the fruit of a divisive spirit. Hebrews 12:12-16 tells us: “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.”
Bitterness yields unforgiveness and unforgiveness brings forth spiritual death. Bitterness is vocal. Listen on any given Sunday and you will hear the whispers, the grumbling. Grumbling is the result of bitterness and unforgiveness. Jesus commands, "Stop grumbling among yourselves” (John 6:43).
James 3:13-16 says: “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”
If you want to be free, you must free others by forgiving them – then you will be freed. God tells us to:
“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. Pray for us” (Hebrews 13:17,18).
Obey your leaders.
The church is not a business or democracy, it is a family of families and a theocracy. The church is God-governed and elder-led (there is not a single instance in the New Testament of a one-man led church – it is always elders, plural who are not voted in, but who are raised up by God, meet biblical qualifications, and who rule, teach, shepherd, oversee, care, govern, live, and safeguard the flock of God). They are to govern under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The church is not a democracy where everyone has a say in how the church is to be governed. The highest ruling body in a church is the elders. Church members must submit to be discipled by their leaders. Members must not think themselves too wise, too good, or too great, to learn from them. Members must obey church leadership when they find that what is being taught is in agreement with God’s written Word. The flock is to obey the leadership who has been ordained by God. Otherwise, we have “every man doing that which is right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6).
Church members must heed the counsel given by the leaders because “they keep watch over you as men who must give an account”. The greatest pain a godly church leader knows is when a church member refuses to heed biblical counsel and they turn further away from God. Obedience is humility in action. In truth, obedience, actually following God’s commands, is a measuring stick of our love (1 John 5:3; 2 John 6; John 14:15). Likewise, the Old Testament clearly says that we are to: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13; 1 Samuel 15:22; Psalm 15). Those who truly love God are those whose lives are surrendered to God – humbly living life God’s way, not my way.
Submit to their authority.
Submission is not deaf and blind acquiescence to leadership. However, submission is the outward demonstration of an inner surrender of the heart. You may not like those in leadership, but you must respect the office, otherwise there will be anarchy and mutiny and division. The Bible has much to say about authority, orderliness, and discipline in the church. We must remember that incomplete obedience is the same as disobedience.
They keep watch over you as men who must give an account.
Church leaders will give an account of their duty. Each person entrusted to them, whether lost by their neglect or equipped for every good work will be reckoned. If your leaders give their account with grief, it will be your loss as well as theirs. It is in your best interest to make sure that your leader’s account is given with joy and not grievously. Leaders will grieve, but the loss will be to those whom they ministered. Faithful leaders are delivered, but a faithless member’s ruination will be upon his or her own head.
Pray for us.
“This is one part of the duty which people owe to their ministers. Ministers need the prayers of their people; and the more earnestly the people pray for their ministers, the more benefit they may expect to reap from their ministry.” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary)
Addressing an elder.
Go to him as a brother (Matthew 18:15-17). An accusation against an elder can only be brought to the rest of the church leadership on the basis of two or three witnesses. “Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses” (1 Timothy 5:19).
Double Honor.
First Timothy 5:17-18 says: “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages."
“Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor” (Galatians 6:6)
A Serious Warning.
David refused to kill Saul because he knew that God had placed Saul into leadership. First Samuel 26:9-11 says: “But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD'S anointed and be guiltless? As surely as the LORD lives," he said, "the LORD himself will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD'S anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let's go."
We are to receive God-appointed leadership, but never honor them above God or His Word. We are never to speak against God-ordained leaders, instead, interceding for them and leaving them to God’s judgment.
Let us purpose to grow in Christ-likeness as we forbear with each other in the love of Jesus.
Continue this series:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
